How to breastfeed

Watch this short video from Aptaclub for a step-by-step guide on how to breastfeed your baby.

Breastfeeding is undeniably best for your baby and completely natural for you both⁴. But like any new experience it can take a little time to master. So don’t be disappointed if you find things difficult at first. With the right technique and some practice, you’ll find that things soon get easier. With this in mind, we’ve put together some useful breastfeeding advice to make sure you’re on the right track. If you are having trouble you are not alone, so we also have advice for common breastfeeding problems.

Being comfortable will help your baby feed as well as possible. So experiment with a few different breastfeeding positions to see what’s best. Remember your comfort too, and make sure you’ve got a drink to hand as it can be thirsty work!

At around two to four days after birth, your breasts will feel fuller as you start to produce larger quantities of breast milk⁵.

At the start of every feed, you will produce ‘foremilk’ – a thin, thirst-quenching liquid packed with carbohydrates, protein and vitamins, which will keep your baby hydrated. As your baby continues to feed, they will reach the ‘hindmilk’; this is thicker, more nutritious, higher in calories and will keep them fuller for longer⁶.

These are not two different types of milk but are the ends of a continuum which starts as foremilk and moves to hindmilk during a feed. Any breast milk that you feed your baby will provide them with all the nutrition they need and give them the best start in life⁶.

• Position yourself comfortably in a supportive chair or with cushions
• Bring your baby to your breast and allow them to latch themselves
• The back of the neck and shoulders should be supported but their head should be free to move around
• Their whole body should be facing you during feeding, so make sure their tummy is against you at all times
• Let their arms move freely as they feed. You’ll find that allowing them to press or touch your breast will stimulate the milk.

In time, you’ll start to understand how your baby likes to feed, but until then look for these common signs that they’re latching on well, which means they’re likely to be feeding well too:

• They take a large mouthful of breast
• Their chin firmly touches your breast
• Your nipples and breasts don’t feel uncomfortable
• They come off the breast themself when they’ve had enough
• Their cheeks will look full and rounded as they feed. Also look out for movement around the ear – a good sign they’re swallowing

Many new mums worry that their baby is not getting enough milk, but in the first few days, your newborn will only need a few teaspoons of colostrum a day as their tummy is about the size of a marble¹. Despite this, they may well feed every hour and it’s perfectly normal for your baby to lose up to 5-10% of their birthweight in the first week through fluid loss⁸. However, if there is more than 10% weight loss, then speak to a health care professional about this as a clinical assessment should be done⁹. By the end of the second week, they usually will have regained this weight and will start to grow steadily.

Breastfeeding provides all the nutrition your baby needs and has many benefits, and once your baby is introduced to solid foods these benefit continue! Feeding your baby breast milk exclusively until 6 months and then with complementary foods until they are 2 years old will help give your baby the best nutrition in early life⁴.

Even if your baby is doing all of these things, you may still have concerns about the amount of milk they’re getting. There are no strict rules as to the number feeds a breastfed baby should have, and as your baby grows their needs will change, but as a guide they’ll feed every two-three hours, including day and night feeds¹⁰.

Here are a few ways to tell if your baby is getting enough food:

• From day 3-5 onwards they start to gain weight. Most babies regain their birth weight within the first two weeks
• From day 4 and for the first few weeks, their stools are yellow and quite runny. They should pass at least two a day
• They produce at least six wet nappies every 24 hours, from day 5 onwards

Remember, once your baby is full they will take themselves off the breast. Some babies will naturally take a break during a feed, so it’s always a good idea to wait a while to see if they’re just resting or if they’re actually full¹¹.

Shopping for breastfeeding equipment can be overwhelming so it is helpful to look near the end of your pregnancy. Useful equipment to have includes:

Nursing/breastfeeding bras

• These help to breastfeed easily by unhooking to open fully allowing easy feeding
• Make sure these aren’t too tight as pressure on your breasts can increase chances of mastitis

Breast pump

• If you are planning on expressing breast milk

Breast pads

• Breasts may leak a little between feeds