How To Get Breastfeeding Off To a Good Start

Following birth, if your baby is well and given time, they will go through a series of behaviours and stages, this is sometimes called the magical hour. Working through the stages helps to get breastfeeding off to a good start and helps baby to adapt to life outside your womb.

After birth, your baby is placed in skin-to-skin contact with you, dried and covered with a towel/blanket and remain in skin to skin, until after the first feed. This magical hour can last 1 to 2 hours and will lead to their first feed.

Skin-to-skin helps:

Both mother and baby to relax
Encourage and increase milk making and mothering hormones.
Baby to feel calm and safe next to the warmth of mother’s body and the familiar sound of her heartbeat and voice.
Maintain baby’s body temperature

This special time after birth lays the foundation for strong mother-baby relationships and should be encouraged regardless of how a mother intends to feed her baby. Skin to skin should initially be with mother, then with father and siblings.

Skin-to-skin contact at any time during the early weeks and months after birth will continue to boost hormonal responses, provide comfort, and calm both you and your baby. Skin-to-skin is a first measure which supports instinctive feeding behaviours and breastfeeding

Your milk supply

After birth, the hormones responsible for lactation -prolactin and oxytocin, are stimulated and frequent breastfeeding is needed to maintain milk supply. If you are unable to breastfeed, you should aim to hand express within 1 – 2 hours of giving birth. Hand expressing is recommended for the first 24 – 48 hours. If your breasts are frequently stimulated, these lactation hormones continue to work for as long as you want to breastfeed. If ongoing expressing is required then you can use a breast pump.

Supporting your baby to breastfeed

Holding baby close so they can touch and nuzzle at the breast will stimulate the milk producing and mothering hormones prolactin and oxytocin. Offering feeds frequently (at least 8-10 times in 24 hrs) or express the same number of times if you and baby are separated or unable to feed. Prolactin and oxytocin also have a psychological effect, working together to produce feelings of calmness and love and help baby feel safe and secure.

One day at a time

Breastfeeding provides the best possible start for your baby, however long you choose to breastfeed. The NHS and World Health Organisation recommend that babies are exclusively breastfed (given only breast milk) for the first six months, followed by continued breastfeeding (alongside solids foods) until 2 years and beyond. However, any amount of breast milk is good for your baby and is valuable. Breast feeding is a skill for you and your baby to learn together . It will take time and practice, one feed at a time. Breastfeeding for some mothers is not always easy so it is important is to ask for help so you can feel prepared.

Teats and dummies

While you are establishing breastfeeding, it is recommended that you avoid using teats and dummies and giving other fluids. Using a dummy or teat in the early days or weeks can make it more difficult to notice your baby’s feeding cues or when they need comfort. It can also mean it’s more difficult to get breastfeeding started.