Breastfeeding in the First 24 Hours: 10 Myths that Need to Be Busted
The first 24 hours are crucial for your baby to start breastfeeding successfully. It’s time to bust 10 most common myths that you should NOT follow, to make the start of your breastfeeding journey as smooth as possible.
Myth No. 1: The baby is tired after birth so you shouldn’t wake them for breastfeeding sessions.
Reality: No, no, no. It’s not just about feeding, you know? Let your baby have as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. The bond between the two of you will become stronger. The right time for your first breastfeeding attempt is right after delivery – ideally, you rest together, side to side with your baby. Skin to skin, heart to heart.
Myth No. 2: A newborn doesn’t really need to eat in the first 24 hours. Let them sleep.
Reality: 24 hours without food can make your baby even more tired. Or grumpy. Tiredness also makes correct attachment to the breast even more difficult. If your baby is tired, wake them and keep them at your side, with unlimited access to the breast. It’s proven that 8 to 10 times breastfeeding attempts during the first 24 hours prevent neonatal jaundice.
Myth No. 3: You don’t really have milk for the first few days so use formula to keep your baby sated.
Reality: Your baby’s stomach is about as big as a marble. The little amount of the first milk (colostrum) your baby gets is perfectly sufficient. Keeping your baby close is key. Breastfeed often, 8 - 13 times a day is just fine.
Myth No. 4: Pacifier is needed to make your baby calm.
Reality: Using a pacifier can hinder the ability to feed from the breast and can also lessen your natural milk production. Moreover, it makes you overlook the signals for feeding your baby might be doing. Sucking on a pacifier can actually confuse your (hungry) baby.
Myth No. 5: Before every breastfeeding session, change your baby into a clean diaper first.
Reality: Breastfeeding should always come first. Change your baby’s diaper during breastfeeding (before offering the other breast) or after the entire session. Changing a diaper before breastfeeding only makes sense when your baby is sleepy or it’s difficult to wake them.
Myth No. 6: A newborn baby should breastfeed every 3 hours for 15 minutes from one breast.
Reality: Never ever limit feeding times. Instead of observing the clock, observe your baby! Learn to react to their signals. Less frequent breastfeeding sessions equal less milk production, which leads to slower weight gain. Not the other way round.
Myth No. 7: Breastfeeding too often can cause painful nipples.
Reality: There’s no such thing as breastfeeding too often. The cause of painful nipples is usually incorrect sucking technique. Make yourself comfortable and don’t be shy to ask for professional help if you’re experiencing discomfort.
Myth No. 8: Breastfeeding (too) often makes a newborn too tired.
Reality: Healthy newborns born around their due date are perfectly OK with frequent breastfeeding. And their tiny stomachs are not the only reasons for this. They also need to feel safe and close to their mommy. Also, breastmilk is very light to digest.
Myth No. 9: Weigh your baby to find out how much they’ve drunk.
Reality: This is definitely not a precise way to tell if your baby eats enough. It can either give you a false sense of security or make you feel unnecessarily worried. In lieu of weighing your baby constantly, observe if your baby really drinks or is just doodling (the sign for this is a relaxed chin). Count pooped diapers and weigh your baby just once in a while.
Myth No. 10: Pump to learn how much milk you actually have.
Reality: This just doesn’t work. Pumps are not so effective and very often, it’s difficult to just make them work, let alone measure how much milk you have. Breasts never get empty.
Now you know what to avoid: Please, share these tips with other new moms and help them feel confident in their journey to successful breastfeeding.
Want more baby tips? Download the free Growing app from the non-profit organisation Aperio. Available both for Android and iOS.