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Benefits of breastfeeding
last a lifetime
Questions about breastfeeding
Thawing frozen breast
milk
Baby-led latching
Breastfeeding positions
Storing breast milk/thawing
frozen breast milk
Expressing breast milk
How to express breast
milk by hand
Getting started
Tips to help breastfeeding
Caring for nipples that
are sore
General breast care
Caring for breasts that
are hard
How to tell if your baby
is getting enough breast milk
- If your breasts
become hard your baby may have trouble breastfeeding.
Get help right away if you:
- cannot soften your breasts
or are having problems breastfeeding.
- have a red and painful
area on your breast.
- have a fever.
- are feeling sick.
See
where to get help
for phone numbers to call for breastfeeding help.
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Signs that your
baby is breastfeeding well
You will see:
1. Deep and Slow Sucks
- At the start of
the feed your baby will have shallow and quick
sucks. When your milk starts to flow the sucks
should become deep and slow. There should also
be a pause during the suck when your baby’s
mouth opens the widest. Your baby is drinking
milk during this pause. There should be at least
10-20 minutes in total of this “deep and
slow” type of suck at each feed.
You will:
- feel
your breast being pulled with no pain.
- hear
your baby swallowing (e.g., a quiet exhaled
"kaa kaa kaa").
2. Wet Diapers and
Stools
Baby’s
Age |
Wet
Diapers Each Day
At all ages urine should be clear to pale
yellow
with almost no smell |
Stools
Each Day |
| 1 day old |
At least 1 wet diaper (a wet diaper feels
like at least
2 tablespoons or 30 ml of water poured on
a dry diaper) |
At least 1-2 sticky dark green/black
stools (meconium) |
| 2 days old |
At least 2 wet diapers |
At least 1-2 sticky dark green/black
stools (meconium) |
| 3 days old |
At least 3 heavy wet diapers
(a heavy wet diaper feels like at least 2-3
tablespoons or 30-45 ml of water on a
dry diaper) |
3 or more brown/green/yellow stools |
| 4 days old |
At least 4 heavy wet diapers |
3 or more brown/green/yellow stools |
| 5-6 days old and older |
At least 6 heavy wet diapers |
3 or more large, soft, yellow, seedy stools
(a large stool is the size of a quarter or
larger). Baby should not be passing
any
meconium at this age |
| 6 weeks to 6 months |
At least 6 heavy wet diapers |
• 3-4 per day or 1 large,
soft, yellow seedy
stool per week
• After 6 weeks
some breastfed babies may have 1 very large
yellow stool every 1-7 days. This is normal
as long as the
stool is soft like toothpaste, or seedy, and
watery, and your baby is healthy. It is
also normal for some breastfed babies to
have many stools each day. |
3. Weight gain
- Breastfed babies may
lose 7% or less of their birth weight in the
first 3-4 days after birth.
- Most breastfed babies
then gain at least 4-8 ounces (112-224 grams)
a week in the first 3 months.
- Your baby should return
to her birth weight by 10-14 days of age.
- Then your baby gains
21/2-41/2 ounces (85-142 grams) a week from
4-6 months.
4. Other signs
that your baby is getting enough breast milk
- Your baby has a loud
cry.
- Your baby’s mouth
is wet and pink.
- Your baby’s eyes
look alert.
- Your baby moves actively.
- Your baby comes off
the breast looking relaxed and sleepy.
- Your breasts feel softer
and less full after breastfeeding.
GET HELP RIGHT AWAY IF
YOUR BABY IS NOT SHOWING SIGNS OF BREASTFEEDING
WELL
Please download the
Breastfeeding
your Baby Booklet.
(PDF, 8 pages, 835 KB). This
booklet and information on How to Breastfeed
has been reprinted with permission from Toronto
Public Health.
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