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Breastfeeding your baby

6-minute read

Breastfeeding is a natural way to feed your baby. It provides all the nutrition your baby needs during their first 6 months, and also helps to create a loving bond between you and your baby.

The first milk you produce is called colostrum. It is rich in antibodies and fat, which newborns need to build their immunity.

Benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mum

Any amount of breastfeeding is beneficial, even if it’s only for a short time.

For your baby

Breastfeeding:

For you

Breastfeeding:

  • helps lessen recovery time after birth
  • helps the uterus return to its pre-pregnancy size
  • benefits your health by reducing the risk of breast and ovarian cancer, and osteoporosis
  • is cheaper than formula feeding
  • can be more convenient
Benefits of breastfeeding

What breast changes occur during pregnancy?

Some of the first signs of pregnancy are breast and nipple tenderness. This is because even during the earliest stages of pregnancy, a woman’s breasts are preparing to breastfeed.

Most women’s breasts and nipples undergo changes to some degree. These include breasts and nipples enlarging, the nipple and areola — the skin surrounding the nipple — darkening, veins in the breast showing more prominently and breasts feeling heavier.

Your breasts first produce colostrum — the first milk — at any time from the second trimester. The amount of colostrum varies between women. Many women can express a few millilitres a day once they enter their third trimester.

Maternity care providers may recommend expressing colostrum if your baby is expected to be premature or unwell after birth because these conditions may affect your ability to breastfeed early on.

When does the first breastfeed happen?

Ideally, babies can begin feeding from your breast soon after they are born. Most maternity hospitals support breastfeeding within one hour after birth. Newborns are usually alert after they are born and will attempt to seek your breast and attach.

Skin-to-skin contact between a mother and her baby is an important way to encourage early connection and bonding. However, if your baby is unwell or needs special care, you may have to delay your first breastfeed. Speak with your maternity care providers about how you’d like to manage feeding your baby soon after birth.

If a baby is unwell or needs , the first breastfeed may be delayed. Speak with your maternity care providers about how you’d like to manage your baby’s first feeds.

Common early breastfeeding issues

Breastfeeding is a set of skills for both mother and baby. Often, breastfeeding is fairly straightforward, with only minor issues that can be quickly overcome. However, some women experience challenges when they breastfeed and benefit from support.

  • Sore cracked nipples — This is usually a sign that the baby isn’t attached correctly.
  • A hungry baby — It can take a few days for your colostrum milk to become mature milk, during which time your newborn can be hungry and unsettled. Frequent breastfeeding helps manage this and increases your supply.
  • A sleepy baby — Labour and birth can be very tiring for mothers and babies. It can take a few days for newborns to learn how to attach and drink from your breast. To help manage this, gently stimulate your baby to keep them alert and provide skin-to-skin contact.
  • Breast engorgement — This is a common issue at around 2-6 days after birth. A mother’s breasts can feel uncomfortably full of milk as they adjust to her baby’s feeding demands. Frequent breastfeeding and ensuring correct attachment at the breast often helps resolve this.

How to get started — step-by-step

Encourage your baby to seek and attach to your breast themselves.

  1. Look for cues or signals that indicate your baby is hungry. Being awake, mouthing, sticking their tongue out, fussiness and wriggling are all instinctive feeding behaviours.
  2. Sit comfortably with your back and feet well supported.
  3. Aim for skin-to-skin contact with your baby and put them into a breastfeeding position. Any comfortable position for both of you is suitable.
  4. Place your baby close to you, with their chest against yours and their chin against your breast. Support their body so they lie comfortably.
  5. Gently stroke your baby’s mouth with the underside of your areola. This should encourage your baby to open their mouth. As their mouth opens and their tongue comes forward, bring your baby to your breast and aim your nipple towards the roof of their mouth. Their mouth should be open wide with a part of your areola in their mouth, not just your nipple. Think about how this feels — it should not be painful while they suck, but their mouth should follow a sucking and swallowing pattern.
  6. Look at your baby as they’re feeding and follow their lead when they show that they want to keep sucking or have finished.

Getting a good attachment - video

Video provided by Raising Children Network.

Common discomforts associated with breastfeeding

Breastfeeding can be easy, but you may initially experience nipple tenderness and engorgement until your breastmilk supply aligns with your baby’s demands.

Some women develop mastitis — an infection of the breast. If you experience this, it’s important to breastfeed as often as possible and promptly seek medical help.

Babies often want to cluster feed when they go through growth spurts. Cluster feeding occurs when the baby wants many brief breastfeeds over a short period of time. This is normal and often happens in the first stages of breastfeeding and during periods of rapid growth.

For breastfeeding help

Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content.

Last reviewed: September 2021


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Need more information?

Expressing breastmilk & storing breastmilk | Raising Children Network

You can express breastmilk by hand, or with a manual or an electric pump. Store expressed breastmilk in special bags or containers in the fridge or freezer.

Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website

Oversupply of breastmilk

Oversupply or hyperlactation is when you make more milk than your baby requires. Find out here what to do if you have too much breast milk.

Read more on Pregnancy, Birth & Baby website

Breastmilk & breastfeeding: benefits | Raising Children Network

Breastmilk – designed by nature for human babies. Breastmilk and breastfeeding have many health and practical benefits for mothers and babies. Read more.

Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website

Breastmilk oversupply & breast engorgement | Raising Children Network

Breastfeeding mums can have breastmilk oversupply and breast engorgement. Check feeding patterns, techniques and positions. Hand-expressing can also help.

Read more on raisingchildren.net.au website

Blog: Why is my supply low? | Australian Breastfeeding Association

Breastfeeding...with ABA Blog. Information about breastmilk supply.

Read more on Australian Breastfeeding Association website

Breastfeeding - expressing breastmilk - Better Health Channel

Expressing breast milk by hand is a cheap and convenient method.

Read more on Better Health Channel website

What’s so great about breastmilk? | Australian Breastfeeding Association

Why breastfeed? Breastmilk has many properties that make it perfect for your baby at every age and stage. And you don't need a perfect diet. Find out what's in breastmilk. 

Read more on Australian Breastfeeding Association website

Exercise and breastfeeding | Australian Breastfeeding Association

Can exercise or playing sport affect my breastmilk, milk supply or baby's growth?

Read more on Australian Breastfeeding Association website

Taking medicines when breastfeeding - NPS MedicineWise

When you are breastfeeding, medicines you take may pass into your breastmilk. Deciding to use any medicine involves weighing up the potential benefits and risks.

Read more on NPS MedicineWise website

Is my baby getting enough breastmilk? | Australian Breastfeeding Association

What goes in must come out! Wet nappies, weight gains, contented baby. These are some signs of a good milk supply. 

Read more on Australian Breastfeeding Association website

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