Breastfeeding: The 1st week of life

AnneMerewoodPhDMPHIBCLCDirector,CenterforHealthEquity,EducationandResearch(CHEER)atBoston

UniversitySchoolofMedicineAssociateProfessorofPediatrics,BostonUniversitySchoolofMedicine

AssociateProfessorofCommunityHealthSciences,BUSchoolofPublicHealthAirinieAzharBSc,CHEERandCHEERingNationalCoordinatorforGreece

Why breastfeed?

Breastfeedingisthesafest,healthiestwaytofeedababyBreastfeedingprotectsagainstvirusesDuringCOVID-19andalways,breastisbest

Getting ready

•  Youdon’thavetodoanythingspecialtogetready•  Yourbodywillprepareitselfinpregnancy• Whenthebabyisborn,yourhormoneschangeandyouwillmakeenoughmilk•  Thesechangesmightmakeyoufeelsad,tired,orweepyinthe1stfewdaysafterbabyisborn

When baby is born •  Tokeepbabysafeandwarm,putbabyonmom’schest,withthebaby’sskinonyourskin,foratleast1hour,andcovermomandbabywithablanket•  By1hour,thebabywillshowyoushewantstoeat•  Shewillcrawltothebreastonherown,oryoucanhelpthebabytogetthebreastintohermouth

The best place to keep a baby warm is on the mother’s chest

OrDad’schest!

The newborn

• Newbabiesusuallylosealittleweight.Thisisnormal.• Hewillstarttogainweightwhenhe’sabout4daysold• Newmomsmakeverysmallamountsofmilk–thismilkisveryrich,andprotectsbabyagainstillnesses

When the milk comes in….

•  Thebabywillbeabout3daysold•  Yourbreastsmaygetheavyandleak•  Feedbabyoftensothebreastsdon’tgettoofull•  Themoreyoufeed,themoreyouwillmake

Infant on the breast

•  Infantsneedtobeproperly“latchedon”togetenoughmilk–ifthey’renot,ithurtsandthebabywon’tgetenoughmilk

Normal baby poop

•  The1stfewpoopsafterbirthareblack,thick,andsticky

• Byaboutday3abreastfedbaby’spoopshouldbebrightyellowandsoft

When things are going well…..

• Babyshouldpeeandpoopfrequently(2poops/day2;3day3;4day4)•  Infantshouldeat8-12timesormorein24hours• Peeshouldbeclearoryellow• Breastfeedingshouldnothurt