i am new to bf and i am really determine to giving it a shot when my daughter arrives (should be soon) i tried with DS, but he didnt seem to latch quite properly and honestly, i gave up too soon. i did pump for a while and feed him that way, but then it got to be impossible to do. so, i am reading up as much as i can and thought i would ask a few questions..

in the very beginning (like in the hospital) how often should i expect to nurse?

also, once at home, what should i be expecting? every hour? every half hour?

thanks for taking the time to read this. i admire bf moms and i think it is a wonderful thing to do.

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As newborns I often nursed my babies every half hour simply because that is what they do to bring your supply in or up it during a growth spurt. Plus their stomachs are so tiny and breastmilk digests quickly so they need to eat more often then a baby on formula. While I am against scheduling all together, I know others will disagree. But please don't try to schedule in those first six weeks or so, sometimes breastfeeding can have a steep learning curve and arbitrary schedules don't help. Your baby will gradually eat less often as they get older, their stomach grows and their growth slows down. I feel very strongly that babies should be fed on demand.

Here are some great links that should answer your questions better than I can.
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my babies (both of them) weren't the slightest bit hungry for the first couple days. I had LOTS of sleep time out of them and had to rouse them - it seemed - to try to nurse every 4 or so hours. (while in the hospital).
It wasn't long until they started actually waking up and really being hungry though. My milk came in without any problems no matter how often or infrequently it seemed I nursed in the first couple days.

Once their hunger pangs start ... and you'll know ...
then you can expect to feed them every 2-3 hours (closer to the 2hours usually)
And you time your nursing sessions like contractions. From the start - to start.

So if you start feeding at noon, and finish at 12:30, you should be expecting the next nursing session around 2pm (or as late as 3pm) yes, you can let them take the lead - but taking note of the time helps you understand the crying better in the beginning when all the cries sound the same. It also helps you get into that oh-so-important routine. It's not about being militant and strict, it's about expectations.

My babies slept alot those first few weeks. They'd prettymuch wake only to eat. So I'd be sitting there and staring at them wondering when they'd wake. Noticing that they'd eat at certain intervals helped me to gague that wait time. (ie: okay, I know that she'll be out for the next 1.5 hours, so I'll put her in the bucket carseat on the floor in the bathroom while I take a shower and can expect her NOT to wake up before I'm done).

It'll also help identify those hunger cries from other cries. ie: the baby just ate 20 minutes ago, why is she up crying? she couldn't be hungry yet... check the diaper, check the temperature, maybe it's gas...



The most success you can 'give' to yourself are 2 things.
1) determination. I figure, if you don't 'assume' you can, then you probably won't. Keep in mind "there is no such thing as too hard, no such thing as can't.".
2) drink LOTS of water. the more water you drink, the more milk you make. Simple fact. (like pouring water into the coffee maker
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You should expect to drink one FULL large glass of water each time you nurse and ON TOP of that, drink another glass or two as well.

Have fun!

That's great that you're going to try again, Holly! I agree with Karen that determination is your best friend. I spent lots of time reading the articles on the La Leche League website as well as books.

The most valuable thing I learned was that to get a good latch, you need to have the baby latch on from BELOW the breast. The first couple of times you latch her on, you rub your nipple on the area just below the nose and above the lip (the filtrum, I think it's called), getting the baby to grab on from below as you would if you were taking a bite of a big hamburger. And then when the baby goes to latch, you push her on really good to get as much nipple in her mouth as possible. Getting a good latch is the biggest step to building a good nursing relationship. Good latch = no pain and pleasant feedings.

As far as frequency of nursing, I agree with Karen that Marek didn't seem particularly hungry until he was two days old. He nursed about every 3 hours or so until my milk came in, and then more like every 2 hours for the first several weeks.

Karen's also right about drinking tons of water to keep your supply up. You'll be hungry too, but you can eat a ton and still lose weight. Making milk is hard work!

I really really enjoyed nursing Marek. I think it was tons easier than making and cleaning bottles, and it was very relaxing. I missed it terribly when I lost my supply when he was 10 months old. Good luck to you - I hope you can make it work with baby Lola!

thank you to each and everyone of you. thank you for the great advice. i have no idea what i am doing, so that factor of having no control is what scares me....

and, i had no idea to try to latch them from below, thanks rudi!

also, thank you for the link above...and i have also been reading up on the La Leche website and breastfeeding.com....so much info to digest. i am sure i am making it harder that what it actually is.

can anyone recommend a good nursing bra? i dont know if they are all alike, but before i purchase one i thought i would ask. i am not concerned with cost. i just really want to have all my ducks lined up before she gets here.

thanks again everyone!
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