Getting started with breastfeeding: first hour, colostrum, latch and the first days

Breastfeeding is natural, but it is also a skill that you and your baby both have to learn. Questions, doubts and tiredness in the first days are very common; nobody gets it perfect on the first try. This guide walks you through the basics in a calm way, from the first hour to colostrum, a good latch and the signs that your baby is feeding well.

The first hour and skin-to-skin contact

If you and your baby are well after birth, it is recommended that your baby is placed naked on your chest and stays there for the first hour. This is called skin-to-skin contact. During this time babies usually get to know you, warm up and settle, and many move towards the breast on their own. A first feed in this hour is a lovely start for many, but if it did not happen, do not worry; after a caesarean, when your baby needs observation or when you need rest, skin-to-skin can happen a little later, when it suits. You can write this wish in your birth plan.

Colostrum: the first milk

In the first days after birth, your breasts make a small amount of thick, yellowish milk called colostrum. The amount is small because a newborn’s stomach is tiny too; it is matched to what your baby needs. Colostrum is rich in immune support and nourishes your baby in the first days. Do not worry that there seems to be little; frequent feeding helps your milk come in.

A good position and latch, step by step

Finding a comfortable position comes first. Support your back and arms and let your shoulders drop. Then:

• Turn your baby’s body towards you, tummy to tummy, with ear, shoulder and hip in a line.
• Keep your baby’s nose level with your nipple.
• Wait until your baby opens the mouth wide; brush the nipple lightly from the nose towards the lower lip.
• As the mouth opens wide, bring your baby quickly to the breast, chin touching first.
• The mouth should take the nipple and much of the areola, especially from below.
• Lips turn outwards, the chin rests on the breast and the nose stays free.

With a good latch, sucking usually starts quickly and then slows to deeper swallows. If pain continues beyond the first few seconds, gently break the suction with your finger and try again. If pain persists or the nipple cracks, ask for support.

10 tips that help right away

1. Write it in your birth plan. Tell the team in advance that you want skin-to-skin and a first feed.
2. Set up a comfortable spot and pillows. Pillows behind your back, under your arms and under the baby reduce shoulder tension.
3. Watch for your baby’s cues. Lip smacking, hands to mouth and head turning are early signs; crying is a late one.
4. Feed often. Day and night, usually 8–12 feeds or more in 24 hours is common.
5. Wait for a wide mouth. A wide-open mouth gives a deeper latch.
6. Try different positions. Cradle, cross-cradle, side-lying and underarm holds suit different situations.
7. Let your baby finish one breast. Then offer the other if wanted; let your baby set the order.
8. Remember to drink and eat. Keep a glass of water and a snack within reach.
9. Rest. When you can, lie down while your baby sleeps; putting chores off is good for your milk, too.
10. Ask for support. In hospital or at home, help from a lactation consultant, midwife or doctor in the first days makes things much easier.

How do you know your baby is hungry?

Newborns show hunger before crying: smacking lips, opening and closing the mouth, sucking on a hand or clothing, and turning the head side to side to look for the breast. Feeding at these early signs keeps both of you calmer. Crying is a late sign; if your baby has cried a lot, calming them with skin contact first makes latching easier.

Frequency in the first days

In the first days babies want to feed often; this helps your milk develop and your baby learn to feed. Usually at least 8 feeds in 24 hours, and often 8–12 or more. Some babies feed back to back in the evenings (“cluster feeding”). That does not mean your milk is not enough. If your baby is very sleepy and shows no interest in feeding, especially in the first days, tell your midwife or doctor.

Signs that your baby is getting enough

Numbers vary from person to person, but these are generally reassuring:

• Your baby sucks with a rhythm and swallows, and relaxes after feeds.
• The number of wet nappies rises over the days; by the end of the first week there are usually six or more heavy wet nappies a day.
• Poo changes from dark first-day meconium to greenish and then yellow; within the first week there are usually several yellow poos a day.
• Your baby has alert and active periods and a moist mouth.
• After some early weight loss, your baby starts to gain; your doctor or midwife follows this at check-ups.

If anything needs checking, your midwife or family health centre will guide you.

Breast fullness

About 2–5 days after birth, when your milk “comes in”, your breasts may feel full, heavy and warm. Feeding often eases this. A warm shower or warm cloth before feeding and a cool compress afterwards may help. If the areola is very hard, your baby may struggle to latch; gently expressing a few drops of milk before the feed can make latching easier. If there is redness, fever or a hard, painful area, get help without delay. For more detailed problems, see the guide article on breastfeeding problems and solutions.

Sources of support

Doing your first feeds in hospital with a midwife, nurse or lactation consultant is very valuable; do not hesitate to ask “am I doing this right?” After discharge, your family health centre, family doctor or midwife offer checks and support in the first weeks. Relatives who help with meals, chores and baby care also support breastfeeding indirectly. If you feed your baby with formula or a bottle, the same love and care apply; whichever way you choose, what matters is that your baby is fed and that you are well.

When to contact your doctor

Let your doctor, midwife or your baby’s doctor know if:

• Your baby will not wake, refuses to feed or sucks very weakly.
• The number of wet nappies drops clearly, urine is dark or stools stay pale.
• Your baby’s skin or eyes turn yellow and the yellowing increases.
• Your baby has a dry mouth, seems limp or has a fever.
• You have a red, hot, painful, hard area in your breast with fever or flu-like tiredness.
• You have severe, ongoing nipple pain or bleeding.
• You feel very low or hopeless, or breastfeeding overwhelms you.

If your baby has trouble breathing, turns blue or does not respond, call 112 (in Turkey) or your local emergency number.

Frequently asked questions

Is it essential to feed in the first hour? No. Skin-to-skin and a feed in the first hour are a lovely start for many, but if it did not happen, breastfeeding can still begin later.

I have very little milk. Is that normal? In the first days colostrum comes in small amounts, which is expected. Frequent feeding helps your milk come in.

My baby wants to feed all the time. Is my baby not full? Frequent feeding is very common in the first days and during growth spurts. Wet nappies and weight checks show whether your baby is fed well.

Should I offer both breasts at every feed? Not necessarily. Offer one breast until your baby lets go, then the other if wanted.

Breastfeeding hurts. Is that how it should be? Mild tenderness can happen in the first days, but ongoing or severe pain is often linked to the latch; ask for support.

On the breastfeeding journey every family moves at its own pace; this article is for information only, and your midwife’s and doctor’s advice for your own situation comes first.