{"id":218328,"date":"2020-04-17T09:01:48","date_gmt":"2020-04-17T14:01:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bumpboxes.com\/?p=218328"},"modified":"2022-06-30T09:23:55","modified_gmt":"2022-06-30T14:23:55","slug":"breastfeeding-and-what-to-expect","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bumpboxes.com\/blog\/breastfeeding-and-what-to-expect\/","title":{"rendered":"Breastfeeding + what to expect"},"content":{"rendered":"

Breastfeeding is a great option for new moms and it comes with plenty of amazing benefits. But like everything else the first time around, you might not know what to expect. That\u2019s why we wrote up a list of the most common symptoms, side effects, and changes.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Let\u2019s get right into it\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can expect: Nursing frequency<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For the first month of breastfeeding, your newborn will feed <\/span>at least<\/span><\/i> eight times a day, likely for 15-20 minutes per breast. I\u2019m not good at math, but let\u2019s say that adds up to about four hours of feeding a day. So, basically a part-time job on top of all the other things you\u2019re trying to do as a new mom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A lot of new moms are shocked to learn just how often they\u2019ll need to breastfeed their baby, but there\u2019s good reason for it. Breast milk tends to digest more easily than formula, which means your baby will likely be hungry more often than a formula-fed baby. But there\u2019s another reason for this frequency in the first few weeks: it stimulates + boosts milk supply.<\/span><\/p>\n

The good news is that while breastfeeding may be all-consuming and on-demand in the early weeks, over time, your baby will nurse less frequently and develop a more consistent schedule that allows you to feel more like a human and less like a living, breathing buffet.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can expect: Breast changes<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your breasts go through a lot of changes in pregnancy and postpartum. In pregnancy, you\u2019ll likely notice an increase in size of about one to two cup sizes. Of course, every woman is different, but every mom experiences some growth caused by milk-producing cells.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve given birth, prolactin comes onto the scene to help you produce milk regularly. You can expect your breasts to feel sore in those early postpartum days, but soon your mature milk will come in and that\u2019s when breastfeeding or pumping becomes necessary for your comfort. This is because mature milk makes your breasts feel engorged, hard, and heavy. Expressing the milk provides some relief, which is good news for you and baby.<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can expect: Nipple tenderness<\/strong><\/h2>\n

In the first few days of breastfeeding, it\u2019s normal for your nipples to feel tender and sore because they\u2019re new to breastfeeding. But if the pain persists or is unbearable, there\u2019s likely an issue with your baby\u2019s latch.<\/span><\/p>\n

For proper latch, your baby needs to have, not just the nipple in the mouth, but also part of the breast. With proper latch, your nipple will be resting on the soft palate of the baby\u2019s mouth, and they\u2019ll actually be putting pressure on the breast, not the nipple. But if the baby isn\u2019t properly latched, all the pressure and force will go onto the nipple itself, causing pain. It\u2019s called breastfeeding, not nipple feeding, but sometimes babies don\u2019t get the memo.<\/span><\/p>\n

How do you achieve proper latch? Line your baby\u2019s nose (not their mouth) up with your nipple. Touch their nose with your nipple, wait for them to open their mouth wide, and then put them to your breast.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re still experiencing excruciating pain, consult a lactation consultant. They can help with latching and identify if there are any oral ties (lip ties or tongue ties) or other issues (like mastitis) that could be making breastfeeding painful.<\/span><\/p>\n

There are also a lot of <\/span>creams<\/span><\/a> out there to help soothe any tenderness, itching, soreness, or throwing you might be experiencing.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What you can expect: Changes in the baby<\/strong><\/h2>\n

There are two changes that will oc<\/span>cur once you start breastfeeding your little one \u2013 one is around weight and the other is around waste.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Typically, newborns lose around seven percent of their birth weight in their first week of life. But after about five days of breastfeeding, infants should start gaining weight back.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s common for your baby to gain around four to seven ounces each week, or an average of one to two pounds each month for the first few months. If you feel your baby isn\u2019t gaining the expected weight OR they aren\u2019t maintaining their weight, then it\u2019s best to consult a lactation consultant or pediatrician.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re lucky enough to have a breastfeeding clinic near you, you may be able to go for free weigh-and-feeds to make sure your baby is getting adequate nutrition from each feeding.<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to weight gain, if your baby\u2019s getting enough milk, you\u2019ll notice an increase in wet + poopy diapers. Around the fourth or fifth day of life, your baby\u2019s stool will take on a more seedy, yellow appearance. They may not have a stinky diaper after each breastfeeding session, but they should have stool at least 4x a day. And most likely, your baby will have a wet diaper waiting for you after most feeding sessions. These are both good signs of effective breastfeeding and adequate milk supply.<\/span><\/p>\n

One last thing…<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n

I\u2019ll leave you with one more thing many new moms don\u2019t expect, and that\u2019s just how challenging breastfeeding can be at first. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Breastfeeding is seriously amazing \u2013 our bodies provide customized, magical nourishment for our babies. If that\u2019s not cool, I\u2019m not sure what is. But that doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s going to come naturally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In those early days, there\u2019s a learning curve for you and baby. After all, you\u2019re both new to this. So, be patient, stick with it as long as you can, and don\u2019t wait until your nipple is damaged to seek help if you\u2019re having trouble. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re in unbearable pain and you can\u2019t get in with a lactation consultant right away, switch to pumping and bottle-feeding your baby until you can get in. It\u2019s better to pump than to continue breastfeeding if it\u2019s damaging your nipple. And chances are, you\u2019ll still be able to switch back to breastfeeding with the help of a lactation consultant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pssst! <\/em><\/strong>Need a pump? Don\u2019t forget that your insurance company is required to provide you with a free or discounted breast pump<\/a> for each pregnancy. And don\u2019t worry, you don\u2019t have to add long calls with insurance reps to your to-do list. The insurance-savvy nerds here at Bump Boxes can take care of all the logistics and get your insurance-covered pump sent right to your door. Just fill out the app to get started<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Breastfeeding is a great option for new moms and it comes with plenty of amazing benefits. But like everything else the first time around, you might not know what to expect. That\u2019s why we wrote up a list of the most common symptoms, side effects, and changes. \u00a0Let\u2019s get right into it\u2026 What you can…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":778364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[473,476,480,470],"tags":[28,142,26,8,379,281],"class_list":["post-218328","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-newborn-feeding","category-motherhood","category-motherhood-lifestyle","category-newborn","tag-breastfeeding-2","tag-first-time-mom","tag-new-baby","tag-new-mom","tag-pumping","tag-what-to-expect"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBreastfeeding + what to expect : Bump Boxes Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Breastfeeding is a great option for new moms. But like everything else the first time around, you might not know what to expect. 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