The first few days of breastfeeding can feel like the steepest learning curve of new parenthood. To help, MyKidsTime hosted a video Q&A on our Facebook page with lactation consultant and mother of five Nicola O’Byrne of BreastfeedingSupport.ie. In the talk, Nicola shared her best breastfeeding tips for new mothers, focusing specifically on the first few days after birth.
Nicola has worked with mothers and babies for over 30 years. As a paediatric nurse, she worked in the neonatal unit of the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and in Crumlin Children’s Hospital, helping many mothers establish effective breastfeeding with both full-term and preterm babies.
She provides practical help and advice with breastfeeding concerns, whether you need support immediately after birth or at any later stage. You can find her current consultation options, including online support, on her website.
Read on for some practical tips to help get you through those first few days with your new little one.
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How to Prepare for the First Feed
The first time you breastfeed your baby is momentous, but it’s also a completely new experience that can feel scary or strange. The most important thing is not to panic — you and your baby will find a rhythm together.
Here are Nicola’s top tips for that first feed after birth:
When Is the First Feed?
“Official guidelines state that the baby should have its first feed within half an hour to an hour after birth. The reason you want the baby to feed that soon is because you want to put an imprint onto them as early as possible. It’s a way to communicate to the baby that this is feeding time, and this is how you do it.”
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What If I Can’t Do It?
“Contrary to popular belief, breastfeeding isn’t an innate skill, it’s a learned one — so don’t panic if you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing!”
“Every baby you have, you learn again. You might be better second or third time, but it’s still something you have to work out with your baby about what’s going to work for you both.”
What If Baby Doesn’t Latch?
“It’s really common for babies not to latch well initially. Sometimes they’re just a bit stressed after the birth, especially if it was a very quick labour. Hold them skin-to-skin to help regulate them and keep them calm and free from distraction.”
What If the Feed Doesn’t Work?
“If your baby doesn’t latch, or if you’re separated from your baby directly after birth for whatever reason, it’s recommended that you hand-express colostrum. That’s the nutrient-rich milk that starts developing in your breasts from around 16 weeks of pregnancy. It really surges in that first hour after birth, and that’s when the largest amounts of colostrum are collected.”
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Breastfeeding During the First Week
Once you’ve gotten past that first feed, it’s time to settle into a regular rhythm. This takes some getting used to, but here are some general tips from Nicola on the first week of feeds:
Dinner…and Dessert
“Most babies in the early stages of the first week or two will never take a full feed in one go. A lot do what we call ‘dinner and dessert’. This is where they feed, fall asleep and look like they’re done. Then 15–20 minutes later, they wake up and off they go again.”
“Most of the time, that second feed is shorter — maybe 5–10 minutes. It’s like they put their knife and fork down, they have a rest, they don’t gobble it all down together because they’re not really strong enough yet, and their tummies aren’t big enough to hold all the milk they need in one sitting. So always expect your baby to come back for a second helping in those early feeds.”
Wake Your Baby Frequently
“In those first few days, if your baby isn’t waking by themselves frequently, you’ll need to wake them to feed. Don’t let them go longer than four uninterrupted hours in the first week without a feed.”
Most Feeds Will Be at Night
“Remember, most newborns feed more at night than during the day. One reason is that your hormone levels are higher at night, so you make more milk, and that’s when babies feed more frequently. It’s also quieter at nighttime, and particularly if the day has been busy, babies are more likely to feed more frequently over a few hours at night.”
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Getting the Latch Right
Nicola’s best tips on mastering the latch in those early days of newborn breastfeeding:
Again, Don’t Panic!
“It’s funny, because in the first couple of weeks you have to concentrate so much on the latch and the baby’s positioning. But after that, the baby can latch almost any way and will still be able to drink milk. It’s really only in the first week that you need to be very careful about positioning, latching and holding the baby in close. After that, the baby gets bigger and stronger, their mouth gets bigger, and it matters far less.”
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Master One Hold
“Cross cradle hold, football hold… many mothers think they have to use lots of different holds in the early days. You don’t — you just need to master one. Focus on finding the hold that works for you and your baby, then stick to that.”
You Are the Guide
“In those first few days, as much as you’re learning, your baby is learning even more.”
“A lot of newborn babies will try to latch with their eyes closed but can’t. That’s because they’re searching with their face to feel the nipple. If they can’t find it with their face, the hands come in. They start searching with their hands on the breast, and if they still can’t find it, the head-butting starts! So help them along as much as you can when guiding the breast into their mouth.”
It’s Breastfeeding, Not Nipple Feeding!
“Ideally, you want your baby to take a big mouthful of breast, because it’s breastfeeding, not nipple feeding.”
“When your baby latches, you bring the baby onto the breast — you don’t put the breast into the baby’s mouth. What you want to see is their cheeks touching the breast, so that when you look down, all you should see is their nose. You shouldn’t see a gap between the cheek and the underside of the breast.”
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More Breastfeeding Tips and Guidance
You can find more practical breastfeeding tips from Nicola — including advice on the cross cradle hold, nipple care and breastfeeding when returning to work — in the full video talk here.
You can also book a consultation with her directly through her website.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after birth should I breastfeed my baby?
Guidelines suggest offering the first feed within half an hour to an hour after birth. Feeding this early helps your baby start to link feeding with your presence and touch, so it’s worth trying as soon as you and your baby are ready.
What if my baby won’t latch at first?
It’s very common for newborns not to latch well straight away, especially after a fast labour. Skin-to-skin contact helps calm and regulate your baby. If a feed doesn’t happen, hand-expressing colostrum keeps your supply going until baby latches well.
How often should a newborn feed in the first week?
Newborns often feed in a “main feed, then a top-up” pattern rather than one long feed, and shouldn’t go longer than four uninterrupted hours without feeding in week one. Expect more frequent feeding overnight than during the day.
Do I need to learn several different breastfeeding holds?
No. You only need one hold that works well for you and your baby — whether that’s the cross cradle or football hold. Master one and stick with it rather than trying to learn them all.
Where can I get more breastfeeding support?
Nicola O’Byrne’s full video talk covers additional topics such as nipple care and returning to work, and consultations can be booked directly through BreastfeedingSupport.ie.
Related Articles
- Everything You Need to Know About Breastfeeding a Newborn
- Newborn Breastfeeding: Expert Advice for the First Few Days
- How to Survive the First 6 Weeks with a New Baby
- Tips for Partners on Supporting Baby Breastfeeding
- 41 Reasons You Know You’re Mom to a New Baby
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