The Journey to Establishing Breastfeeding. Part 1

Breastfeeding is a subject very close to my heart—one that is incredibly important for new mothers and their newborn little ones 🐣 I want to offer a clear plan for getting breastfeeding off to a good start.

“Demand creates supply” is the key principle behind how the breast works during lactation. If milk supply is low but the breasts are stimulated frequently, the body will eventually begin producing more milk.

If breastfeeds are replaced with formula, however, the breasts receive the message that less milk is needed, and supply will gradually decrease.

Supplementing with formula without a clear medical indication can put breastfeeding on a path toward ending altogether.

The “golden hour” and early initiation

The “golden hour”—putting the baby to the breast within the first 30–60 minutes after birth—is a major trigger for the mother’s hormonal system that supports lactation.

It is also essential to make sure the baby is latching correctly. We will discuss latch technique in more detail later. Without an effective latch, establishing breastfeeding becomes much more difficult.

Signs of a good latch

• The baby’s chin is touching the breast.
• The baby’s mouth is open wide.
• The lower lip is flanged outward.
• More of the areola is visible above the baby’s mouth than below it.
• The baby’s cheeks are rounded or rest softly against the breast.
• The breast remains rounded during the feed.
• You can clearly hear the baby swallowing, with no smacking or clicking sounds.

Important: pain during feeding or a misshapen nipple afterward is a sign that the latch is not right.

A practical plan for establishing breastfeeding

• Do not offer water before complementary foods are introduced. Breast milk is about 87% water; additional water fills the baby’s stomach without providing nutrition and may reduce weight gain.
• Avoid pacifiers while lactation is being established. Sucking on a pacifier uses a different pattern from sucking at the breast and may make it harder for the baby to adapt to breastfeeding.
• Offer the breast as often as possible, including whenever the baby becomes unsettled—even more than 20 times in 24 hours.
• Do not limit time at the breast. Let the baby nurse until they release the breast on their own. After 15–20 minutes, the baby reaches the richer milk toward the end of the feed, and the breast is drained more thoroughly.
• Offer the second breast once the baby is no longer actively nursing from the first. Begin the next feed with the breast you offered last. This supports thorough drainage.
• Do not skip night feeds. Prolactin—the hormone that stimulates milk production—is produced especially actively between 3 and 7 a.m.
• Support the mother’s emotional well-being: sleep when the baby sleeps and ask loved ones for practical help at home.
• A breastfeeding mother’s diet should be balanced and varied. No restrictive diets.
• Drink according to thirst. A warm drink 10–15 minutes before a feed may also be comforting.
• Maintain skin-to-skin contact with the baby. Holding the baby close stimulates oxytocin, the hormone that helps milk flow from the breast.

Common myths about establishing breastfeeding

Walnuts, sweetened condensed milk, and tea with milk do not affect the hormonal regulation of lactation. The extra calories may simply contribute to maternal weight gain.

Lactation teas may appear to increase milk supply slightly only because they add warm fluids and help the mother feel more confident.

If you still have questions about this topic, leave them in the comments and we will work through them together 🌸