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After your baby is born: the first few days

Information about breastfeeding in the first few hours and days, including your baby’s feeding cues

On this page

The first 24 hours after birth

Breastfeeding

The first few hours after birth, a video from Global Health Media

Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding, information from ABM

Positioning is key for successful breastfeeding

Useful positioning and attachment videos for breastfeeding, positioning is key:


Hand Expressing

If your baby is sleepy or reluctant to feed, our staff will support you by hand expressing your breastmilk to give to your baby.

Information on expressing breastmilk by hand and by the pump in the first few days:


Struggling to latch baby or maintain latch?

You can try various breastfeeding positions, and it's also worth trying a technique called an exaggerated latch to get a deeper, more comfortable latch. The videos below have some useful tips:

Bottle feeding or mix-feeding your baby

Responsive bottle feeding is recommended if you are bottle-feeding or mix-feeding your baby:

Formula information:

First Steps Nutrition Trust is an independent public health nutrition charity that provides information on Infant milk including what infant formula to choose and a guide to bottle feeding

They also have information on making up infant milk safely

Building close and loving relationships and responsively feeding your bottle-fed baby:

Why you might want to put the baby books down, a video by Dr Amy Brown:

The first few days

Normal feeding patterns for newborns, Frequent feeding video by Dr. Amy Brown:

Engorgement

Many new mothers find their breasts become engorged with breastmilk when their milk comes in, this tends to occur in the early days and weeks, depending on the kind of delivery and if you experienced any complications.  Do ask staff for support but there are some great resources below on managing engorgement and feeding your baby:

Reverse pressure softening, is a technique to relieve pressure temporarily in the breast tissue so your baby can latch on the breast

Hand expressing

Expressing

If you need to express, hand expressing is detailed above, but if you would like to pump, it is recommended that you follow the guidance of your particular pump.  Breastpump hire details are in the Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust ‘Breastfeeding Support, expressing breastmilk and cup and syringe feeding leaflet’

Information from Ardo regarding expressing breastmilk

One or two breasts per feed

Tongue tie

Some babies are found to have a 'tongue-tie' which may cause feeding issues, and could benefit from having a minor procedure called ‘frenulotomy'. You can read about this in our Tongue-tie leaflet. If you are experiencing breastfeeding difficulties, please speak to your midwife or health visitor who can refer your to our tongue tie assessment clinic if needed.

This video may help you recognise If your baby may be tongue-tied

The association of Tongue-Tie Practitioners – provides information about the procedure and where to find private practitioners; if this is an option you choose, we strongly recommend you see a lactation consultant/midwife who can provide breastfeeding support after the procedure as extra feeding support is often required.

Sarah Oakley - parents guide to tongue-tie

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