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Once your milk comes in,
it is important to stimulate each breast during nursing times;
15-20 minutes on each side is sufficient for your child to empty
your breast and to stimulate your glands for further milk
production. Some babies are more efficient nursers than others;
if you have a “rester” or a baby who takes longer than 20
minutes to empty your breast, let him nurse until he’s done.
Through the first five
days after birth, maintain a 2.5-3 hour flexible routine. Do
understand that a newborn is an incredibly sleepy little
creature and you will need to wake him in order to get him the
nutrition he needs. You may need to undress him to his diaper or
use a cool washcloth to wake him up in order to eat. Full
feedings (as opposed to snacking) will give him more of the
nutrients he needs and will also encourage deeper and more
restful sleep for him; full feedings are hard to achieve if your
baby is not awake.
Bottle feeding will also
provide the nutrition your baby needs if you choose to do it.
Additionally, dads are able to take part in the feeding routines
and thus bond more deeply with their babies when bottles are
used. The most important thing to consider is the correct-sized
hole in the nipple. Too big a hole and your baby will choke,
sputter, and throw up. Too small a hole will lead to your baby’s
frustration, hunger, and discontentment.
As with breastfed babies,
1.5-3 ounces of formula should be sufficient for your baby at a
feeding for the first several weeks of life. If you make a 4
ounce bottle, your baby will generally stop when he’s full. As
he grows, you will need to increase the amount of formula he
receives; he will tell you if he’s not done when the bottle is
empty via continuing to suck and frustration at not getting
anything!
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