Breastfeeding in the First Few Days: What to Expect

The first days of breastfeeding can feel both beautiful and uncertain. Your baby may want to feed again shortly after finishing, and the milk you see may come in tiny amounts. What is normal—and when should you ask for help? Here is a grounded guide to the first few days with your newborn.

Start with closeness and an early feeding

If you and your baby are medically stable, ask your birth team about holding your baby skin-to-skin soon after birth and getting help with the first breastfeed. Skin-to-skin time helps you notice early feeding cues and gives your baby an opportunity to find the breast. A cesarean birth or a delayed first feed does not mean you have missed your chance; ask for support as soon as you are able. Keep your baby’s face visible and airway clear, and have another alert adult help if you feel sleepy. ABM emphasizes skilled breastfeeding support during the birth hospitalization and a plan for continued support after discharge. [1, 2]

Colostrum is milk

Your first milk, colostrum, is often produced in small amounts. That alone does not mean you have low milk supply. These early feeds give your newborn practice with latching and swallowing while milk production transitions over the next several days. Rather than judging intake by how much milk you can see or pump, have feeding effectiveness assessed alongside diapers, weight, and your baby’s overall condition. [1–3]

If your baby is not latching or you are separated, ask someone trained in lactation care to show you how to hand express and make an individualized plan for feeding your baby and stimulating milk production. [1, 2]

Expect frequent, sometimes uneven feeds

Most newborns breastfeed at least 8–12 times in 24 hours. Feed when you notice stirring, rooting, or hands moving toward the mouth; crying is a later cue. Babies do not always feed at evenly spaced intervals. Some cluster feeds—several feeds close together—can be normal. But a baby who is too sleepy to feed effectively, repeatedly cannot latch, or has little evidence of milk transfer needs assessment rather than reassurance alone. [2, 4]

Ask your care team to observe a full feed, especially if latching hurts. ABM recommends looking at positioning, attachment, swallowing, weight, jaundice, and diaper patterns; persistent nipple pain and concerns about milk production should be addressed before discharge. [1]

Watch diapers and keep the newborn checkup

In the first week, wet diapers and stools generally increase as intake rises. By days five to seven, many well-fed breastfed newborns have six or more wet diapers and at least three to four loose yellow stools each day. The first stools are dark and sticky, then change color. These are clues, not a substitute for a clinical evaluation or weight trend. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises a newborn checkup no more than 48 hours after hospital discharge. [4]

Call your baby’s healthcare professional promptly if diaper output is lower than expected, stools are not transitioning, your baby is difficult to wake or feeds poorly, jaundice appears concerning, or weight loss or gain raises concern. Do not wait for a routine visit if your baby seems unwell. [1, 2, 4]

If supplementation is recommended, ask for a whole feeding plan

Some babies need additional milk for a medical reason. The decision should be individualized: ABM recommends evaluating latch and milk transfer and, when supplementation is necessary, feeding the baby while also protecting the parent’s milk production and addressing the underlying cause. A feeding plan can change as your baby’s needs change. Receiving help does not mean breastfeeding has failed. [2]

Need early breastfeeding support in North Florida?

Little Lactation Lady® provides in-home lactation consultations around Perry, Lake City, Alachua, and nearby North Central Florida communities, as well as virtual breastfeeding support. If you need help with your newborn’s latch, painful feeds, milk transfer, or a feeding plan after discharge, reach out to Little Lactation Lady. For urgent medical concerns, contact your baby’s pediatrician or seek immediate medical care.

Sources

1. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Clinical Protocol #2: Guidelines for Birth Hospitalization Discharge of Breastfeeding Dyads, Revised 2022.

2. Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine. Clinical Protocol #3: Supplementary Feedings in the Healthy Term Breastfed Neonate, Revised 2017.

3. La Leche League International. Colostrum: General.

4. American Academy of Pediatrics, HealthyChildren.org. How to Tell if Your Breastfed Baby Is Getting Enough Milk, updated January 13, 2025.

This article is general education, not individualized medical advice.