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Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding provides a nutritious and comforting start for your baby. It presents an opportunity for you to bond with your baby in the early stages of life together. While it may take time to establish a routine, with practice and the right support, breastfeeding can be a positive experience for both you and your baby. We also acknowledge that each family is unique, and your parenting choices are always respected. 

A Breastfeeding Mother

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Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breast milk is uniquely suited to your baby’s needs and has numerous health benefits: 

  • Nutrient-Rich: Breast milk provides many of the essential nutrients, antibodies, and enzymes your baby needs to grow and develop, especially in the first six months. 
  • Boosts Immunity: Breastfeeding strengthens your baby’s immune system, helping protect against infections and illnesses. 
  • Supports Bonding: The act of breastfeeding fosters close physical contact, supporting bonding between you and your newborn. 
  • Promotes Digestive Health: Breast milk is easy for newborns to digest and helps develop a healthy digestive system, reducing the risk of constipation and colic. 

The World Health Organisation endorses exclusive breastfeeding beginning one hour after birth, until six months of age. From there, add nutritious, complementary foods while continuing to breastfeed, until your child turns two, or beyond if this is yours and your child’s choice.  

Breastfeeding is learnt over the first weeks and months of your child’s life. It is a unique and special experience for families as no two mothers or babies are the same.

Getting Started with Breastfeeding

Early Initiation

Try to initiate breastfeeding within an hour after birth, as newborns are often alert and have a strong suck reflex immediately following birth. We understand that birthing your baby can be an unpredictable time, and early initiation isn’t always possible, but do your best to initiate as soon as possible. 

Finding a Comfortable Position

Finding a comfortable position is key. Popular options include the cradle hold, cross-cradle hold, laid back or semi reclined, straddle position, or side-lying position. You may choose to let your baby find their own way to your breast while in a reclined position-this is commonly called baby led attachment. Experiment to see which works best for you and your baby. There’s no right or wrong, as long as you and baby are both comfortable, and there is no pain, go with whatever works for you both.  

Achieving a Good Latch

The latch your baby develops with your breast is key to successful breastfeeding. Your baby may instinctively find your breast within the first hour after birth. 

Getting a good attachment to your breast may be challenging. Finding a method that works for both of you makes all the difference to your success.  

Here are a few tips on getting a good latch: 

  • Try and hold your baby close to your chest, unwrapped with arms free, and well supported 
  • Try and have the baby facing you and tucked in close to your body with their head the same level as your breast. 
  • Position your baby’s nose and top lip in line with your nipple 
  • Watch for feeding cue signs and an open mouth before moving your baby toward your breast 
  • When you baby opens the mouth wide, the tongue will generally come out and forward Try and aim the nipple towards the roof of the baby’s mouth.  
  • The lower jaw and chin will be touching the breast.  
  • The baby will be then encouraged to draw the nipple into the back of the mouth and take a wide mouthful. 
  • The baby’s mouth will close over the breast,  
  • Move your hands and position to be in a relaxed position trying to keep the baby closely tucked into your body.  

Good Breastfeeding Attachment

Once attached, your baby will have a short, initial burst of sucking, then slow to an even rhythm, with deep jaw movements. As your child continues, pauses may occur. Don’t worry - this is a normal aspect of feeding. Pause frequency may increase as the feed continues. Eventually, your baby will stop feeding by coming off the breast themselves. 

If you experience pain during the feed, and/or the pain doesn’t settle after a few sucks, you’ll need to help your baby learn how to latch more successfully. Gently break the seal of their mouth on your nipple by using a clean finger at the corner of your child’s mouth to detach. Once your baby’s mouth is off the breast, look at your position and them try and help them reattach. 

Karitane Tip: If you experience any pain while feeding, it is important to detach your baby from the breast. 

Feeding on Cue

Young babies may typically feed 8-14 times in 24 hours, but it’s best to follow your baby’s cues. Look for hunger signals such as rooting, sucking on fingers, or becoming fussy. 

Take Care of Yourself

Staying hydrated and maintaining a balanced diet can help support your milk supply and ensure you feel energised. Rest when you can and avoid alcohol, drugs and smoking.  

How do I know when my baby is Hungry?

In the early weeks your baby will try to communicate their needs. As you get to know each other better, you’ll begin to understand these cues. 

Babies are ‘wired’ to look for food when hungry, and feeding times can vary greatly. On average, young babies may feed 8-14 times in 24 hours, every 2-3 hours – so if your baby starts to fuss and hasn’t been fed in the last few hours, checking their appetite is a good start.  

Karitane Tip:  Your baby’s hunger cues are the best indicator for when to feed. Going by a set time period doesn’t take your baby’s individual needs into consideration. 

Hunger cues may include: 

  • Sucking noises 
  • Opening mouth 
  • Turning towards breast or bottle 
  • Sucking fingers and/or fist 
  • Crying 
  • Being unsettled 

Sometimes your baby just wants to feed for comfort. This reassurance is fine when your baby is very distressed as it can be calming in these situations. 

As your baby grows, you’ll notice they are able to latch more independently with increased sucking efficiency – which means that they may feed for a shorter time, but with the same satisfaction. At around three to four months, you may also notice your baby may become easily distracted and detaches and attaches several times during the feed. This is more prone to happen in new and/or stimulating environments, like a shopping centre. 

Around this time babies may reduce breastfeeds over 24 hours. Remember to keep looking for hunger cues as an appropriate indicator of when to offer the breast. 

Common Breastfeeding Challenges

Engorgement

Your milk may come in approximately 2-3 days after birth. If you have engorgement, you may feel full and uncomfortable for another few days. This ‘full’ feeling may continue, for a few weeks until your milk becomes established. 

In the first few weeks your baby may by happy with just one breast offered at each feed. Generally, a baby will feed as long as they need and then come off or fall asleep. Watch for feeding cues after they come off the first breast to see if they need the other side. The milk supply in each breast will respond accordingly depending on the stimulation from the baby.  

Try and feel the offered breast and see if it is soft and comfortable before offering the second breast. During the next breastfeeding session, ensure your baby starts feeding on either the breast they didn’t take, or the same breast they finished on. Depending on your baby’s appetite, they may drink a little or a lot of milk from the second breast. 

Karitane Tip: If a full breast is making attaching difficult, you can hand express enough milk for comfort and softness, so your baby can latch. 

Engorgement tends to decrease with time. You may find using a supportive maternity bra and applying a cold press to the breasts between feeds helpful during these early days. 

Blocked ducts and mastitis

Try and soften the breast being offered at the feed. Tight tops and bras can cause blockages, so avoid them where possible. 

A blocked duct may present as a lump, or a red area, tender to touch, and the breast often doesn’t soften after a feed. Encourage your baby to feed on the affected breast first, while applying gentle massage behind the affected area for relief. You can also place a warm, moist face cloth on the breast prior to feeding to help with your milk flow Try and loosen any restricting clothing and bras. Try and check baby is attached and positioned well. Start each feed on alternate breasts. Handle the breast gently.  

If left untreated, a blockage can lead to mastitis – an infection of the breast tissue. This may begin as a red area on the breast, which progresses to swelling, pain and heat. It may also involve flu-like joint aches, chills, rigors, and/or a temperature. If you display any of these symptoms, it is important to visit your doctor as you may need some antibiotics. 

In the case of mastitis, here are some things to try

  • Ensure good positioning and attachment 
  • Continue to feed baby as often as baby needs 
  • Gently stroke the breast towards the nipple before a feed 
  • Apply a warm cloth to the sore breast before feeding-avoid doing this at other times.  
  • If the breast still feels full after a feed-express a small amount until the breast is comfortable.  
  • Apply cold packs after feeding 
  • Treat sore or damaged nipples 
  • If one or both breasts are uncomfortable you can wake your baby to offer a feed, or express if the baby is not interested in a feed 
  • If your baby is feeding well, try not to express 
  • Look after yourself -rest and keep hydrated 

The Australian Breastfeeding Association has some helpful resources on Mastitis that you can find here.

Damaged or painful nipples

It is common for some mothers to experience mild stretching nipple pain when their baby attaches to the nipple in the early weeks. If your nipples become grazed or cracked, you may experience pain, bleeding or infection. Damaged nipples are often due to your attachment method. 

General nipple care includes avoiding use of shampoo and soap on the nipples, allowing them to air-dry after feeding, and avoiding ointments, sprays and powders. If you use breastfeeding pads, be sure to replace them frequently. 

To avoid further damage it is also important to gently detach your baby from the breast. If pain persists, see your child and family health nurse, lactation consultant, or general practitioner. 

Low milk supply

Breastfeeding works on supply and demand so the more often you feed, the more milk will be produced. If your baby appears to want more breastfeeds, or becomes fussy at times, offer more comfort and feeding to see if the fussiness passes. If you find your supply seems low, apply these useful tips: 

  • Breastfeed more often- try and avoid feeding at set times, rather on cues from your baby. Some feeds may only be short, but more often. 
  • Offer a top up if your baby doesn’t settle after a feed 
  • Express after feeds and offer the expressed milk to your baby 
  • Try and offer the breast for comfort rather than a dummy.  
  • Make skin to skin contact 
  • Rest 
  • Eat well 
  • Keep fluids up 
  • Accept help from friends and family 

Access the ABA website for some helpful resources here

You can book an appointment with our Virtual Breastfeeding Clinic and chat to an experienced and professional lactation consultant or child and family health nurse here who can provide advice here.

Karitane Tip: Any amount of breastmilk you can offer your baby is beneficial. 

Helpful Breastfeeding Tips

Skin-to-Skin Contact: Skin-to-skin contact can help stimulate your baby’s instinct to feed, calm your baby, and support milk production. 

Don’t Worry About the Clock: Feeding length and frequency can vary widely, so focus on your baby’s feeding cues rather than time. 

Use Feeding Time As Bonding Time: Breastfeeding is the perfect time to bond and connect with your baby. Try soft words, gentle touches or speaking to your baby while feeding. 

Watch for Signs of Fullness: Babieswill often release the breast when full. Signs of satiety may include relaxed hands, sleepiness, and a calm, content demeanour. 

Seek Support: Many new mothers benefit from lactation support, either through classes, breastfeeding groups, or consultations with lactation consultants. Karitane offers a free Virtual Breastfeeding Clinic, click to find out more.  

1300 227 464 Get Help

Breastfeeding FAQs

Young babies may feed 8-14 times in 24 hours. When deciding whether your baby is getting enough out of their feed, it’s useful to remember every child is different. No two babies have the same appetite. Instead of focusing on each individual feed, try to consider the feeds over the whole day. There will be times of the day when you will feel your baby has had a good feed and other times of the day when your baby might have had a short feed or been fussy. 

Contentment: If your child seems generally content after a feed, this is a cue of satisfaction. You may notice your baby also appears more alert and active when awake. Remember, in the early months it’s normal for your baby to experience one or two unsettled periods a day, and they may want to feed more often – so don’t be worried if this occurs. 

Urine: Your baby will have six or more wet nappies over 24 hours. Healthy urine is a clear or pale yellow. Should the urine become dark and smelly, seek medical advice. 

Stools: Your baby’s bowel movements may be a yellow mustard colour and soft. In the early weeks, they may have three or more runny stools (poo) in 24 hours. After around 6 weeks the poos may become less frequent, often only pooing around every 7-10 days. If your baby is also having formula, stool (poo) frequency and consistency can be firmer and less regular (every 1-2 days on average). Once solid foods are introduced, colour, texture and frequency often change as your baby adjusts to the new diet. 

Karitane Tip: If you notice the baby is passing firm, pebble-like stools, difficulty passing stools, crying when passing stools, or bleeding when passing stools, seek medical advice. 

Pain during breastfeeding may be a sign of issues with the latch or positioning. Try adjusting your baby’s latch, and seek help if pain continues. You can book an appointment with our Virtual Breastfeeding Clinic and chat with an experienced and professional lactation consultant or child and family health nurse who can provide advice here.

Introducing bottles or dummies in the early weeks may cause nipple confusion as the muscles used to breastfeed are different to bottles or dummy sucking. It’s usually recommended to wait until breastfeeding is well established (around 4-6 weeks). Sometimes misreading hunger cues and offering a dummy or a bottle may lower breastmilk supply.

Feeding times vary by baby. Watch for your baby’s cues. Some feeds may be quick while others can go for longer periods. Follow your baby’s cues and allow them to finish on one side before offering the other. 

If your baby has difficulty latching, try skin-to-skin contact and allow them time to root naturally. A lactation consultant can offer hands-on support to help improve your baby’s latch. Book a FREE Virtual Breastfeeding Clinic Consult here.

Every baby is unique and will therefore grow a little differently. You may find it helpful, however, to have your baby’s head length and weight checked and recorded at regular intervals. Your child and family health nurse can do this for you, during regular child health checks. You’ll find a copy of their growth percentile chart in the Personal Health Record Book - commonly called the Blue Book in NSW.

Your baby’s weight will vary significantly as your breastfeeding routine is established over time. All babies experience greater periods of hunger at certain times, so your baby may increase feeds to change your milk supply at these times of growth. Look for these additional hunger cues and feed to your baby’s demand.

Your baby’s development influences when and how often a feed is offered. As your baby grows, you’ll find they begin to attach and breastfeed with more ease. Breast milk should remain the primary source of nutrition until 12 months. At six months you may start to introduce small amounts of solids after a breastfeed and small amounts of cool boiled water in a sip cup.

At Karitane, we’ve found a responsive pattern of offering a feed, then play, and then sleep helps you determine your baby’s hunger and sleep cues more easily. Not feeding when they’re due to be sleeping also helps your child learn to sleep more independently over time. Observe, interpret and then act on the signs you are seeing. After a feed and a play if interested, observe for tired signs and then act by preparing baby for bed.  

Activity for infants up to one year is typically floor play, including tummy time, reading, singing, and time smiling and talking with mum and dad. 

Feeding and sleeping work closely together. Too little sleep can make it hard to feed well, just as too little food may affect sleeping patterns. Over the first few weeks, you’ll experience some trial and error when it comes to these. Don’t be discouraged. It takes time to get to know your baby. 

Some health conditions may have an impact on feeding. Some diagnosed medical conditions such as gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), cardiac conditions, and metabolic disorders may influence the feed volumes and frequency your baby requires. Short-term medical issues, including viruses and infections, may also impact the feeds your baby can manage. If your baby has a medical condition be sure to get support early by a medical practitioner, or your local CFHP.

Some babies find it difficult to regulate their own body temperature, so your baby can easily overheat with overdressing, multiple blankets, room heating and/or hot weather. This increases their need for extra fluids. If your baby is under six months, this may mean additional feeding. 

If your baby is too hot, they may wake for more feeds or fluid overnight. If your baby is too cold, they may expend more energy to stay warm, and demand more feeds to sustain this energy. Dress the baby how you would dress for the temperature of the room. You can add or remove layers as you need. Baby should be comfortably warm, not hot, feel the baby on their tummy or their back to see if they are too hot or cold. Their hands and feet will often feel cooler than the middle of their body.  

Karitane Tip: There is also no evidence to support maintaining a specific room temperature, or any specific bedding configuration (number of blankets required) as this depends on a number of factors, such as what your baby is wearing, whether it is summer or winter, and whether there is heating or cooling within the room where your baby is sleeping. 

 

 

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Karitane acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands where we work and live. We celebrate the diversity of Aboriginal peoples and their ongoing cultures and connections to the lands and waters of NSW. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

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