Expecting & wanting to latch
some steps you may want to take
Meet with an IBCLC (Lactation Consultant) prenatally
This is especially important if you have a health history including:
1. hormone issues including: PCOS, Diabetes, Thyroid, fertility
2. History of chest surgeries
3. History of lactation challenges
4. If you are expecting newborn health challenges
5. If you are expecting a more challenging birthing experience
Take a prenatal lactation class
Expect to learn how to establish and maintain your milk production, latch/position, and what is normal for infant feeding.
Learn hand expression and bottle alternatives
Did you know colostrum production starts around 20 weeks gestation? Colostrum is the perfect first food for your baby (if your choosing to lactate) and hand expression is typically more effective than electric pumps are when it comes to removing colostrum. Talk to your provider about prenatal colostrum collection. Research using a syringe and spoon to supplement colostrum.
Learn what is expected newborn intake
Babies have small bellies and are made to eat often. For example most infants eat:
First 24 hours: 2-10 ml per feeding
24-48 hours: 5-15 ml
48-72 hours: 15-30 ml
72-96 hours: 30-60 ml
Older than 5 days: 60-120 ml
11-14 days: 2.5- 3 oz
14 days to 12 months: 3-5 oz
Please remember this is an educational resource and should not be seen as medical advice. Other factors may affect feeding plans such as stool output, infant glucose levels, and jaundice levels.
Learn about hunger cues, growth spurts, and how to tell if your baby is getting enough
You can learn all about these on the website https://kellymom.com/category/bf/normal/
Plan to see a lactation consultant once you are home.
Depending on your birth location and experience this may be day 1 or day 5. The goal is to see an IBCLC who will:
1. Observe latch
2. Learn about how feeding has been going
3. Perform an infant suck exam
4. Bring a scale for a weighted nursing session
5. Check flange size if you are pumping
6. Create a realistic care plan with you (if this care plan includes interventions like a nipple shield, pumping, or supplementing there should be a plan to wean off. Unless the plan meets the parents individual goals)
7. Have follow up communication for you
Attend a support group
You can attend a support group while pregnant or postpartum. See lactation support groups for a list of local in-person groups.
Instead of purchasing emergency formula consider purchasing a small amount donor milk prenatally (from a milk bank)
Doing this helps families who need formula now.
If things do not go as you planned after baby is here...
Some steps you may want to take
Ensure your are removing milk
Promoting your milk production means removing milk form your breast or chest. This can be done by hand expression during the first 2 days, pumping, or latching.
See a lactation consultant for pumping support
Most parents do not fit the standard flange sizes that come with pumps. If you pump try to meet with an IBCLC who can measure your nipple and watch you pump to check for flange size. Your IBCLC can also help you come up with a pump plan. Most parents who pump end up pumping between 15-30 minutes depending on whether baby is latching.
Feed your baby
You can look above for expected newborn intakes. Doing a weighted feed with an IBCLC can assess how much your baby may be transferring. This will let you know how much supplement your baby may need.
Use responsive bottle feeding
Responsive bottle feeding is allowing your baby to control the flow of milk. This is important because:
1.Most bottle nipples have a passive flow. This means babies do not need to suck for milk to drip in their mouth.
2. It is very hard to not swallow a liquid in your mouth.
3. Babies have a suck reflex on the roof of their mouth. This means they will most like suck and eat from a bottle if it touches this reflex regardless of hunger
4. Babies have a need to suck and a need to eat. When babies drink from a bottle fast they may satisfy their hunger but still want to suck. When this is interpreted as hunger babies may end up being overfed.
Video on how to do responsive bottle-feeding https://youtu.be/OGPm5SpLxXY
Use a slow flow nipple
Slow flow nipples decrease passive dripping from bottles better allowing babies to control the flow of their bottles.
See an IBCLC
They can help you come up with a plan to meet your feeding goals, whatever that goal may be.
Donor milk information
Milk bank donor milk
San Diego has the UCSD milk bank. Typically parents do not need a prescription for the first 40 oz. Milk does cost around 5 dollars an oz so this is most likely a very short term solution. This may be helpful if you are supplementing during the first few days when babies take in very small portions or if you need to supplement a very small amount. Find out about ordering milk here:
Non-profit private milk donation
This is also know as peer-to-peer milk sharing. You can learn about benefits/risks, screening questions for donors, and heat pasteurization here: