Feeding Your Baby

Your breast milk is the perfect food for your baby. Breastfeeding is natural. It can be easier than formula feeding. Breast milk helps protect your baby from sickness. Breastfeeding helps your body get back to normal after pregnancy. It may help you lose weight.

Your baby will let you know when he is ready to nurse.

He will put his hands toward his mouth. He will make sucking sounds, whimper and bend and unbend his arms and hands. He will move his fist to his mouth. He will nuzzle against your breast. If he doesn’t start feeding soon after doing these things, he will start crying. Use these signs instead of a clock to set his feeding times. Feed him before he starts crying. Feed him every two to three hours. It’s a good idea to switch breasts in the middle of a feeding.
Your baby will let you know when it is time to stop feeding. He will relax. He will stop sucking the breast. He will refuse to take the breast if you offer it again. Your baby should make soft swallowing sounds while feeding.

Your breast should feel softer after the feeding. Milk may leak from the other breast while feeding.

Women who breastfeed should eat nutritious foods and they should drink lots of water. They should relax during breastfeeding.

You will know your baby is getting plenty to eat if he has at least seven to 10 very wet diapers a day (using regular absorbency diapers). You can expect your baby to have two to three bowel movements every day.

You can breastfeed your baby after you return to work or school. You can breastfeed your baby even if he is in a day-care center. You can breastfeed right before leaving your baby at day care. You can breastfeed right after picking up your baby. If your day care is nearby, you can breastfeed your baby during your lunch break.

You can learn how to pump your milk and store it in a bottle. Your milk is good for about 48 hours in the refrigerator. It lasts two to three months in the freezer. You can leave the bottles with the day-care center to feed your baby when you can’t be there.

To learn more about breastfeeding, you may want to contact your local health department, WIC clinic, hospital, La Leche League or doctor. You can call La Leche League at 1-800-LALECHE or visit their Web site at www.lalecheleague.org/.

If you use infant formula to feed your baby, be sure to follow directions for mixing. He will take two to three ounces of formula every couple of hours. As he grows, he will take more at each feeding. He will also go longer between feedings.