Breastfeeding in the First Week, What Every New Mother in Kenya Should Know

Short answer: Put your baby to the breast within the first hour after birth, give the thick yellow first milk (colostrum), and feed whenever your baby shows hunger, usually 8 to 12 times in 24 hours. A good latch and plenty of wet nappies are signs that feeding is going well.

In the first days, advice arrives from every direction, from relatives to the neighbour next door. These are the basics health workers want every new mother to know.

Start in the first hour

Skin-to-skin contact straight after birth keeps your baby warm and helps them find the breast. Colostrum may look like only a few drops, but it is exactly what a newborn needs and helps protect against infection. Don't throw it away, and don't give water, glucose, gripe water or formula unless a health worker advises it.

Feed on demand

Watch for early hunger signs: rooting, sucking on hands, turning towards the breast. Crying is a late sign. Expect 8 to 12 feeds a day and night. Frequent feeding is what builds your milk supply, which usually increases around days 2 to 4.

Check the latch

• Baby's mouth is wide open, with lips turned out
• Chin touches the breast and more of the dark area shows above the mouth than below
• Cheeks look round, not sucked in
• Feeding may feel strong but should not stay painful

Signs your baby is getting enough

• At least 6 wet nappies a day from around day 5
• Stools change from dark and sticky to yellow by about day 5
• Baby seems settled after most feeds
• Baby is back to birth weight by about 2 weeks

Get help promptly if

• Your baby is too sleepy to feed or has few wet nappies
• Your baby's skin or eyes look yellow, especially in the first 24 hours
• Your nipples are cracked or bleeding
• A breast is red, hot and painful, or you have a fever

Come in any time, day or night. Learn about maternity care at Primegala and the postnatal checks you and your baby need.