Breastfeeding In The Early Weeks

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Understanding Infant Sleep - The First 6 Weeks

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Understanding Infant Sleep - The First 6 Weeks

“I slept like a baby”  

When I hear this saying, I immediately envision sleeping deeply, soundly, and for 10 hours straight.  Whoever came up with that saying clearly didn’t have children!  All of the babies I know definitely do not sleep soundly for an extended period of time until at least toddlerhood… and even then sleep can be disrupted by teething, colds, and just regular night waking. With current infant sleep recommendations stating that babies should learn to sleep on their own, all night, by 6 months, I have to wonder how much of this information is hearsay and old-wives’ tales and how much is evidence-based (using good research models). 

So, let’s break this down using the most current research.  

On-Demand vs. Scheduled Feeding: Which is Best for Baby?

Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC

Google can be an amazing resource - but it can also provide WAY too much information for a first-time mom.  One of the questions we get often from our clients is what is the best way to feed a breastfed baby - let the baby demand when to feed or try to shape their feedings into a structured schedule?  Moms hear a lot of differing information about when to feed their babies in the early weeks - every 2-3 hours, 8-12 times in a 24 hour period, etc.  It can be confusing to know what this means exactly - is it every 2 hours or every 3 hours?  What if baby goes longer than 3 hours?  What if baby seems hungry before 2 hours?  What if baby wants to feed 15 times a day, or maybe only 7?  How do you know when you should feed your baby?  

Here’s the short answer:

WATCH YOUR BABY, NOT THE CLOCK.

I’ve Had My Baby - Now What? Breastfeeding During Weeks 3-6

I’ve Had My Baby - Now What? Breastfeeding During Weeks 3-6

Welcome back to our new series, I’ve Had My Baby - Now What?  This is a guide with basic information to help you navigate the first days, weeks, and months of breastfeeding your new baby.  

Today we’d like to talk about weeks 3 through 6 of your baby’s life, and what breastfeeding looks like.  What can you expect for normal behavior from your new baby, and when do you know there’s a problem that you should seek professional help for?

I’ve Had My Baby - Now What? Breastfeeding During the Second Week

I’ve Had My Baby - Now What? Breastfeeding During the Second Week

Welcome to our new series, I’ve Had My Baby - Now What?  This is a guide with basic information to help you navigate the first days, weeks, and months of breastfeeding your new baby.  

Today we’d like to talk about the second week of your baby’s life, and what breastfeeding looks like.  What can you expect for normal behavior from your new baby, and when do you know there’s a problem that you should seek professional help for?

Now that my milk has increased in volume, what should feedings look like?  How much does a baby need at each feeding and how long should it take?