Put your infant skin to skin on your chest and look for signs of hunger:

• Opening the mouth
• Licking lips
• Sucking
• Putting hands to the face

• Your newborn baby is breastfeeding 8-12 times every 24 hours.
• By Day 4, your baby has at least 3-4 yellow seedy stools every 24 hours.
• Number of wet diapers increases every day.
• Day 2, look for 2 wet diapers every 24 hours.
• Days 3-4, look for 3 or more wet diapers every 24 hours.
• By Day 5, wet diapers should be more frequent, usually 6 or more every 24 hours.
• You can hear or see your baby swallowing/gulping during breastfeeding.
• You do not feel nipple pain after initial latch on.
• Your baby is receiving only breast milk.

Breastfeeding often minimizes engorgement, a temporary overfilling of your breasts. It also helps to hand-express, or squeeze out, a little breast milk before each feeding. Your body should adjust to produce only as much milk as your baby needs. In the meantime, you can use over-the-counter pain medicine to relieve pain. Acetaminophen or ibuprofen will not harm your baby. Cold compresses between breastfeeding sessions also may reduce pain and swelling. If you continue to experience problems, contact a lactation consultant or your doctor.

Ask your doctor, nurse, or lactation consultant if you are holding your baby correctly. Also, try:

• Breastfeeding on the side that is less sore.
• Tucking your baby under your arm like a football with your arm cradling the head. This position puts the baby’s lips in a different place on your breast.
• Letting expressed milk dry on your nipples between feedings.