BREASTFEEDING IN THE FIRST 2-3 HOURS AFTER BIRTH
***For the purposes of this instruction, the baby will always be “he” and the mother will be “you” or “her”; additionally, “LC” is the abbreviation for “Lactation Consultant”
***Also, these first articles will address only WELL, TERM Newborns (i.e. those babies born without complication and after 37 weeks of gestation in a hospital setting) and a mother WITHOUT medical complications
****The information I need to tell you regarding the first 2-3 hours after your baby is born is Very extensive. Therefore, I will be breaking it down into much smaller chucks so you can digest it more easily. Please read all of the sections as they all go together to support your success in the first moments after your baby’s birth.
Make no mistake…the first 2-3 hours after birth ARE the most important to breastfeeding. Not only for your personal time with your new baby (before the REST of the family descends and you feel like you’ll never get him back!), but additionally (and honestly more importantly), it is important for your baby to latch on and nurse as well as possible as he will still have a good surge of your calories running around in him to give him the energy for a nutritive feeding effort.