What to expect after giving birth

Okay, so you just gave birth – now what? Here’s what to expect for the first 24 hours and the breastfeeding process. 

The first hour after birth – a.k.a. the “golden hour” – is the best time to try latching. It’s when your baby is most alert and hungry. As long as you are feeling up to it, your care team can help you to hold your baby bare against your skin and encourage your baby’s natural feeding instincts. Even if your baby doesn’t feed very long or have a textbook perfect latch, this breast stimulation and skin-to-skin helps trigger your body to start making milk  (even if you don’t feel like your milk is “in” yet). Tell your care team if breastfeeding is important to you so they know how to best support you – even if birth doesn’t go exactly as planned. 

The first few feeds are going to feel weird – and probably even painful for the first minute or so. This is the first time your boobs are being used in this new way. As your milk comes in, some moms can feel a warm or tingly sensation in their breasts, particularly during the time where milk is initially released from the body, called a “letdown.” Not every mom experiences this – it’s normal either way. 

From there, if your baby has a typical hospital stay your team will encourage you to feed your baby every couple of hours and on demand. The more often you feed, the more your body will get the signal to produce. 

While birth is exhausting for moms, it’s surprisingly tiring for babies too. While the old adage “don’t wake a sleeping baby” has its place – it’s not during the first few weeks of life. Babies are extra sleepy the first day or two of life, so you’ll need to wake your baby for most feeds to ensure they are keeping their weight. It’s helpful to track your feeds and diapers – especially in the first few weeks – to make sure your baby is eating well and staying hydrated.

By the way, if you deliver at a hospital that has them, lactation consultants are an incredible resource – reach out to them, as often as you’d like. There’s no such thing as a dumb question. They can check your latch, make sure your baby is feeding well, help check your flange size for pumping, and so much more. 

And remember: this is all going to be new for you (and your baby). 

Remember that every birth and feeding journey is different, and that's okay.