The first seventy-two hours of feeding
What is normal in those first three days, what is not, and the moment to ask for help.
7 minute read
The short version
- In the first days your body makes colostrum, a small volume of concentrated first milk that is exactly what a newborn needs.
- Newborns feed very frequently, often eight to twelve times in twenty-four hours, and sometimes more.
- A deep, comfortable latch matters more than anything. Pain is a signal to get help, not to push through.
- Wet and dirty nappies are your daily report card in these early days.
Colostrum: small but mighty
For the first few days your breasts make colostrum, a thick, golden first milk produced in small amounts. The volume looks tiny because a newborn's stomach is tiny, around the size of a cherry on day one. Colostrum is rich in antibodies and perfectly matched to those first days.
Your fuller milk usually comes in around day three to five, often with a feeling of fullness. Frequent feeding before then helps that transition along.
Expect to feed often
Newborns feed little and often, commonly eight to twelve times in twenty-four hours, day and night. Feeding on cue, rather than by the clock, helps establish your supply and keeps your baby content.
- Early feeding cues: stirring, mouthing, rooting, hands to mouth
- Crying is a late cue. A calmer baby latches more easily
- Wake a very sleepy baby to feed in these early days if feeds are spacing out too far
The latch is everything
A deep latch, with a good mouthful of breast rather than just the nipple, is the difference between comfortable feeding and cracked, painful nipples. Brief tenderness as your baby latches can be normal in the first days, but ongoing pain is not.
Pain is information. Persistent pain means it is time for a feeding assessment, not time to grit your teeth.
Your daily report card: nappies
Nappies tell you a great deal in the first week. As a rough guide, the number of wet nappies climbs with each day, and stools change from dark, sticky meconium to greenish, then to soft mustard-yellow as your milk comes in.
- Day one: around one or two wet nappies
- By day five onwards: roughly six or more heavy wets a day
- Stools moving from black to yellow over the first week
If wets are not increasing or your baby stays very sleepy, ask your midwife for a feeding review.
The first days of feeding, answered
Is colostrum enough for my baby in the first days?
Yes. Colostrum is concentrated and exactly suited to a newborn's tiny stomach. Small volumes are normal and expected before your fuller milk comes in around day three to five.
How often should a newborn feed in the first 72 hours?
Frequently, commonly eight to twelve times in twenty-four hours and sometimes more, feeding on cue. Very sleepy babies may need gently waking to keep feeds regular.
Is breastfeeding meant to hurt at first?
Some tenderness as a baby latches can be normal early on, but ongoing or sharp pain is not. It usually points to the latch and is a reason to get a feeding assessment.
When does my milk come in?
Usually around day three to five, often with a feeling of fullness. Frequent feeding beforehand supports the transition from colostrum to fuller milk.
How do I know my newborn is feeding well?
Active sucking with swallows, increasing wet nappies, stools changing from dark to yellow, and a baby who is generally rousable. If any of these are off, ask for help early.
This is general information, not personalised medical advice. Speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP if anything worries you or feels different from what is described here. Ask for a feeding assessment if latching is painful, your baby is very sleepy and hard to wake for feeds, or wet nappies are not increasing as expected.