How soon should you start breastfeeding?

Pregnancy women are told over and over again the many benefits of breastfeeding, from health benefits for the baby to faster weight loss after birth themselves. It is enough to convince almost everyone to give breastfeeding a try, but there is still one question to be answered – how soon should you start breastfeeding your little one?  

The simple answer is that breastfeeding should and can start as soon as possible. For mothers who give birth vaginally or who have a Caesarean birth without the use of medications that can be transferred through breastfeeding, the first feeding can take place within fifteen minutes of giving birth.

Research indicates that infants who are breastfed and experience skin to skin contact with their mother within the first couple hours of their lives have an easier time latching properly when compared to those who are separated from their parents during this time.

• Milk production begins more promptly, making it easier to supply adequate milk for your little one
• May result in fewer nighttime feeding problems as the infant gets older
• Easier breastfeeding for both mother and child throughout infancy
• Colostrum, found in early breast milk, is full of antibodies to help newborns fight infections and stay healthy
• Colostrum also helps the infant as they pass their first bowel movement, which is referred to as meconium

New mothers are occasionally concerned that their bodies are not ready to breastfeed the infant so quickly, but this is not the case. Your body has been preparing for the infant for the past nine months, and you probably noticed that your breasts became swollen with milk around the 33rd week or even earlier.

Mothers of premature infants, or preemies, may not be able to breastfeed right away because the infant is not able to suck the milk from the mother’s breast. However, in most cases, the mother is producing breast milk even if the infant is born before they reach full term. In this case, the mother is encouraged to start pumping her breast milk so that she can establish a consistent milk supply and be prepared once the baby is ready to take to the breast.