What’s recommended
WHO recommends starting breastfeeding within the first hour of birth, exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months, then continued breastfeeding alongside safe complementary foods up to 2 years or beyond. Any amount of breast milk is valuable.
A good latch
Hold baby tummy-to-tummy, nose to nipple, and wait for a wide open mouth so they take a large mouthful of breast, not just the nipple. Feeding should feel like tugging, not sharp pain. Feed on demand — 8 to 12 times in 24 hours early on is typical.
Enough milk?
Reassuring signs: regular wet and dirty nappies, audible swallowing, and steady weight gain after the first days. If feeding hurts, baby seems unsettled or nappies are few, ask a midwife or lactation consultant early — most problems are fixable.
The first days: colostrum and your milk coming in
In the first days your breasts make colostrum, a thick yellowish milk, in small amounts that suit a newborn’s tiny stomach perfectly. Those modest quantities are normal: it is your baby’s frequent sucking that signals your body to make more. Skin-to-skin contact from birth and keeping your baby close to you day and night, rather than in a nursery, make these frequent feeds easier.
After a few days your milk comes in and your breasts feel heavier, firmer, sometimes warm. Offering the breast often and draining each side well brings relief. If the breast is too firm for your baby to latch properly, expressing a little milk by hand before the feed softens the areola; ask your midwife to show you how. Very painful fullness, redness or a fever are reasons to call without delay.
Positions and comfort
There is no single right position, but there are shared principles: you are comfortable, your back supported and shoulders relaxed, and you bring your baby to the breast rather than twisting the breast towards them. Their body is in a straight line, ear, shoulder and hip aligned, with the head tilted slightly back so they can breathe freely.
The cradle hold, with your baby lying across your arms, is the best known. The cross-cradle hold, where you support the neck with the opposite hand, helps guide a newborn. The rugby hold, with your baby tucked under your arm, is comfortable after a caesarean and keeps weight off the wound. Lying on your side lets you rest during night feeds; move your baby back to their cot afterwards. Try things, change them, and ask a midwife or lactation consultant for help if no position feels right.
Pain, cracked nipples and engorgement: when to ask for help
Mild tenderness in the very first days is common, but sharp pain that lasts throughout a feed is not normal: it usually means the latch is too shallow. Gently break the seal by sliding a finger into the corner of your baby’s mouth, then start again with a wide open mouth. Cracked nipples generally heal once the latch is corrected; letting a little milk dry on the nipple and varying positions can help.
Watch for the signs of mastitis: an area of the breast that is red, hot and painful, together with a fever or flu-like feeling. Continuing to feed or express from the affected side is part of the treatment, and a doctor should be seen promptly. A nipple that turns white after a feed, deep pain, or discomfort that does not improve despite your adjustments also deserve an appointment. Asking for help early stops a small problem becoming a big one.
Bottles, top-ups and expressing
While breastfeeding is getting established, the recommendation is to give your baby nothing but breast milk unless there is a medical reason. A top-up offered too early, without cause, reduces feeds and therefore your supply. If a health professional decides a top-up is needed, your own expressed milk is the first choice, and breastfeeding continues alongside it.
If you have to be apart from your baby, expressing by hand or with a pump, at roughly the rhythm of their feeds, keeps your supply going. The same applies to returning to work: your milk can be given while you are away. Teats and bottles can change how a very young baby takes the breast in the first weeks; your midwife can explain the alternatives and the precautions to take. Any amount of breast milk, even partial, remains valuable for your baby.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a feed last?
There is no ideal length: some babies feed quickly, others take their time. Let your baby finish the first breast at their own pace, then offer the second. What matters is audible swallowing and regular wet nappies, not the clock. If you are unsure, talk to your midwife.
Should I wake my baby for feeds?
In the first days, frequent feeds matter for building your supply and for weight gain. A very sleepy newborn who feeds little, produces few wet nappies or seems floppy should be mentioned to your midwife or doctor, who will tell you whether and how to encourage feeds.
My baby feeds constantly. Do I not have enough milk?
Usually you do. Cluster feeding, especially in the evening and during growth spurts, is normal and increases your supply. Wet and dirty nappies and your baby’s weight are the real guides. If those signs worry you, ask a professional to check the latch.
Can I breastfeed if I am ill or taking medication?
In the great majority of cases, yes: a common infection does not stop you breastfeeding, and many medicines are compatible with it. Never stop on your own; ask your doctor, pharmacist or midwife to check each treatment and suggest an alternative if one is needed.
What happens when I go back to work?
Breastfeeding can carry on after you return. Expressing during working hours keeps your supply up, and your baby receives your milk while you are away; morning, evening and night feeds continue. Plan ahead with your midwife or a lactation consultant to organise expressing and storing your milk.
Is breast milk enough until six months?
Yes. Exclusive breastfeeding meets a baby’s needs until around six months, with no water or other food unless medically advised. After that, suitable foods are introduced gradually while breastfeeding continues, up to two years or beyond if you and your child wish.
This article gives general information. It does not replace advice from a healthcare professional.
Sources
Sources checked on 2026-09-06.