These guidelines apply to healthy, unmedicated babies who
breastfeed exclusively. They’re designed to help you
evaluate if your baby is eating enough during her first days
of life. If you determine that your baby is not eating enough,
don’t assume that breastfeeding won’t work for
you. You may simply need some guidance and/or a little practical
help. Contact a friend who has breastfed successfully, or
call A Woman’s Work to arrange for private
counseling with a consultant certified by the International
Board of Lactation Consultation.
Day 1 (Birth to 24 hours):
Your baby will:
• have 1 wet diaper;
• pass 1-4 black tarry stools;
• be very alert and interested in eating from birth
to 4 hours;
• be very sleepy, resting from 4-12 hours;
• after resting the first 4-12 hours, your baby will
want to eat every 45 minutes to 3 hours.
You will:
• breastfeed your baby as much as possible from birth
to 4 hours;
• breastfeed every 45 minutes to 3 hours during hours
12-24 (watching carefully for feeding cues). Allow your baby
to breastfeed as little or as long as she desires, on average
5-20 minutes.
Day 2 (24-48 hours):
Your baby will:
• have 2 wet diapers;
• pass more black tarry stools.
You will:
• Continue to breastfeed every 45 minutes to 3 hours,
nursing for 5-20 minutes per breast.
Don’t watch the clock. Remember, mothers were breastfeeding
long before there were clocks. As long as your baby is actively
sucking and you aren’t experiencing any pain, you’ll
want to let the baby continue nursing.
Day 3 (48-72 hours):
Your baby will:
• have 3 wet diapers;
• pass no stools.
You will:
• Remember that breastfeeding is thirst-driven, and
know that your baby’s getting very thirsty by Day 3
(the day most parents come home from the hospital). Late on
Day 3 or early Day 4, your baby will nurse ravenously, breastfeeding
almost continuously for about 18-hours. This is normal. Your
breasts will start to feel warmer, heavier—your baby
is placing her order for more milk. Keep your sense of humor!
Now is not the time to worry about creating bad feeding habits.
This day will only happen once in your baby’s life.
Feed, feed, feed…and trust that a large volume of milk
is on its way to your baby.
• Give your baby at least eight meals each day. The
rule of thumb is that babies need to eat at least every three
hours. But if your baby’s an overachiever and eats three
times in 3 hours, you can let him sleep a little longer than
3 hours before his next meal if he wants to.
Day 4 (72-96 hours):
Your baby will:
• have 4 wet diapers;
• pass 1 brown liquid bowel movement called a transitional
stool—this means she’s receiving a mix of colostrum
and mature breastmilk.
You will:
• feel your breasts starting to get fuller before nursing
and softer afterward;
• feed your baby every 1-3 hours. Feeding a newborn
generally takes 30-60 minutes, of which maybe 20 minutes is
spent actually nursing. Have patience, it becomes more efficient.
Day 5:
Your baby will:
• have 5 wet diapers;
• pass her first yellow bowel movement. Bowel movements
are an indicator that your baby is gaining weight and didn’t
need all the food she consumed.
You will:
• breastfeed every 1-3 hours. Look for your baby to
eat eight big meals and four snacks in this 24-hour period.
Day 6-9:
Your baby will:
• have 6-10 wet diapers per day;
• pass 3-4 tablespoon-sized yellow stools per day, or
ten little ones to equal 3-4 tablespoons. Normal consistency
is anything from yellow and watery to creamy and seedy, like
grainy mustard.
You will:
• Probably feel that things are starting to fall into
place, and experience an emerging sense of cautious (and possibly
exhausted!) confidence.
Day 10-12:
Your baby will:
• have 6-10 wet diapers per day;
• pass 3-4 tablespoon-sized yellow stools every 24 hours.
• typically babies will begin to eat more frequently
for 24-48 hours around day 10-12.
You will:
• follow your baby’s lead, she may want to breastfeed
a little more during these 48 hours.
Day 14:
Most doctors expect babies to regain their birth weight by
Day 14. In our experience, babies that choose to feed according
to these guidelines usually surpass their birth weight earlier.
