Establishing breastfeeding: everything you need to know to get started
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The first hours and days after birth are a magical and intense period. Your baby is here, you're discovering your new role as a mom, and breastfeeding begins. But what does this initiation really involve? When should the first feeding take place? How many times a day? In what position? Should you alternate between both breasts? These are universal questions, and the answers deserve to be clear, reassuring, and based on reliable data. At LIMKY, we've gathered expert recommendations to help you approach these first moments with confidence and serenity.
Why initiating breastfeeding is a key step
The first days lay the foundation for future lactation
Initiating breastfeeding doesn't happen in an instant. It's a process that builds over the first hours, days, and weeks. What happens during this initial period directly impacts the duration and quality of your long-term breastfeeding journey.
The good news: your body and your baby are biologically programmed for it to work. Your newborn's reflexes — rooting, sucking, swallowing — are present from birth. Your body, meanwhile, started preparing colostrum from the second trimester of pregnancy. You are both ready. Now it's about letting your instincts guide you, with the right information.
Colostrum: the "first milk" that deserves all your attention
In the first few days, before your milk comes in, your breasts produce colostrum: a thick, yellowish liquid, produced in small quantities but with exceptional nutritional and immune richness. It is concentrated in antibodies, proteins, and growth factors. The WHO calls it the "perfect food" for newborns. Don't worry about the small quantity — a newborn's stomach is the size of a marble. Colostrum is exactly what they need.
When should the first feeding take place?
As soon as possible: within the first few minutes of life
The first feeding can and ideally should take place within the first few minutes after birth, or within two hours of delivery at the latest. This is the recommendation of the WHO, echoed by all healthcare professionals specializing in lactation.
Why so early? Because newborns go through a particularly active period of alertness in the first hour of life — often called "the golden hour." During this window, baby is alert, their sucking reflexes are at their peak, and their rooting instinct naturally draws them to the breast. This is the ideal time for a first latch, often met with success.
Skin-to-skin contact: the best trigger
The first feeding is facilitated by immediate skin-to-skin contact between mother and baby. Placed on your belly or chest after birth, baby will naturally seek the breast, guided by smell — the areola secretes substances similar to the amniotic fluid they already know. It's not magic, it's biology. And it's beautiful.
Skin-to-skin also promotes the release of oxytocin in the mother, which supports the let-down reflex and creates a powerful bond. Studies show that babies placed skin-to-skin immediately after birth feed more effectively and for longer.
What if the first feeding is delayed?
A C-section, a premature birth, or a particular health condition can sometimes delay the first breastfeed. This is not a disaster, and it does not definitively compromise breastfeeding. In these situations, an IBCLC consultant can support you to stimulate lactation and organize the first feeding in the best possible conditions, as soon as you and baby's condition allow.
How many feedings per day?
Breastfeeding on demand: the fundamental principle
The answer is four words: on demand, without counting. Breastfeeding is not timed, scheduled, or limited to a fixed number of feedings per day. This is the principle advocated by the WHO, La Leche League International, and all IBCLC consultants.
Concretely, a newborn generally feeds between 8 and 12 times per 24 hours in the first few weeks — which is about every 2 to 3 hours. But these numbers are averages, not rules. Some babies feed more often, others have more irregular rhythms. All of this is normal.
Recognizing feeding cues
Instead of waiting for baby to cry — a late sign of hunger — learn to recognize early feeding cues: they turn their head and search with their mouth (rooting reflex), they bring their hands to their mouth, they make sucking movements, they squirm slightly. These cues are the right time to offer the breast, before baby is too agitated to feed effectively.
Cluster feeding: normal and useful
Sometimes baby demands the breast very frequently for several hours in a row, particularly in the late afternoon or evening. This phenomenon, called cluster feeding, is completely normal. It often corresponds to a growth spurt, or simply baby's need to stimulate milk production further. It's exhausting for the mother, but it's temporary — and it's precisely what allows lactation to adapt to baby's growing needs.
What positions to adopt for breastfeeding?
The breastfeeding position is crucial for two reasons: it determines the effectiveness of baby's latch, and it determines your comfort. A bad position can cause pain, cracked nipples, and ineffective feeding. Here are the three main positions recommended by experts.
The belly-to-belly position: the classic
This is the most well-known and instinctive position. Baby is positioned facing you, their belly against yours, their head at the level of your breast. Their ear, shoulder, and hip form a straight line. It's a comfortable position for many mothers, particularly suitable when lactation is well established.
The point of vigilance: make sure baby doesn't have to turn their head to feed — their entire body should face yours. A baby who twists their neck to reach the breast will feed less effectively and can cause pain.
The "football hold" position: recommended by experts
Less known but very often recommended by IBCLC consultants, this position involves holding baby under your arm like a rugby ball, their body passing under your armpit, their feet towards your back, their head in your hand at breast level.
This position offers several major advantages: it allows excellent control of baby's head to guide the latch, it is ideal in case of a C-section as it avoids any pressure on the belly, it is particularly suitable for premature babies and newborns who have difficulty latching, and it facilitates the drainage of certain milk ducts, reducing the risk of engorgement. It is often the first position taught in maternity wards by midwives and IBCLCs.
The side-lying position: the ally for nights
You lie on your side, baby facing you, also lying down, their belly against yours. This is the ideal position for night feedings — it allows you to rest while baby feeds, without having to sit up every time they wake up.
It is particularly appreciated in the first few days after a vaginal delivery with stitches, or after a C-section once the pain has subsided. An important point: after feeding, reposition baby on their back in their safe sleeping space, in accordance with recommendations for preventing sudden infant death syndrome.
The common thread in all positions: the latch
Whatever the chosen position, the quality of baby's latch is what determines everything. A good latch means: a wide-open mouth, lips flanged outwards, the areola widely encompassed (not just the nipple), baby's chin in contact with the breast, and clear nostrils. If you experience sharp pain during feeding, it's a sign that the latch is not optimal — don't hesitate to gently insert a finger to break the suction and restart.
Should you alternate between both breasts at each feeding?
Understanding milk composition during a feeding
This is a question many mothers ask themselves, and the answer is a little more nuanced than a simple "yes" or "no." To understand it, you need to know that breast milk changes composition during a single feeding.
At the beginning of a feeding, foremilk is thinner, rich in water and lactose — it quenches baby's thirst. At the end of a feeding, hindmilk is much richer in fats and calories — it satiates baby and directly contributes to their weight gain. A baby who doesn't finish one breast before moving to the other risks receiving more foremilk from both breasts, and less of that precious hindmilk.
Expert recommendations
The ideal, recommended notably by La Leche League International, is to let baby completely finish one breast before offering the second. Let baby decide when they have finished a breast: they will spontaneously unlatch, or seem uninterested if you offer it again. You can then offer the second breast — whether they take it or not.
At the next feeding, start with the breast that was least emptied, or not taken at all. A useful mnemonic trick: clip a safety pin on the side of your bra corresponding to the breast to offer first at the next feeding.
When to alternate more quickly?
In certain specific situations — significant engorgement, a sleepy baby who doesn't feed for long, or a particular recommendation from an IBCLC — it may be advisable to switch breasts earlier. Each mother-baby pair is unique. If you have doubts about the rhythm and managing both breasts, a lactation consultant can help you find what works best for you.
Mother's comfort: a factor often overlooked in initiation
We talk a lot about baby's comfort during feedings — and it's essential. But the mother's comfort is just as important, and often neglected. An uncomfortable, tense mother, who has to manage both baby's position and her own unsuitable clothing, has much more difficulty releasing her oxytocin and experiencing feeding serenely.
This is the LIMKY philosophy: to allow you to focus entirely on baby, without worrying about the rest. The crème d'amour sweatshirt, made of 100% soft cotton, with its discreet zippers that open with one hand, frees you from this constraint. You place baby in the position of your choice, you open with a natural gesture — and you are entirely there, for them.
In summary: the 4 benchmarks for a good start
Initiating breastfeeding is based on four simple main principles. The first feeding should take place as soon as possible after birth, ideally within the first hour, facilitated by skin-to-skin contact. Breastfeeding is done on demand, without counting feedings, by responding to baby's early hunger cues. The position must be comfortable for you and allow for an effective latch — the football hold position is particularly recommended by experts for starting out. And baby should finish one breast before moving to the other, to benefit from the precious hindmilk.
And most importantly: you don't have to go through this period alone. Midwives, pediatric nurses, IBCLC consultants, La Leche League support groups — caring professionals are there to support you every step of the way.
And you, how was your breastfeeding initiation? Did you find a position that changed everything for you? Share your experience in the comments — your testimonials are invaluable help for new mothers. 👇
💙 Because the first feedings deserve to be fully experienced, without constraint, LIMKY creates breastfeeding clothes designed for you. Discover the crème d'amour sweatshirt — 100% cotton, discreet zippers, one-handed opening.
→ Discover the "My heart makes boob" breastfeeding t-shirt
→ Read also: Milk production — does my breast size influence the amount of breast milk?
→ Read also: Milk production — will I have enough milk?
Sources: — World Health Organization (WHO) — Recommendations on breastfeeding and skin-to-skin contact — La Leche League International — The Art of Breastfeeding — Carole Hervé, IBCLC lactation consultant — assessment and support for breastfeeding initiation — Laboratoire Gallia — Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding — Drôles de Mums — Practical guide to breastfeeding — Être Parents — The most frequent questions about breastfeeding
