The following signs tell you that you and your baby need immediate help from a health care professional who knows how to help with breastfeeding.
If baby:
- Won’t go to the breast
- Will only take a few sucks then falls asleep
- Has less than 6 heavy wet diapers in 24 hours (day 4 onwards)
- Has less than 4 yellow seedy stools in 24 hours (day 4 onwards)
- Has hard stools that are not easily passed
- Feeds less than 8 times in 24 hours (day 3 onwards)
- Won’t wake up to feed
- Hasn’t regained birth weight by 2 weeks of age
If mother:
- Doesn’t feel breast fullness (day 4 onwards)
- Has painful nipples that are not improving
- Has cracked or bleeding nipples
- Has nipples that are compressed or ridged after feedings
- Doesn’t hear swallowing when baby feeds (day 3 onwards)
- Has hard painful breasts that baby cannot latch on to
When supplements are needed for medical reasons
In some medical situations infant formula may be considered appropriate and necessary. You will be provided with a full explanation of why supplementation is medically indicated and you will be involed in the decision to give your baby formula. If your baby needs formula, continue to have skin-to-skin contact with your baby to help improve milk supply and establish breastfeeding.
If you baby cannot breastfeed or is not breastfeeding well, you will be shown how to feed your baby with a supplement and helped to establish or maintain your milk supply by removing the milk from your breasts at frequent intervals. You can use either hand expression and/or a commercial grade electric breast pump.
Further breastfeeding support may be needed to help you and your baby return to full breastfeeding. Once the medical need for supplementation is gone.