Pregnancy can feel like one long list of things to prepare!
You choose a car seat, wash tiny clothes, pack your hospital bag and perhaps spend hours wondering which pram you really need.
But how much thought have you given to feeding your baby?
Whether you are hoping to breastfeed, planning to combination feed, or simply want to keep your options open, there are some things you can do during pregnancy that can make the early days feel easier.
- Learn about your feeding options
There is no single “right” way to feed a baby.
You may already know that you would like to breastfeed. You may be planning to use formula. You may want to combine breast milk and formula. Or perhaps you’re not sure yet.
All of those feelings are valid.
The most useful thing you can do during pregnancy is to find reliable, balanced information so that you can make decisions that feel right for you and your family.
If you are planning to breastfeed, it can help to understand:
- How breastfeeding works
- What newborn feeding normally looks like
- How often babies feed
- How to recognise feeding cues
- What a good latch looks like
- How to hand express
- How to recognise when your baby is getting enough milk
- Where you can get help if things aren’t going smoothly
Knowing what is normal can be incredibly reassuring once your baby arrives.
- Learn how to hand express
One of the most useful skills you can learn during pregnancy is hand expressing.
Hand expression means using your hands to remove colostrum or breast milk from your breasts.
Colostrum is the first milk your breasts produce. It is made in small quantities and is particularly concentrated, which is exactly what your newborn needs in those first days.
Learning the technique before your baby arrives means you won’t be trying to learn it for the first time when you’re tired, emotional and holding a hungry newborn.
It can also be useful later for:
- Collecting colostrum
- Softening the breast if it is very full
- Helping a baby attach to a very full breast
- Maintaining milk production if your baby cannot breastfeed
- Managing milk that needs to be removed for comfort
- Consider antenatal colostrum harvesting
You may have heard people talk about “colostrum harvesting” during pregnancy.
This means hand expressing and collecting small amounts of colostrum before your baby is born, so that you have it available if it is needed after birth.
It is usually recommended from around 36 weeks of pregnancy, provided it is safe for you to do so.
It can be particularly useful where there is an increased likelihood that a baby may need additional feeds or support with blood glucose after birth. This can include some pregnancies affected by diabetes, babies who are small or large for gestational age, planned caesarean births, multiple pregnancies and situations where a baby may need neonatal care.
But you don’t need to have a medical reason to learn the skill – for some parents, the biggest benefit is simply confidence. You become familiar with your breasts, learn how colostrum looks and feels, and practise a skill that may be useful once your baby arrives.
- Don’t worry if you can’t express anything
This is really important.
Not seeing any colostrum during pregnancy does not mean that you won’t have enough milk after your baby is born. Some people express drops easily. Others spend several attempts seeing nothing at all.
Colostrum is produced in very small quantities, and antenatal expressing is a skill that takes practice. Being unable to collect colostrum during pregnancy is NOT an indication of future milk supply. The real goal may simply be learning the technique.
- Know when antenatal expressing isn’t appropriate
Although most women can safely express colostrum towards the end of pregnancy, it isn’t suitable for everyone. Speak to your midwife or maternity team before starting.
Antenatal expressing may not be advised if you have factors such as:
- A history or increased risk of premature labour
- A short cervix
- A cervical stitch
- Vaginal bleeding
- Certain placental problems
- Other circumstances that increase concern about premature birth
If you’re unsure whether it is appropriate for you, ask your midwife before you start.
If you experience contractions or other concerning symptoms while expressing, stop and contact your maternity team for advice.
- Think about your first hours after birth
You don’t need to plan every minute of your baby’s birth.
But it can be helpful to understand the importance of skin-to-skin contact.
When possible, having your baby skin-to-skin soon after birth can help regulate their temperature, breathing and heart rate and supports early feeding behaviours. It helps for this to be uninterrupted, so plan this with your partner who can help to advocate for you.
Discuss your preferences with your midwife or obstetric team before your baby arrives. This is especially important if you are having a Caesarean Section and will be in the operating room for a while after your birth.
For example:
“If we are both well, I’d like to have skin-to-skin as soon as possible.”
And if that isn’t possible for medical reasons, don’t panic.
Skin-to-skin can happen later, too.
- Don’t worry if your birth doesn’t go according to plan
Perhaps you have written a beautiful, detailed birth plan – then your baby has other ideas!
You may have an induction, an epidural, an assisted birth or a caesarean that you weren’t expecting.
None of this means you won’t be able to breastfeed.
Some birth interventions can affect the early feeding experience for some mothers and babies, but this is not the same as saying that an intervention causes breastfeeding to fail.
What matters is that you’re prepared for this with the right information and you and your baby receive appropriate support afterwards.
If your baby is sleepy, you are recovering from surgery, or you are temporarily separated from your baby, midwives and maternity staff can help you protect your milk supply and work towards breastfeeding when you and your baby are ready.
- Learn about normal newborn feeding behaviour
One of the biggest surprises for new parents is just how often newborn babies want to feed! It is normal for a newborn to want to feed very frequently, sometimes seemingly constantly.
This is normal. Newborns want to feed to be close to you which is how they feel safe and secure.
Responsive feeding means responding to your baby’s feeding cues rather than trying to follow a rigid timetable. Feeding frequently also helps stimulate your milk supply.
Understanding this before birth can prevent you from wondering:
“Surely I can’t have enough milk – my baby has only just fed!”
Very frequent feeding in the early days doesn’t automatically mean that you don’t have enough milk.
- Learn about good positioning and attachment
You don’t need to memorise a complicated breastfeeding technique.
But it is useful to understand the basics.
Your baby should be close to you, facing your breast, with their head and body aligned. Their nose should be around nipple level and they should be able to open their mouth wide and take a good mouthful of breast.
You may also want to learn about laid-back breastfeeding, which allows your baby to use some of their natural feeding behaviours and can be particularly comfortable in the early days.
- Think about where you’ll get help
This might be the most useful preparation of all.
Before your baby arrives, find out:
- Who your community midwife is
- How to contact your health visitor
- What breastfeeding support your maternity unit provides
- Where your local breastfeeding groups are
- How to access specialist infant feeding support if you need it
Don’t wait until you’re exhausted and in pain to start looking for help. Have your breastfeeding support numbers ready, and make sure your partner knows where these are too!
What circumstances might make breastfeeding challenging?
Antenatal preparation and planning for feeding your baby is important for everyone, but there are some circumstances and conditions where you might find antenatal preparation and planning with a specialist particularly beneficial. Some of these might include:
- Gestational diabetes
- A twin or triplet pregnancy
- Pregnancy achieved through some types of fertility treatment
- Previous breast surgery
- Thyroid conditions
- Previous problems with breastfeeding or suspected milk supply problems
What should I buy to prepare for breastfeeding?
You don’t need to buy every breastfeeding product marketed to you. One of the advantages of breastfeeding is that it’s convenient, free and requires no equipment!
One of the most useful things to invest in is preparation! Arm yourself with information about breastfeeding and newborn behaviour so that you feel confident.
Remember: your baby and your breasts are the most important equipment you need.
At The Little Latch Company, we can help you prepare before your baby arrives
Preparing for feeding isn’t about trying to guarantee that everything will go perfectly.
It’s about giving yourself knowledge, practical skills and confidence.
At The Little Latch Company, our antenatal feeding consultations are designed to help you prepare for your individual feeding journey.
We can talk through your feeding intentions, what to expect in the first few days, positioning and attachment, hand expression, colostrum harvesting and what to do if feeding doesn’t go according to plan.
If you have any particular circumstances that might mean breastfeeding will have some additional challenges, we can support you with an individualised plan, with realistic expectations and support.
We also provide colostrum harvesting packs to help you prepare for antenatal hand expression, with guidance on how to use them safely.
You don’t have to know exactly how you are going to feed your baby.
You just need to know that you have options, that you can change your mind, and that help is available if you need it.
A little preparation can make those first few days feel a lot less overwhelming.
Find out more about our antenatal feeding consultations and colostrum harvesting packs. Contact us today.
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