Learning Your Baby’s Feeding Cues from the Start

Of course, being able to respond to your baby’s feeding cues assumes that you and your baby are together. This may or may not be true depending on where you give birth.

For many years, babies were routinely removed to a central nursery at night and during visiting hours. Today, in many places, there is more appreciation of mothers’ and babies’ need to be together to establish breastfeeding.

However, it is never wise to assume anything. If you have not yet given birth, it is well worth a phone call to find out what your hospital’s ‘rooming-in’ practices are. There are still some institutions in which separation is routine. Even so, it may be possible to make special arrangements so sthat you and your baby can stay together and have a better start.

Next: Why Frequent Feedings on the First Day are Important

From Breastfeeding Made Simple, Mohrbacher and Kendall-Tackett 2010.