At the end of pregnancy
From around 37 weeks, your breasts are already producing colostrum. Often called “liquid gold”, it is highly concentrated and exactly what your newborn needs. After checking with your doctor or midwife, you can start hand-expressing small amounts and freezing them in sterile syringes, to take to the hospital in case your baby needs it. A newborn’s stomach is tiny, so they only need a few millilitres at a time.
Hand expression is also a great way to get to know your body before your feeding journey starts. Because nipple stimulation releases oxytocin, only do it after 37 weeks, to avoid encouraging early contractions.
Right after birth
Babies instinctively search for nourishment. Placed on your belly, they will often try to crawl up, guided by smell, to find the breast and feed. When possible, this connection in the “golden hour” after birth is a beautiful first step.
Around day three
Your body switches from colostrum to mature milk. It’s a big physical transition: your breasts may become engorged, hard, warm and uncomfortable. This intense phase is temporary. The key is to keep milk flowing, by letting your baby nurse or by gently expressing. If one spot stays hard and red, contact a lactation consultant or your midwife, as it could be a blocked duct.
Supply and demand
Your body makes milk on a supply-and-demand basis. The more your baby drinks (or the more you pump), the more milk you make. If your baby starts taking formula or eating solids, production naturally decreases. If you’re away from your baby for a while, you may want to express to keep up your supply. Try different nursing positions to find what’s comfortable for you both.
Your milk is dynamic too. It adapts as your baby grows and even changes during a single feed: more watery at first to quench thirst (foremilk), then fattier and more filling (hindmilk). If your baby only drinks a little from each breast, they may miss out on the richer hindmilk.
When feeding is hard
Breastfeeding is two people learning a brand-new skill together. A baby may struggle because they’re sleepy (tickling their feet can help), they lack the strength to suck effectively at first, they have a tongue or lip tie, or they’re simply too hungry and upset to focus. Try calming them first with skin-to-skin contact, giving a tiny amount of milk from a spoon, or expressing a few drops onto your breast so they can smell it.
Pumping, formula and bottles
Whether you pump, supplement with formula or bottle-feed entirely, feeding your baby is ultimately about nourishment and connection. If you introduce a bottle, paced bottle feeding helps: sit your baby up slightly and hold the bottle horizontally, so they control the flow and can take breathing breaks, like at the breast. This stops them drinking too fast and makes switching between breast and bottle easier.
A fed baby and a healthy, supported mother are what matter most. Trust yourselves to find the rhythm that works for your family.
This guide is general information, not medical advice. For medical questions, contact your midwife or doctor.