Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Category: Parenting Tip
July 13, 2026
Preparing for Breastfeeding: Tips from Our Nurses
Nurses in Nurse-Family Partnership have the skills and experience to guide first-time moms through pregnancy and early childhood. One area that moms are often worry about is breastfeeding. Read common concerns and gain a better understanding of how your body works to feed your baby!
Quick Summary & Key Takeaways
- Breastfeeding is a Skill: It takes practice and time for both mom and baby.
- Supply and Demand: Your body naturally creates breastmilk based on how often your baby nurses.
- Watch the Baby, Not the Ounces: Pay attention to your baby’s hunger cues and diaper counts to ensure they are getting enough milk.
- Ask for Help: Lean on programs like the Nurse-Family Partnership for personalized, free guidance.
How Does Your Body Prepare for Breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding has advantages. It saves money on formula, lowers the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides baby with antibodies, and helps with postpartum recovery. But it is also a skill that takes time and many moms have concerns.
- Tip: Download this guide (aquí en español) to understand common concerns and add yours. It helps to have someone like a nurse or experienced mom to discuss your concerns with during pregnancy! Long before your baby arrives, your body is already hard at work. For first-time pregnant moms, you may see some changes including the size and color of the nipple and areola (area around the nipple).
In the first few days after birth, your body makes a thick, yellow milk called colostrum. This early milk is full of protein and antibodies that protect your baby from getting sick. After 3 or 4 days, your breasts will start to feel full as your regular milk comes in.
Starting with Breastfeeding vs. Formula
Many new moms are unsure if they want to breastfeed or use formula. Our nurses encourage every mom to give breastfeeding a try first.
Think of breastfeeding like learning a new skill, like telling time on a clock with hands (an analog clock). It takes a little bit of practice at first to learn what the hands mean. But once you know how to do it, you can read any clock—including a simple digital clock. If you only ever learn to read a digital clock, looking at a clock with hands later on is going to feel way harder! If you try breastfeeding, you can always use formula later. But it’s much harder to pick up breastfeeding later, if you start with formula.
The reason it’s harder is because of your milk supply.
Understanding Milk Supply
Your body needs practice and stimulation from the baby to activate your milk supply. If possible, it’s best if that starts from day one.
If you use formula exclusively from the beginning, your body never gets the signal that it needs to make milk. You can always choose to use formula later! However, trying to get your body to start producing milk is harder.
Ultimately, milk production is a balance of supply and demand. While there are many lactation teas and special foods on the market, they are not magic fixes. What you can do to increase your supply is put the baby to your breast more often. As long as you stay fed and hydrated, your body usually takes care of the rest!
Does Breastfeeding Hurt? Is Breastfeeding Uncomfortable?
When your baby first latches on, it is common to feel a little bit of pain or discomfort. In the first 30 to 60 seconds, milk rushes from the mammary glands to the nipple. After that, any discomfort from breastfeeding should go away.
If it keeps hurting while your baby is eating, that usually means the baby has a poor latch and is only sucking on the tip of the nipple. If this happens, do not push through it! Slide your clean finger into your baby's mouth to break the suction. Take them off your breast and try to latch again. Baby should take your whole nipple and about 1.5 inches of the dark skin around it into their mouth.
- Tip: Hold your breast like a sandwich. Put the baby on your breast chin first so their lower jaw is deep on your breast.
Breastfeeding should not hurt. You may experience cracked nipples or irritation on the breast that can improve with ointment. If the pain does not stop, be sure to talk to your doctor or your Any Baby Can nurse to check for an infection or get extra help with your baby’s latch.
Am I Making Enough Milk for My Baby?
When using a bottle, it is easy to measure exact ounces. With breastfeeding, you cannot see the ounces, which leaves many mothers asking: "Am I making enough milk for my baby?"
The best piece of advice from our nurses is to look at your baby, not a clock or a bottle. Your baby will tell you everything you need to know through their behavior and their diapers.
Recognizing Baby Hunger Cues
Instead of waiting for your baby to cry, look for these early signs that they are ready to eat:
- Moving their head from side to side or nuzzling against your breasts.
- Opening their mouth wide and puckering their lips.
- Putting their hands and fists directly to their mouth.
Signs Your Baby Is Getting Enough to Eat
You can be confident your newborn is eating enough if they match these indicators:
- Diaper Count: By days 2 to 4, they should have 6 or more wet diapers a day with clear or very pale urine. They should also have 2 or more yellow, seedy bowel movements a day.
- Physical Appearance: Your baby appears alert, content, and satisfied after a feeding.
- No Sunken Spot: The soft spot on your baby’s head is flat and normal, not sunken (which can indicate dehydration).
- Weight Gain: They are steadily gaining weight at their doctor appointments.
What Is Cluster Feeding and Is It Normal?
Around specific milestones—usually at 7 to 10 days old, and again between 3 and 6 weeks—babies have major growth spurts. During these times, your baby might want to nurse every hour or even every 30 minutes. This pattern is known as cluster feeding. And it can feel intimidating or make you want to quit breastfeeding!
It is important to know that cluster feeding does not mean you are running out of milk. Instead, it’s your baby's way of getting your body to increase milk production. Putting baby to your breast more will signal your body to make more milk to keep up with their growing body. This phase typically lasts only a few days until your supply adjusts.
Free Breastfeeding Resources and Support
If you are a first-time pregnant mom living in Central Texas, you don’t have to figure this out alone. Any Baby Can’s Nurse-Family Partnership program pairs you with a dedicated personal nurse. She visits you right at home throughout your pregnancy and until your child turns two—completely free of charge.
Watch our full video interview with an NFP nurse. Learn about breastfeeding, and contact Any Baby Can today to see how you can get connected with a personal nurse!
Share:
Share:
Share:
RELATED LINKS
Nurse-Family Partnership
We connect first-time parents with registered nurses through pregnancy and the first two years of the child's life.
Parenting & Childbirth Classes
This four-week virtual series is free and walks you through everything about childbirth and newborn care.
Parenting Tips
Expecting a baby? Get more tips to help your baby grow and thrive in those early months!
THANKS TO OUR MISSION PARTNERS
Investments from our supporters create long-term benefits for thousands of families across Central Texas. Join us in building a community where all families and children thrive.
