one and day seven. We recommend this gradual transition whether you
demand feed, follow a strict schedule, or observe the flexibility found in
PDF. Take those first few days to get acquainted with baby and become
accustomed to your new role as mom, the caregiver of life. Enjoy getting
acquainted with your child, and work your way into the PDF plan at your
own speed. By the end of the first week your baby will be ready to
cooperate with your guidance, and you will be ready to cooperate with
meeting his or her love and nutritional needs.
However, you are not completely off the hook. As mom, you have a
couple of basic goals to accomplish. The best place to start is with some
feeding guidelines. In feeding, concentrate on getting baby to take a full
meal. No nibbling to tide him over. You also want to work on getting a
minimum of eight such feedings in a 24-hour period. If you can
accomplish this, you will most likely find that your baby falls into a
predictable three-hour routine by day seven. From there you start working
on establishing your baby’s feed/wake/sleep cycles if they’re not already
in place.
- When my baby is brought to me for his very first feeding, how long
should I let him nurse?
If possible, nurse your baby soon after birth. Within the first hour and
a half is best, since newborns are usually most alert at this time. Strive
for fifteen minutes per side, with a minimum ten minutes on each breast.
This time frame will allow for sufficient stimulation. Remember to
position the baby properly. This is critical to both baby’s and your
success. If your baby wants to nurse longer during this first feeding,
allow him to do so. In fact, with the first several feedings, you can go as
long as the two of you are comfortable. However, be sure both breasts are
stimulated at each feeding. - What will my feeding routine look like over the next several days?
Throughout the next three to five days, maintain your basic 2½-to 3-
hour feeding routine. Nurse between fifteen and twenty minutes per side
at each of these feedings. This means your average nursing period lasts