Frequent Feeds and the Normal Course of Breastfeeding

In the early days of breastfeeding, mothers often think they are not making enough breastmilk due to colostrum being small in quantity and their baby's frequent feeding pattern. Interestingly, a woman's body knows to produce a small amount of colostrum to match the newborn belly, which is about the size of a marble. Colostrum is low in volume (measurable in teaspoons, rather than ounces) but packed with protein, carbohydrates and immune system factors. Frequent feeds help colostrum transition into mature milk in order to match the baby's growing belly. Therefore, if a baby is feeding well, wetting and popping, in the early days of life, frequent feeds should be viewed more as the normal course of breastfeeding rather than a milk supply issue