In the first few days of life, your baby’s stomach is very small—about the size of a cherry on day one—so they only need small, frequent amounts of breastmilk, starting with just 5–7 ml per feed on day one, increasing to 15–30 ml by day three, and reaching around 45–60 ml per feed by day five.
Colostrum, the thick, nutrient-rich milk produced in the first days, is perfectly suited to your newborn’s needs and is packed with antibodies and energy. Frequent feeding—8 to 12 times in 24 hours—not only ensures your baby gets enough milk but also helps stimulate your milk supply for the days ahead when mature milk begins to come in, usually around day 3 to 5.
Cues like rooting, sucking motions, and hand-to-mouth movements are good indicators that your baby is ready to feed, and allowing them to nurse on demand helps ensure they get the amount they need as their appetite and your milk supply increase.
