My daughter was just under a week old when something changed: Her sweet disposition gave way to fussiness, she was suddenly agitated while nursing and she became difficult to console. I?d heard about cluster feeding, but it seemed like my baby was always latched onto one of my breasts, and she was crying more than ever.
Our paediatrician quickly assessed that my milk still hadn?t come in yet and my baby was very, very hungry. While colostrum is all a baby needs in the first few days, this ?liquid gold? usually transitions to breastmilk between day three and day five. He handed us some ready-made formula to supplement with, gave me the name of a lactation consultant and told us to return the next day. I left feeling both comforted and like a complete failure?my baby had dropped too much weight, and all those hours spent nursing had yielded almost nothing. With the help of a great lactation consultant and a very supportive paediatrician, my daughter was soon feeding and growing like a champ. We didn?t have to supplement at all after three weeks, and I was able to breastfeed exclusively for almost a year. Our struggle was brief and ended happily, but here?s what I wish I?d known sooner.
How much weight will my newborn lose"
Your newborn could lose five to 10 percent of their body weight in the first two or three days, according to medical experts.
?It?s very common for babies to lose weight in the first couple of days,? explains Abigail Corbin, a registered midwife and p...