If so, you may still have a few questions that have gone unanswered, especially when it comes to storing breast milk while at the hospital. Here are a few answers to those questions: You must store your milk in the human milk storage containers provided by the hospital. Get an ID sticker for your baby from your nurse.
It's totally up to you and your comfort. If you usually go braless, you do not need to wear one during breastfeeding. Moms often have concerns about leaking a lot at night, so this may be another reason why wearing a bra at night might be helpful.
breast pads. maternity pads (two packets) an extra five pairs of knickers. towels.
Checklist for bringing your frozen colostrum into hospital
Please bring between 5 and 40 ml of expressed colostrum to hospital. If you have more than this, it can be brough from home at a later date if required.
If you have items like breast pumps and breastfeeding pillows, bring them to the hospital to practice-- it's a great time to test them out. On site lactation consultants can advise you on their use and help you get comfortable before taking baby home.
The hospital will likely provide essential items for your baby, such as swaddling blankets, pacifiers, wipes, and diapers. If you bring one item to the hospital, make sure it is this one.
Aim for one outfit in newborn size and one 0-3 months. Don't forget hats and/or socks, if weather-appropriate. Your pediatrician's contact information. The doctors and nurses will ask you for this information several times, so it's good to have it handy.
Many mamas pack their Haakaa in their hospital bag so that they can start using it straight away. Your Haakaa can be used to collect colostrum and is also fantastic for helping to relieve engorgement in the early days after your milk comes in.
Using the 1,2,3 rule:
Use the first milk (colostrum) from the cow; Feed the calf colostrum within the first two hours of birth; Calves must be offered at least 3L of good quality colostrum.
Colostrum: your first milk
It's a very concentrated food, so your baby will only need a small amount, about a teaspoonful, at each feed.
How Much Colostrum Does a Newborn Baby Need? New moms may produce anywhere from 10 to 100 milliliters of colostrum per day. Typically, though, it's around 30 milliliters or about an ounce a day, which is right around the amount that your baby needs.
The hospital will make sure you have clean sheets, towels and wash cloths. You'll also have a bed with several pillows and blankets. If you have a hard time sleeping with a different pillow, it might be a good idea to bring your own.
Baby. The hospital will provide disposable nappies, clothes for daily wear, bunny rugs and bed linen for your baby whilst in hospital. If you wish you may dress your baby in clothing of your own choice. Be prepared early and have your bags packed for the hospital as babies can arrive early.
We recommend that you purchase at least one 'starter pack' of first infant milk containing 6 bottles and 6 teats. These are disposable, sterile, single use bottles and provide the safest option when formula feeding your baby whilst in hospital. You can buy them from most local supermarkets.
How much colostrum should I harvest for my baby? You will likely only be able to harvest tiny quantities of colostrum milk (sometimes less than a millilitre per feed) particularly the first few times. But any amount you produce is beneficial, so try not to worry about how much you produce.
Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
Newborns should not go more than about 4–5 hours without feeding. Signs that babies are hungry include: moving their heads from side to side. opening their mouths.
Do not store breast milk in the door of the refrigerator or freezer. This will help protect the breast milk from temperature changes from the door opening and closing. If you don't think you will use freshly expressed breast milk within 4 days, freeze it right away.
They only need about an ounce of colostrum per day. This equals about a teaspoon each feeding (you can expect to feed your newborn eight to 10 times the first few days). The amount of colostrum (and then transitional milk) your baby needs increases slowly each day as their stomach expands.
Gradually build up to gently expressing for about five to ten minutes at a time, two to five times a day, and then as often as necessary in the first few days after you give birth. If your baby is premature or unwell, you will be encouraged to start expressing within two to three hours of giving birth.
While it has the benefit of being very comfortable due to its gentle suction, that suction is very limited and may not be very helpful to some women. In particular, the suction level is far weaker compared to many other types of pumps. This may not be a problem for women who easily express a lot of milk.
If you need to pump large quantities of milk, regularly express full feeds in a single session or are exclusively pumping then you'll probably need to use your Haakaa in conjunction with an electric pump. If you're just looking to build a breast milk stash, or pump every now and then, the Haakaa alone is ideal.