About breastfeeding

For the first 6 months of your baby’s life, breast milk alone can meet all of your baby’s nutritional needs. Breastfeeding is the perfect nutrition for babies as it:

  • supports their growth and development
  • establishes a healthy microbiome
  • protects them against illness and infection.

It has also been shown to reduce the risk of your child developing:

  • respiratory illness
  • otitis media (inflammation or infection of the middle ear)
  • urinary tract infection
  • some childhood leukemias
  • atopic diseases such as asthma or eczema
  • dental malocclusions.

Other important benefits of breastfeeding include:

  • helping to soothe your baby during procedures involving injections and blood tests
  • fostering bonding between you and your baby
  • positively impacting your mental health and confidence
  • supporting your overall recovery, including reducing your risk of breast and ovarian cancer and osteoporosis (a disease which causes bones to become weak and fragile.

Our commitment to breastfeeding

‘Ten steps to successful breastfeeding’ promotes and supports breastfeeding in maternity and newborn services and is a World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) initiative.

Fiona Stanley Hospital supports this initiative by:

  • having a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all healthcare staff
  • training healthcare staff in the skills they need to implement the policy
  • informing pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding
  • placing babies in skin-to-skin contact with mothers immediately after birth for at least an hour, with mothers encouraged to recognise when their baby is ready to breastfeed and offered help as needed
  • showing mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain breastmilk production (lactation), even if separated from their baby
  • only giving newborn babies breastmilk to drink, unless medically required
  • practicing rooming in (where the baby stays in the mother’s room) is practiced so mothers and babies can remain together for 24 hours a day.
  • encouraging breastfeeding on demand
  • not offering artificial teats or dummies
  • referring mothers to breastfeeding support groups on discharge from hospital.

Getting started with breastfeeding

Watch videos on breastfeeding basics (external site) and tips on positioning and attachment (external site).

Normal newborn feeding behaviours

The first two hours after birth is a great time for their first feed and to enjoy skin-to-skin with your baby, as they will be alert.

Between 2 and 18 hours after birth, your baby may sleep a lot, with short awake periods to breastfeed.

Between 20 and 24 hours after birth is your baby’s second awake window, when they may want to feed and cuddle lots.

After 24 hours, cluster feeding (frequent short feeds) starts, especially in the evenings. This is normal and not a sign of low supply – it is your baby stimulating your milk supply, establishing a strong bond and seeking comfort with you. Cluster feeding can be common and is normal for the first 6 to 8 weeks.

How to know baby is getting enough milk

Your baby should have 8 to 12 feeds in a 24-hours period. The following signs will reassure you that your baby is getting enough milk.

  • Your baby will mostly be content or sleepy after feeds, and alert and bright-eyed when awake.
  • The number of wet nappies they have should increase each day from day 1 to 5. By day 6, your baby should have at least 6 heavy, wet nappies each day.
  • On days 1 and 2, your baby’s first poo (meconium) will be black. From days 3 to 5, the colour changes from green to yellow. After day 5, the poo becomes more frequent, is softer and is usually a mustard yellow colour.
  • Some small weight loss is normal early on, but your baby should be back to their birth weight by about two weeks of age.

Protecting your milk supply

Milk needs to be removed frequently to keep supply strong.

Going longer than 6 hours between feeds can lead to permanent loss of milk-producing cells in the breast. For this reason, it is important to breastfeed or express often – especially in the early days.

Expressing

Find information about expressing if you and your baby are on our:

Find out more

Contact us

A lactation consultant is available 7 days a week at Fiona Stanley Hospital for both inpatients and outpatients

If you’ve birthed at Fiona Stanley Hospital, you can book an outpatient appointment with a lactation consultant in the first 6 weeks after birth.

Call or text 0403 137 964 to chat with a Fiona Stanley Hospital lactation consultant. 

 

More information

Find out more about caring for your baby or return to the Maternity page.

 

Last Updated: 01/10/2025