Where’s the Breast Milk?

Not only is your baby not starving, he isn’t even hungry yet. Babies aren’t born with a big appetite or with immediate nutritional needs. And by the time your baby begins to hunger for a breastful of milk (on the third or fourth day postpartum), you’ll undoubtedly be able to serve it up.

Which isn’t to say that your breasts are empty now. Colostrum, which provides your baby with enough nourishment (for now) and with important antibodies his or her own body can’t yet produce (and also helps empty baby’s digestive system of excess mucus and his or her bowels of meconium), is definitely present in the tiny amounts necessary. A teaspoon or so per feeding is all your baby needs at this point. But untill the third or fourth postpartum days, when your breasts begin to swell and feel full (indicating the milk has come in), it’s not that easy to express by hand. A day-old baby, eager to suckle, is better equipped to extract this premilk than you are.