Late Preterm Infants: How to Tell if Baby is Effectively Nursing Part 3

In the previous 2 parts, of this 3 part blog on Feeding with Late Preterm Infants, we discussed what steps to take to ensure your baby is adequately fed, your milk supply is adequately stimulated, and your mind is calm with patience for more effective nursing at the breast. 

About the time your baby was actually due, you will find he or she is becoming more efficient with nursing from the breast. How can you really tell? Let's say you are really nursing most of the feeds per 24 hours. Your breasts should feel empty post feeding, you should have heard gulping sounds with let-downs. Your baby should look content and act relaxed after nursing. Also super important to have a wide gape at the breast more than 140degrees, long drawing movements of the jaw, and see your baby weight increase by one ounce per day. 

At this time it is very important to have an IBCLC come to your home with a scale to weigh the baby before and after a feeding. This very objective information should guide you with moving toward more feedings at the breast, or not quite yet. A weighted feeding can really help you communicate with your baby's Pediatrician on exactly how feedings are going.