The Follow-Up: Early Days of Breastfeeding
5/25/202613 min
The early days of breastfeeding can feel overwhelming when you are recovering, tired, and trying to sort out what is normal. In this Follow-Up episode, I revisit my conversation with Melissa Mancini, RN, IBCLC, to talk through what helps in those first days and weeks, from prenatal prep to milk production, skin to skin, feeding cues, and cluster feeding. In this episode, we cover: How to prepare for breastfeeding before baby arrives Why prenatal breastfeeding education matters What is normal in the first few days of milk production How prolactin and oxytocin support breastfeeding Why skin to skin can help with feeding and supply What supply and demand really means for milk production When feeding on demand makes sense When more structured feeding may be recommended Why cluster feeding is common in the early weeks What kind of support can make breastfeeding feel more manageable Want more? Listen to the original, full episode. Our podcasts are also now on YouTube. If you prefer a video podcast with closed captioning, check us out there and subscribe to PedsDocTalk. Get trusted pediatric advice, relatable parenting insights, and evidence-based tips delivered straight to your inbox—join thousands of parents who rely on the PDT newsletter to stay informed, supported, and confident. Join the newsletter! And don’t forget to follow @pedsdoctalkpodcast on Instagram—our new space just for parents looking for real talk and real support. We love the sponsors that make this show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on the PedsDocTalk Podcast Sponsorships page of the website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Transcript preview
First 90 secondsMona Amin· Host0:00
Welcome back to The Follow-Up. [upbeat music] Dr. Mona here, pediatrician, IBCLC, and mom. And this is a series on The PedsDocTalk Podcast where we revisit a favorite conversation in less time than it takes you for your newborn to start cluster feeding again, and for you to wonder, "Is this normal?" Today's episode is actually a top episode of the podcast, and I'm bringing it back for a couple reasons. One, it's incredibly helpful for families navigating the early days of feeding a newborn via breastfeeding. And two, I'm recertifying my IBCLC license this year, so I thought it would be the perfect time to revisit some breastfeeding conversations that parents have loved over the years. And this is one with one of my favorite inclusive IBCLCs, Melissa Mancini. She's a registered nurse, lactation consultant, mom of two, and my IBCLC mentor. Whenever I have questions about the space, about patients, I always turn to her. You may know her on Instagram as more_than_milk. In this episode, we cover so many of the questions parents have in those early days of breastfeeding and pumping. We talk about how to prepare for breastfeeding postpartum, what you actually need and what you don't, the physiology behind early breastfeeding, why cluster feeding happens, and whether feeding on demand or feeding on a schedule makes sense in those early weeks. We also talk about common hurdles to establish breastfeeding, what to do if breastfeeding is painful, whether nipple shields are okay, when to introduce a pacifier, and so much more. You can get all of that in the longer episode.