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Breastfeeding Tips for Longmont Families

By Boulder Medical Center Pediatrics – Longmont
With insights from Rebecca Harris, RN, IBCLC (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners)

Breastfeeding TipsAugust is National Breastfeeding Month, sponsored by the U.S. Breastfeeding Committee to celebrate and support families learning to feed their babies.

For this guide, we’ve collaborated with Rebecca Harris, a Registered Nurse, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, and mother of three. With over 20 years of breastfeeding experience, Rebecca offers practical, compassionate, and evidence-based guidance to help parents confidently navigate their unique feeding journey.

Embracing Imperfection in Breastfeeding

Many new parents today are starting their feeding journey without the built-in community or in-person support that was once more common. It’s easy to feel pressure to “get it right,” especially with the flood of online advice and from well-meaning friends and family.

Here’s the truth: there’s no perfect way to breastfeed. Every baby, every parent, and every situation is different. Whether you exclusively breastfeed, pump, supplement with formula, or choose another safe feeding option, the right choice is the one that works best for you and your baby, without guilt or judgment.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding offers health benefits for both parent and baby:

For babies:

    • Lower risk of asthma, ear infections, Type 1 diabetes, and SIDS
    • Fewer stomach bugs and infections
    • Immune system support from antibodies in breast milk

For parents:

    • Reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer
    • Lower risk of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure

That said, some parents are unable or choose not to breastfeed. Safe formula and donor breast milk are excellent alternatives. The priority is a healthy, nourished baby and a supported parent

Building your Support Team

Support can make all the difference. Your team might include:

    • Your pediatrician or family doctor
    • A certified lactation consultant (IBCLC)
    • Nurses or doulas
    • Trusted friends, partners, or family members

Trust your instincts. Every feeding experience is unique—some find it smooth, others face challenges. What matters most is your well-being and your baby’s growth.

The First Week: What to Expect

Breastfeeding Help Boulder Medical Center

Whether your baby is born at a hospital, birth center, or home, ask for lactation support early. Many hospitals have lactation consultants available for in-person or follow-up visits. The Lactation Network is a national organization that contracts with insurance providers to allow breastfeeding parents six free lactation support appointments.

Breast milk typically comes in within 3–5 days (sometimes longer after cesarean birth, with certain health conditions, or under high stress). Babies need only small amounts in the first days—glycogen stored in their liver helps maintain blood sugar until milk volume increases.

The table below outlines typical feeding volumes for full-term newborns. These guidelines can be helpful if you’re considering supplementation with pumped breast milk, donor milk, or formula. While supplementation is often unnecessary, it can be a useful tool when needed, and that’s perfectly okay. Your pediatrician or lactation consultant can help you decide what’s best for your baby and your feeding goals.

Average Feeding & Diaper Output (Per Day of Life)

Day Amount per Feeding Wet Diapers Stools
1 2–10 ml 1+ 1+
2 5–15 ml 2+ 1+
3 15–30 ml 3+ 1+
4 30–60 ml 4+ 1+
5 40–60 ml 5+ 1+
6+ 50–60 ml 6+ 1+
    • Notes for intake: 30ml = 1 ounce
    • Notes for output: Between days 2 and 3, baby’s stool changes from black to green, then to yellow, with a yellow “seedy” look by day 5

A Flexible Breastfeeding Plan

making breast milk - boulder medical center

Plans often evolve as you and your baby get to know each other. Your pediatrician or lactation consultant can help you adjust along the way. Keep in mind:

    • Skin-to-skin contact helps boost prolactin and oxytocin levels, encouraging milk production and let-down.
    • Feed 8–12+ times per 24 hours, about every 0–3 hours.
    • Babies often feed more at night in the first six weeks—this is normal.
    • Cluster feeding (frequent feedings over a few hours) around days 2–4 is typical.

Sample Breastfeeding Plan:

The “Triple Feed” Method

Triple feeding may be recommended if:

    • The baby loses more than 10% of birth weight
    • Milk removal from the breast is inefficient
    • The parent is working to build a milk supply

Triple Feeding Steps:

  1. Breastfeed every 2–3 hours
  2. Pump for 10–15 minutes afterward
  3. Feed expressed milk to the baby via syringe, cup, or bottle

Record times, lengths of feeds, and the amount of expressed milk you feed to the baby for at least the first two weeks.

Note: To shorten this cycle, have a helper feed your baby the pumped breast milk (from your previous pump session) while you are pumping new, fresh milk. Pumped breast milk is safe to store at room temperature for 4 to 6 hours, so sitting on the counter and using it for the next feeding is fine.

Managing Common Challenges

    • Nipple pain/engorgement: Visit this website for an overview of mastitis and engorgement.
    • If you can, breastfeed on demand at least every three hours.
    • Try using reverse pressure softening or a little hand expression to help soften the areola, which relieves discomfort and makes it easier for the baby to latch. Reverse pressure softening is a gentle technique that shifts swelling away from the nipple, making it softer and easier for your baby to latch. Watch this video showing reverse pressure softening.
    • If needed for missed feedings or in place of a breastfeeding session, pump your breasts for up to 10 minutes. Give your breast milk to your baby via bottle, a finger feeder, or a cup.

What to Avoid While Breastfeeding

These may negatively affect milk supply:

    • Smoking
    • Caffeine
    • Birth control pills and injections
    • Decongestants, antihistamines
    • Severe weight loss diets
    • Mints, parsley, sage (excessive amounts)

Cleaning Pump Parts

    • Rinse in hot water after use; let air dry away from the kitchen/bathroom
    • Wash thoroughly once daily
    • Do not wash the tubing
    • Between sessions, pump parts can be stored in the fridge to reuse later

Helpful Pumping Accessories

    • Photo of baby, item of baby’s clothing, or the recorded sound of baby crying (these stimulate the milk let-down reflex)
    • Hands-free pumping bra
    • High-quality breast pump or hospital-grade pump with breast milk storage bags
    • Insulated tote with cooler packs to cool, store, and transport breast milk

Storing Breast Milk: The Rule of Fives

A general rule of thumb is that breast milk lasts:

    • Five hours at room temperature
    • Five days in the refrigerator
    • Five months in the freezer

How to Warm Breast Milk

    • Refrigerated milk: Place it in a bowl of warm tap water, adding more warm water if necessary, until the chill is removed. Never microwave breast milk.
    • Frozen milk: To thaw frozen breast milk, use a bowl of warm water, adding more warm water as it cools. You can also thaw frozen milk in the refrigerator. Once the last ice crystals have melted, it should be used within 24 hours. Remember, breast milk should never be refrozen.
    • For convenience, it’s a good idea to store some milk in feeding-size portions, with others in 1-2 ounce increments to defrost as needed.

breastfeeding - boulder medical centerTrusted Breastfeeding Resources

Websites

Recommended Books

    • Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp, MD (sleep and soothing)
    • Baby411 by Ari Brown and Denise Fields
    • What to Expect the First Year by Heidi Murkoff

Local Breastfeeding Support (Boulder County and Surrounding Areas)

References

    • Diana West, IBCLC, Diane Wiessinger, and Teresa Pitman from La Leche League International. The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding.   July 13, 2010
    • Diana West, IBCLC, and Lisa Marasco, M.A., IBCLC. Making More Milk: The Breastfeeding Guide to Increasing Your Milk Production. November 18, 2019
    • World Health Organization. Breastfeeding. Available at: https://www.who.int/health-topics/breastfeeding (Accessed on December 18, 2020)

Pediatrics at Boulder Medical Center-Longmont

Boulder Medical Center Pediatrics provides comprehensive, compassionate care for infants, children, and teens. With Boulder, Longmont, Louisville, and Erie clinics, our board-certified pediatricians support families through every stage of development—from newborn care and preventive checkups to illness visits and adolescent health. We’re here to partner with you in your child’s health and well-being.

Learn more and make an appointment

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