Welcome!

Here’s some tips and resources to get you started on your lactation journey. For clinical questions, please email me, amy@amythe.com. For quick scheduling or appointment questions, feel free to text at 484-919-1027.

See this page for info on getting started with Pumping and Bottles.

See this page for general nutrition tips including snacks, hydration and recipes.

Most insurance plans cover multiple visits, often with no copay, and many also cover telehealth appointments. Most follow ups are scheduled at my office but you may request additional home visits for a small travel fee.

Follow up visit topics can include:

  • Routine weight checks
  • Milk supply support
  • Pumping help / returning to work
  • Bottle transitions
  • Weaning guidance
  • TummyTime! Method instruction
  • Infant Massage instruction

Latch Basics

Cross Cradle Hold

  • Baby belly-to-belly with you
  • Breast at baby’s level
  • Nose to nipple
  • Make a U-shaped “breast sandwich”
  • Wait for a wide open mouth
  • Bring baby on quickly
  • Hold breast and baby close for the first few sucks
  • Use “butt tuck” to keep baby’s belly and bottom close to you and head slightly tipped back

If pain lasts more than one minute, unlatch and start over.

Football Hold

  • Same principles
  • Use a C-shaped sandwich
  • Many babies prefer cross cradle on one breast and football on the other. This is due to a preference to lay on one side of their head.

 In the early weeks, I prefer the My Brest Friend pillow over the Boppy for better support.

Laid-Back (Natural) Breastfeeding

This is one of my favorite positions.
It often leads to a deeper latch and feels more relaxed for both mom and baby.

Ask me to demonstrate it during your visit or watch the video on naturalbreastfeeding.com

What’s Normal in the Early Weeks

Feeding Frequency

  • At least 7–8 times in 24 hours
  • Up to 12 times is normal
  • Cluster feeding every hour is normal especially in the first few weeks.

Weight Gain

  • .5–1 ounce per day or 5.5–8.5 ounces per week or the first 4 months. I find that babies who are gaining just .5oz per day is not quite enough.
  • Birth weight regained by 2 weeks

Milk Intake

  • Average: 24 oz per 24 hours. It can be helpful to think about offering about 1oz per hour or 2oz every 2 hours or 3oz every 3 hours.
  • Normal range: 19–32 oz per day. When estimating daily intake after 4 weeks, I suggest using 28oz per day which is in the middle of the average range. For example, 28oz per day divided by 8 feeds per day = 3.5oz each feed.

Another helpful rule of thumb: A 2–3 week old typically takes 2–3 oz every 2–3 hours.

Recommended Resources

Recommended Products

Breastfeeding Education

Medication Safety

  • InfantRisk.com
    • includes info on caffeine and alcohol as well as most medications

Local Parenting Classes

  • MLFed.com
    • infant sleep, starting solids, tummy time, CPR

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