The First 48 Hours Postpartum: What to Expect from Your Baby, Breastfeeding, and Your Body

The first 48 hours with your baby are intense and full of change. Everything is new: breastfeeding, your body, your emotions, the exhaustion. Having clear, easy-to-understand information can help you move through this beginning with more calm and confidence.

Knowing what is normal at this stage can bring reassurance, help you trust the process a little more, and remind you when it’s time to ask for support.

Skin-to-skin contact: the first meeting matters

As long as both mother and baby are well, immediate skin-to-skin contact after birth should be a priority—whether the birth was vaginal or by cesarean.

Placing your baby directly on your chest helps them:

• calm down and regulate their breathing

• maintain body temperature

Evidence shows that at least 90 minutes of uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact significantly increases the chances of a successful start to breastfeeding. This contact should only be interrupted if your baby needs resuscitation or if you are not feeling well.

For you, skin-to-skin contact supports the release of oxytocin, a key hormone for both the start of breastfeeding and postpartum recovery. And even if you choose not to breastfeed, this contact is still extremely valuable—your partner or another close person can also offer it.

Colostrum: your baby’s first milk

During the first hours and days after birth, your breasts produce colostrum—the first milk. It is thick, yellowish, and produced in very small amounts. Sometimes just drops, sometimes about a teaspoon per feeding. Even if it seems like very little, it is exactly what your baby needs.

A newborn’s stomach is tiny, and colostrum is perfectly designed for this stage. It not only nourishes, but also protects against infections, helps the baby’s gut begin to function, and supports the elimination of meconium, reducing the risk of jaundice.

Every time your baby suckles, even if the attempts seem short or disorganized, they are sending a clear signal to your body to keep producing milk. This early stimulation is part of establishing breastfeeding.

Whenever possible, it’s recommended to offer the breast within the first hour after birth. Some babies latch right away, others need more time. Both can be normal. What matters is offering the breast, noticing how it feels, and asking for help if there is pain, doubt, or if things don’t flow as expected.

How often does a newborn feed?

This is often one of the biggest surprises: newborns feed very often. Sometimes it feels like that’s all they do, which can bring a lot of doubt in the early days.

During the first 24–48 hours, feeding patterns can be irregular. Some babies sleep for several hours and then want to feed very frequently. From the second day on, it is expected that they breastfeed 8–12 times or more in 24 hours, day and night.

This does not mean you don’t have enough milk or that your baby is still hungry. It means their stomach is small, milk is digested quickly, and every feeding helps your body produce more milk.

Early breastfeeding is guided by early hunger cues, not by the clock. These include:

• mouth movements

• hands moving toward the mouth

• restlessness

• searching for the breast

Crying is a late hunger sign.

When a newborn receives formula, feeding patterns can look different, since formula digests more slowly. Some babies space feeds more and may seem “satisfied” for longer. This isn’t better or worse, just different. However, when formula is introduced early without a clear indication, it can reduce time at the breast and therefore reduce the stimulation your body needs to produce milk.

Frequent feeding in these early days is important: it stimulates milk production, supports weight recovery, protects against jaundice, and helps establish a solid breastfeeding relationship in the medium and long term.

Introducing supplements, pacifiers, or spacing feeds without a clear reason can interfere with this process. At the same time, every situation is unique. If formula is part of the picture, what matters is understanding why, how it’s being offered, and what this mother-baby pair needs right now. Early support can make a big difference.

What you may notice in your baby during the first days

In the first 48 hours postpartum, it’s very common to wonder if everything is going well—if your baby is getting enough milk, if breastfeeding is working, or if what you’re seeing is normal.

Beyond feeding, two things can be especially helpful to observe: your baby’s behavior and their diapers.

Newborn behavior in the early days

In the first days of life, babies often alternate between long periods of sleep and moments when they need to be very close and feed frequently. This is part of their adjustment to life outside the womb.

It’s normal for a newborn to:

• want to be held or in skin-to-skin contact much of the time

• feed frequently, sometimes with very short intervals

• seem unsettled before a feeding and calm down at the breast

Wanting to be held, at the breast, or skin-to-skin most of the time is not a problem. It’s how your baby regulates themselves and feels safe at the beginning.

Newborn diapers: what to expect

In the early days, diapers offer valuable information about how your baby is adapting and how breastfeeding is progressing. This isn’t about strict rules, but about understanding what is expected.

Stools change over time:

• Days 1–2: Meconium—black or very dark green, thick and sticky. Normal and expected.

• Following days: Meconium transitions to dark green or greenish-brown, with a looser texture.

• Around day 4–5, if your baby is exclusively breastfed, stools usually become mustard yellow, loose or pasty. This change is a sign that breastfeeding is progressing and the gut is functioning well.

With breastfeeding, stools are often loose and may contain small curds. This is normal and not diarrhea.

Urine also gives clues:

As breastfeeding becomes established, it’s expected that your baby wets at least 6 diapers in 24 hours.

In the first days, you may notice:

• orange or reddish coloring

• small “dust-like” stains

These are urate crystals, a normal finding when urine is more concentrated early on. They disappear as your baby receives more milk.

Every baby has their own rhythm. Rather than counting diapers rigidly, what matters is progression: changing stools, regular urine output, and a baby who is alert and generally well.

If something worries you, if changes don’t appear over time, or if you don’t feel calm, seeking early support can help you understand what’s happening and feel more secure.

Some weight loss in the first days is also expected and part of normal adaptation. It’s always assessed together with feeding, behavior, and diapers.

Your postpartum recovery matters too

While everything seems to revolve around your baby, your body is doing enormous work: healing tissues, adjusting hormones, contracting the uterus, and recovering from birth.

Pain, bleeding, discomfort when moving, breast sensitivity, and emotional ups and downs are all common. Normal doesn’t mean easy or pleasant. The postpartum period is intense and demanding, and you also need care, support, and containment.

Resting, eating, drinking water, and accepting pain relief does not make you weak or dramatic. It allows your body to recover and helps you care better for your baby. Postpartum pain relief recommended by healthcare providers is compatible with breastfeeding and can make a significant difference in how you feel.

Caring for yourself is not optional. Caring for yourself is also caring for your baby.

What helps—and what to avoid—in the early days

Helpful actions:

• Prioritize skin-to-skin contact and feed on demand, without watching the clock.

• Ask for help with latch or positioning if there is pain or discomfort.

• Rest whenever possible and delegate what isn’t urgent.

• Limit visits and protect your recovery space.

Things to avoid when possible:

• Forcing rigid feeding schedules.

• Minimizing maternal pain or exhaustion.

• Introducing supplements without proper assessment.

• Comparing your experience to others’.

Every mother-baby dyad is unique. There is no single “right” way to live these first days.

A supported beginning makes a difference

The first 48 hours postpartum are not about doing everything perfectly or proving anything. They are a time of adjustment, mutual learning, and recovery. A time to get to know each other and begin building your path together.

Evidence-based information and respectful support can completely change this experience. And if something doesn’t feel right, seeking professional help early can prevent bigger difficulties later on.

If you need personalized support during the start of breastfeeding or the postpartum period, I’m here to accompany you with respect and care, adapted to your needs.

If you feel you need support, write to me. I’m here for you ❤️✨

References

La Leche League International. Newborn Breastfeeding Frequency

World Health Organization (2020). Immediate skin-to-skin contact for the newborn

UNICEF Baby-Friendly Initiative. Skin-to-skin contact

British Medical Journal (2020). Effect of early uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact on breastfeeding outcomes