Day 4 with your newborn
Feeding takes time 🍼
Feeding can feel like the whole world today. It is okay if it is not effortless. Many parents need support, adjustment, and reassurance.
Fed, supported, and safe matters more than any ideal you may have imagined before birth. You and your baby are a team, and teams sometimes need coaching.
How you might feel
How you might feel
If you are breastfeeding, nipples may feel tender while you both learn. Severe pain, cracked nipples, or dread before every feed are signs to ask for help with latch and positioning.
Today's tip
Today's tip
Ask your midwife, health visitor, infant feeding team, or local breastfeeding support service for help early. Early support can change everything.
Coming up
Coming up
In the coming days, feeding patterns may shift quickly. That does not mean you have failed — it means your baby is adjusting.
Checks and key dates around now
- Register the birthWithin 42 days in England and Wales
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice. Talk to your midwife, health visitor or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby has a high temperature, isn't feeding or is unusually sleepy, or you're worried about your own bleeding, pain or mood, get advice straight away from NHS 111 or your GP. In an emergency, call 999.