Mom’s experience of skin-to-skin(SSC) with a 6-day-old newborn - Shameema

I've been in the Parow WhatsApp group since 2023 and am so glad that I never left. When my second baby was born this year, I felt so uncertain of myself that I reached out for help again. I wanted to know what the time span between feeds for a newborn should be and whether I should wake him every two hours or let him sleep until he indicated he was hungry.

The Leader shared a picture chart with me of feeding cues and sent me lots of information about skin-to-skin care. I followed what she suggested and did skin-to-skin for the four days I was in hospital. I had my son sleep on my chest inside my pyjamas. He woke himself up every 2-3 hours to feed and moved towards the breast. This continued at home after we were discharged even without the skin-to-skin contact where he notified me himself when he's hungry (I still sleep with him on my chest or next to me with my breast out).

With my first baby I would have very soft breasts and would struggle with getting them full.

My first child would always be crying. With this baby, since following the Leader’s suggestions my breasts are always full almost to the point of engorgement (it doesn't get there because he drinks them flat with every feed).