Feeding Your
Newborn
(IP Edition).

Feeding your baby is a wonderful experience that both you and your baby will enjoy!  

Feeding: 

• Is your first act of hands-on parenting of your child.
• Allows for bonding between you and your baby.
• Whether you choose breastmilk, formula or a combination of both, your baby will feel loved and nourished.  
• Please consult with the hospital staff and your pediatrician to understand how often and how much you should be feeding your baby.

Options for Feeding Breastmilk

If you wish to provide breastmilk to your baby, you have choices.  You can request that your surrogate nurse the baby at her breast, pump breastmilk, use donor breastmilk, or you can induce lactation so you can feed your baby yourself.  Keep in mind, if you wish for your surrogate to provide breastmilk that is a decision she also gets to make.

From your Surrogate:

• Pumping:
  • Most surrogates are happy to pump for you!  Sometimes they will pump just in the hospital and some will pump milk for your baby for months!  Pumping is a very time-consuming commitment: It can require pumping every 2-3 hours, whether while at work or during the night.
• Breastfeeding:
  • If breastfeeding, it’s usually done after birth and while in the hospital. 
  • Typically ceases after leaving the hospital and your surrogate may choose to pump instead.
  • Just like pumping, breastfeeding is very time-consuming.

From a Donor

• Is Donor Milk Safe? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, yes. Donor milk is very safe.
  • Donor milk through a milk bank program is:
    • Tested for any illnesses that could be passed through breastmilk.
    • Tested for any harmful bacteria.
    • Pasteurized to eliminate any infectious organisms that could be present in the breastmilk. 
  • Please note that donor milk is a very limited and a precious commodity in many areas and that receiving donor milk from hospitals or breastmilk banks is often reserved for premature and/or ill babies in that area, first.

From the Intended Mother

• Inducing Lactation: This is the process of helping a woman who is not pregnant to produce milk.
  • How it works:
    • Hormones: Talk to your doctor months before baby’s birth. Your doctor will prescribe hormones (usually birth control pills) to help your body think it’s pregnant, which is the predecessor to milk production. 
    • Supplements & Medications: Prior to baby’s arrival, your doctor will have you stop taking the hormones and replace them with milk-producing medications and supplements.
    • Begin Pumping: When you stop hormones, your doctor will have you begin to pump with a breast pump. You’ll start off slowly and gradually build your milk production. 
    • Freeze Your Milk: Using breastmilk freezer-safe bags, date and preserve any milk you may produce while building up your production.
    • Begin Nursing and Supplementing Your Breastmilk: You may not produce enough breastmilk to sustain the baby, so aside from nursing, you may need a Supplemental Nursing System (SNS) to provide enough food and nutrition to your baby. 
      • When using a SNS, consider using breastmilk that you’ve previously pumped and have frozen, donated breastmilk from either a donor or your surrogate or formula.

Consult a Lactation Specialist: Lactation specialists are medical professionals who are trained in the clinical, physical, and emotional support of breastfeeding and/or pumping women. If you have questions about feeding your baby breastmilk, a Lactation Specialist in the hospital can assist you.

Shipping Breastmilk

If you plan to have breastmilk shipped to you once you return home, we recommend working with a professional breast milk shipping service like MilkStork.

Options for Feeding Infant Formula: 

Infant formula is a nutritional, milk-based supplement that is used to replace breastmilk. Soy options are available for babies who are lactose intolerant. 

• If you wish to use formula, the hospital will typically provide formula for you while the baby is in the hospital.  You may also bring your own formula if you have a specific type you would like to use.
• Forms to Choose From:
  • Powder: Most affordable option– usually one scoop mixed with two ounces of water.
  • Liquid: A concentrated option, diluted with equal parts water.
  • Ready-to-Use: Priciest option, but most convenient. Poured straight into bottle.
• Note: Do not feed a baby cow’s milk until after one year of age. Find out more, here.

Supplies for Feeding

• Bottles:   The hospital will provide you with bottles to use when you are in the hospital, but you will want to purchase bottles for when you leave the hospital.  You will want a minimum of two so that you always have at least one clean one available.  There are many options to choose from.  It’s a good idea to try a few different ones in the beginning to see which type of bottle Baby likes!
• Bottle Brush:  You will want a bottle brush to clean the bottles and nipples.  
• Formula, if you are formula feeding
• Bottle Warmer
• Pumping Supplies, if your surrogate is pumping breastmilk for you.
  • Pump (bought or rented), milk bags
• Shipping Breastmilk