How much colostrum does a newborn need?

[narmada]

In a couple of weeks (hopefully, please, not longer!) I will have my DC2. I am planning to BF him. First time around with DD1 was a nightmare, although we got there in the end. I won't go into the details but I am being uber-cautious this time and have been pre-expressing colostrum into syringes to get over any little humps till supply becomes established.

So, if the midwife starts telling me (like last time - on the basis of no evidence whatsoever) that my baby is getting dehydrated, I just want to be armed with knowledge. How much colostrum would a typical, say, 8lb baby need to stay properly hydrated over the course of a day??!

Of course I should stress I will be offering him the boob 24/7 so hopefully I am worrying unnecessarily.

Probably one of those how-long-is-a-piece-of-string type questions....

No one can tell you how much colostrum your baby needs.
With all things going pretty much normal, you will be hoping for is that your baby will latch and suckle effectively and pass meconium in the first 24 hrs.

the best guideline of what is going in is what is coming out.

by day 2 you are looking for 2 soiled nappies a day and by day 3, 3 soiled nappies.

to achieve this you want as much skin to skin contact in the first hours and days after birth, no formula feeds and possibly your baby sharing the same sleeping space with you - but the same room is also good.

if you want to brush up on your knowledge of what newborns need and what to look for, visit kellymom and dr jack newman to boost your confidence.

hoping all goes well with the birth

Thanks japrhimel, just really paranoid about things going awry this time like last. But hopefully he will be a big hungry boob-mad boy.

Will re-read the kellymom and Jack Newman stuff.

Thanks again.