During labour and birth, your body uses a powerful mix of hormones to birth your baby and also prepare the way for breastfeeding. As your placenta separates from the uterus, your body releases a mix of prolactin (to stimulate milk production) and oxytocin (to allow the milk to flow), so that you are ready to feed as soon as you and baby would like to. Babies are born competent, capable, ready and eager to breastfeed. As long as there are no medical complications, your baby is ready for his first feed almost immediately after birth and most will latch onto the breast within the first hour of life. In fact, the
