Understanding how your body and your newborn baby work together is helpful in two ways. Before you have your baby, this information might help you make the decision to breastfeed. During those first few days and weeks after labor and delivery when you are learning to breastfeed, remembering these basics can help get you through any rough patches. Here is what every mom-to-be needs to know about the mom-baby connection.

Within a few minutes of being born, babies will automatically look to get milk from their mother's breast. Babies don't need to learn how to latch. The challenge as a new mom is learning how to tell the difference between a baby who is hungry and one who is tired or just uncomfortable. Breastfeeding on cue will help you recognize some of your baby's hunger signs, such as lip smacking and fist gnawing. When in doubt, always offer the breast. A baby who isn't hungry won't eat. Think of breastfeeding like a dance and let your baby lead. Be patient. Keep trying. You will get it.

At birth, your baby’s tummy can hold only about one or two teaspoons. At 1 week old, your baby’s stomach grows to hold about 2 ounces — the size of an almond. Newborns usually lose a little weight in the first few days after being born. Three to five days after coming home from the hospital, you’ll take your baby back to the doctor’s office to make sure everything is on track. Meanwhile, keep a record of your baby’s dirty diapers and feedings, so you can tell whether your baby is eating enough.

Do not give cereal to babies less than 6 months old, and don’t add formula to what your baby eats without checking with your baby’s doctor. A baby’s digestive system is still undeveloped, and breastmilk is easier to digest than formula.

Unlike formula, your breastmilk adjusts according to your baby's needs and is easy to digest. In the first few days of life, your colostrum (the thick golden liquid that your breasts produce) provides all the nutrients your baby needs. Then, when your "milk comes in" three to five days after birth, you'll be able to feed your baby with only breastmilk for the next six months. Even if you get sick, your body will make antibodies that go into your breastmilk. The antibodies will help your baby fight off any colds or infections.

And the amount of your breastmilk grows along with your baby in the following weeks and months. It's very rare that a mom doesn't make enough milk to feed her baby, so trust your body. (Read more about making plenty of milk.)

In those first few weeks, newborns need skin-to-skin contact. Babies who get a lot of skin-to-skin contact are healthier and may not cry as much. It’s good to get your partner involved. For example, ask your partner to hold the undressed baby on his or her bare chest, maybe even right after a feeding. There’s no such thing as spoiling a newborn, so hold your baby as often as you like.

Hold your baby close to your body when breastfeeding, with your baby's belly button facing toward you, not toward the ceiling. For large-breasted women, if your baby has trouble reaching your nipple when placed against your chest, try the football hold or side-lying positions until you find a position that's comfortable for both of you.

Crying is how babies communicate. But babies don't cry just because they're hungry. They also cry when they're sleepy, gassy, or sick; have a dirty diaper; or just need to be held. Crying out of hunger is the last straw for a baby, who is just letting you know that Mom is late for a meal.

It’s always harder to nurse a baby who is crying and wound up, but you’ll soon figure out your baby’s hunger cues. Then you can breastfeed your baby before he or she starts crying, keeping those hunger tears in check. (If your baby is crying excessively, to the point of vomiting and weight loss, it could be colic. As always, talk to your baby's doctor or nurse about this.)

Babies can’t tell time. In the first few weeks, there’s no such thing as a baby “sleeping pattern” or “sleep training.” Instead, new babies go through many little bursts of being awake and asleep throughout the day and night. Often, there are just a few long stretches of sleep. During those first weeks, most of your baby’s awake time is spent feeding.

So, as long as your baby is peeing and pooping enough for at least 6 dirty diapers a day, you only need to wake your baby to feed if it’s been longer than four hours since the last feeding. If your breasts get very full, especially at night, try expressing some milk either by hand or with a breast pump. And remember to sleep when the baby sleeps. Your sleep is important too!

Like pregnancy and childbirth, it can help to learn about breastfeeding before becoming a new mom. Test your breastfeeding knowledge by reading these facts to see how amazing women’s bodies truly are.

Breastfed babies typically get sick less.

Breastfeeding lowers the risk of ear infections, diarrhea, and stomach problems.

Children who are breastfed have a lower rate of certain illnesses as they grow up.

Babies who are not breastfed have a higher risk of asthma, diabetes, and childhood obesity. Since African-Americans are at an increased risk for these health problems, it's important to recognize the lifelong benefits of breastfeeding for your child.

Your baby can smell you.

Newborns have a strong sense of smell and know the unique scent of your breastmilk. That is why your baby will turn his or her head to you when he or she is hungry.

Your baby can see you up close and personal.

Babies are born extremely nearsighted, which means they can only see things about eight to 15 inches away. That also happens to be the distance between your face and your baby's face when breastfeeding. So when your baby locks eyes with you, it’s a true bonding moment.

Breastfeeding allows your body to recover from pregnancy and childbirth more quickly.

The hormones released when you breastfeed help your uterus shrink back to its pre-pregnancy size.

Breastfeeding exposes your baby to many different tastes.

Formula has only one taste. But through your breastmilk, your baby eventually gets a slight taste of whatever you eat, although not directly. This may make introducing solid foods easier when your baby is 6 months old.

Breastfeeding benefits you as well as your baby.

Breastfeeding helps lower the risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in moms. Breastfeeding may also help you to lose weight. Mothers who exclusively breastfeed can burn as many as 600 calories a day, which may help you get back to your pre-pregnancy weight.

Your body starts getting ready to breastfeed during pregnancy.

After you give birth, your body gets the final signal to make milk, which is usually more than one newborn can handle. Why? Your body doesn’t know whether you have one, two, three, four, or more babies to feed. Your supply then regulates to meet your baby’s (or babies’) needs.

Before your milk comes in, in the first few days after birth, your breasts make a thick, sticky, yellowish fluid sometimes referred to as “liquid gold.”

Called colostrum, this liquid has the calcium, potassium, proteins, minerals, and antibodies your baby needs. Your baby needs only a few teaspoons to feel full and stay healthy until your milk flow increases, about two to five days after birth.

Your breastmilk changes during a feeding session.

When your baby first starts to nurse, your milk is a watery bluish color. Toward the end of the feeding session, your baby gets to thicker, fattier milk, which gives your baby the calories needed to grow healthy and strong.

Breastmilk heals.

Breastmilk is filled with special components that help fight infection and cut down on swelling in the breast. So if your breasts are sore those first few days, gently massaging some of your milk into your nipples and breasts can soothe the soreness and speed up recovery.