How Often To Feed Newborn

Should You Wait Until Your Baby Cries To Breastfeed

Try to feed your baby before they start to cry. Crying is a late sign of hunger. Once your little one starts crying, it can be difficult to calm them down. A newborn also uses a lot of energy when they cry, and they can become tired. If this happens, they might not breastfeed as well, or they may fall asleep before the feeding is complete.

How Often Should I Alternate Breasts

Try to offer both breasts during each feeding to sustain your milk supply. Your baby may not take the second breast if theyre full.

Some women find it helpful to alternate breasts in the middle of each feeding session, while others prefer to switch breasts at each feeding so that theyre only nursing from one for an entire session and the other during the next session.

No matter which method you choose, be sure to keep track of which breast you offered last so that youre giving both the same amount of nursing time throughout the day.

Sore Nipples

Your body is adjusting to a new life on the inside and outside: you have a new baby and a new body! During the first few days postpartum, your nipples may be a little sore from nursing. This can make breastfeeding miserable and uncomfortable. Over time, your body does eventually adjust and sore nipples become a thing of the past! But to help keep your skin comfortable while nursing especially during those first few days try our Nursing Comfort Balm, which is a soothing and restorative nipple cream. This lanolin-free balm moisturizes and protects your nipples, eases discomfort, and helps replenish and restore your skin during and after breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is now a painless pleasure!

Sample Baby Feeding Schedules

Your babys early days with solids should be about helping her get into the flow of mealtime with the family. Ideally, shell eat at times when everyone else is at the table, too.

Just keep in mind that, since the bulk of your babys nutrition should still be coming from breast milk or formula until she turns 1, those liquid meals should continue to take priority.

You can start off with just one or two solid meals per day whichever ones are most convenient for you.

For instance, offer breakfast and dinner if your cutie is in day care and you want the honors of feeding her solids. If its too hard to squeeze in dinner before her bedtime milk feeding, begin with breakfast and lunch.

As your baby hits 8 or 9 months and starts eating more foods , you can transition to three meals.

These sample schedules below may help you envision how solids can fit into your baby’s day just remember that every child is different. Your little one’s schedule may not be predictable or consistent until she hits toddlerhood. However, you might find that a typical day looks something like this:

Recommended Reading: How Can You Adopt A Newborn Baby

How Often Should You Breastfeed Your Newborn

You should feed your newborn 8-12 times every day in the first few weeks and then whenever she shows signs of hunger . Breastmilk is easy to digest, so you need to feed as and when your baby demands.

The foremilk at the beginning of the feed contains less fat while the hindmilk that flows later is high in fats . As the newborn drinks for a short duration, there is a likelihood of she missing on the hindmilk. Hence, nursing the baby more frequently in the first few days helps compensate for the low-calorie breastmilk.

As infants grow, the frequency of nursing reduces as the duration per feed increases. The frequency might vary among babies some might feed every 90 minutes while others would have it every 2-3 hours.

Some babies may have to be nursed a number of times as their intake of milk during a single feed varies.

Benefits Of Early Breastfeeding

Babies that are placed on their mothers abdomen within an hour after birth have shown a greater chance at successful breastfeeding, both in the short and long-term. In fact, babies who nurse early after delivery are more likely to still be breastfeeding at two to four months of age than infants who start nursing more than two hours after birth.

Breastfeeding within the first hour of life comes with additional benefits as well. For example, early breastfeeding helps moms milk come in more quickly, encourages the uterus to begin to contract, and helps regulate the babys body temperature .

Also Check: How To Break A Fever In A Newborn

Is My Baby Getting Enough Breast Milk

You will know your baby is getting enough breast milk if:Your newborn has frequent bowel movements.

• Typically, the stools are loose and change from black to brown to mustard-yellow in color in the first five days.
• Breastfed babies vary in stool patterns, but by their third day of life, they will usually have at least 2 to 3 stools in a 24 hour period. At five days old, most breastfed babies have at least four yellow, seedy stools per day. Older babies vary. Some have a bowel movement every day, while other babies have bowel movements every few days.
• There are also wet diaper patterns:
• Day 1 = one wet diaper
• Day 2 = 2 wet diapers
• Day 3 = 3 wet diapers, and so on
• Day 6 and older = 6 to 8 wet diapers in a 24-hour period.
• Your baby’s urine is pale in color.
• You can hear your baby swallowing the milk.
• Your baby is calm and relaxed after eating.
• Your baby is gaining weight. Many babies may lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight during their first days of life. Babies are born with fat reserves and usually regain the weight by two weeks of age. Frequent around-the-clock feedings will help prevent a major drop in weight.
• Your breasts feel softer after feeding.

Many breastfeeding mothers find that keeping a diary can be very helpful in determining if their baby is getting enough milk.

When Should I Start Breastfeeding My Newborn

Its best to try to breastfeed your baby in the first hour after birth. By latching on and sucking rhythmically, he begins switching on the cells in your breasts to initiate your milk supply.1 It isnt known as the magic hour for nothing!

Ideally, your baby will be put on your chest as soon as hes born to give him access to the breast. He might feed, he might not but give him the opportunity to do so, says Cathy Garbin, an internationally renowned lactation consultant.

Support his body and let him attempt to find his way to your breast and self-attach . However, if your baby doesnt attach, healthcare professionals are usually very skilled at helping mums with positioning. Baby-led attachment, with mum in a semi-reclined breastfeeding position, is a good way to start.

So forget about weighing and dressing your baby in that special first hour, or at least until after the first breastfeed. Enjoy relaxed cuddles and plenty of naked skin-to-skin contact with him. This will get oxytocin the love hormone flowing in both of you, which is essential for the release of your first milk, colostrum.3

As soon as they were sure our son was healthy, the midwives gave us time as a family just me, my husband and our new baby to get to know each other. It was messy, emotional and utterly blissful, and he fed twice in that special hour together, remembers Ellie, mum of two, UK.

Read Also: How To Create A Sleep Schedule For Newborn

How Often Will My Newborn Poo And Wee

What goes in must come out! Colostrum acts like a laxative that encourages your baby do his first poo, called meconium. This can be a bit startling as its black and sticky like tar.11 But dont worry, his nappies wont always be like this in fact, breastfed babies poo usually has an inoffensive, slightly sweet smell.

Heres how many dirty nappies you can expect and when, and what their contents should look like:

Day one

Day four to one month

• Number: two or more
• Colour: yellow
• Texture: seedy . Loose and watery.

When it comes to your babys wee, it should be pale yellow. An average newborn has one wee for each day of his life until about day three, when he should have about three wet nappies daily, and from day five, five or more wet nappies daily. You should also notice these nappies getting heavier over the first few days.11

How Often Should I Feed My Baby

Newborns and young babies should be fed whenever they seem hungry. This is called on-demand feeding.

After the first few days of life, most healthy, formula-fed newborns feed about every 2 to 3 hours. As they get bigger and their tummies can hold more milk, they usually eat about every 3 to 4 hours. As babies get older, theyll settle into a more predictable feeding routine and go longer stretches at night without needing a bottle.

Talk to you doctor if you have concerns about feeding your baby, especially if your baby is very small, is not gaining weight, or was born early .

You May Like: How To Treat Jaundice In Newborns At Home

Newborn Feeding Schedule: How Often To Feed Your Baby

With the arrival of your newborn baby, you may have questions and concerns about their feeding schedule. This is completely normal. From sleep schedule to feeding schedule, its all new to you.

You can rest easy because Mustelas baby experts are here to address your questions and concerns about newborn feeding schedules and how often to feed your baby.

What Is A Good Room Temperature For A Newborn

You dont want your babys room to be either too hot or too cold. Its recommended that the best temperature for babies is between 68 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 22 degrees Celsius. Babies are more sensitive to changes in room temperature because theyre so small and their bodies are still growing.

Also Check: When Do Newborns Start Sleeping Less

Do I Need A Newborn Feeding Schedule

The good news is that this frequent feeding helps initiate and build your milk supply.7 So the more your baby feeds, the more milk youll make. Therefore you shouldnt worry about planning a newborn feeding schedule as this may reduce his opportunities to feed. Just concentrate on breastfeeding when your baby gives you hunger cues,8 such as:

• stirring from his sleep
• turning his head when he feels something on his cheek
• poking his tongue out
• trying to eat his hand
• getting grizzly
• starting to whine
• crying

Crying is a late sign of hunger, so if in doubt offer your baby your breast. It can be harder to breastfeed your baby once he has started crying, especially at this early stage when youre both still learning. As he gets older, hes likely to feed faster and less often, so breastfeeding should start to feel more manageable.

Newborn Feeding Schedule For Breastfed Babies

If youre expecting your first baby, its natural to wonder: how often should a newborn eat.? You might even seek out a newborn feeding schedule to help simplify things. But do you really need a feeding schedule? Should you use a feeding schedule?

Feeding schedules for breastfed babies are more like guidelines for mamas who like to see the specifics. The bottom line is: Each baby will be different, and some babies eat moreor lessoften than the average newborn. The most important thing is to follow babys lead by feeding on demand.

Feeding on demand also helps regulate your milk supply. Because your body only makes what your baby needs when your baby needs it, its important to let your baby tell your body what it needs.

That said, if youre schedule-oriented and would like to see a sample of what a feeding schedule could look like, this chart can help:

Also Check: How To Put A Newborn Down To Sleep

For Both Breastfed And Bottle

• Dont give liquids other than formula or breast milk to babies under a year old. That includes juices and cows milk. They dont provide the right nutrients and can be upsetting to your babys tummy. Water can be introduced around 6 months when you start offering a cup.
• Dont add baby cereal to a bottle.
• It can create a choking hazard.
• A babys digestive system isnt mature enough to handle cereal until about 4 to 6 months of age.
• You could overfeed your baby.

Baby Feeding Chart: First Year

If you are exclusively formula feeding, refer to our baby feeding chart for information on how much formula to feed your baby. Our formula baby feeding chart is a guide to how much newborns should eat, along with how much formula to feed a baby after six months. But remember, these are just averagesyour little ones appetite is always the best guide to how much and how often to feed baby.

Recommended Reading: How To Help Newborn With Hiccups

How Often Should A Newborn Eat If Youre Breastfeeding

• First 24 hours: Feed on demand or at least every 2-3 hours. Remember: Your baby may only drink ½ ounce of colostrum in total in the first 24 hours. But even though your baby drinks only a little, it can take up to 45 minutes per nursing session, especially if your baby is sleepy.
• First month: Feed on demand or at least every 2-3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours during the night. This works out to be about 8-12 times per day. Keep in mind that babies go through cluster feeding sessions and growth spurts where they might be nursing every 10-45 minutes!

These guidelines just discuss how often a newborn should eat. To learn more about how much a newborn should eat, check out this post.