Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding newborns and older babies.

How often should a newborn baby be breastfed?

 

A newborn baby should be breastfed no less than eight times a day. It depends on how long the baby sleeps between feeds. If the baby sleeps up to 4 hours without a feed, it will probably need to be fed twice at night (between 11pm and 7am). If fed just before bedtime, the baby may be able to manage with one breastfeed at night.

 

How often should older babies be breastfed?

 

Depending on how old the baby is, it should be breastfed every 3-4 hours during the day. The older the baby gets, the longer the intervals between feeds become and the amount per feed increases. If the baby continues to breastfeed after the age of 6 months, it should not be breastfed less than 5 times a day. If breast milk is decreasing, one or two extra feeds should be added to stimulate milk production.

 

How do you extend the intervals between meals?

 

The biggest change is the transition from breastfeeding every 3 hours to breastfeeding every 4 hours, skipping a meal during the night or late at night.

 

The mother usually knows instinctively when her baby is ready for a change. Breastfeeding times change with the change in sleep patterns. A baby who is breastfed every 3 hours usually sleeps up to three times a day. If it is then breastfed every 3.5 to 4 hours, it usually sleeps less often or skips a nap altogether. The baby is usually ready to be breastfed less often at the age of 3 months.

 

The baby usually stops breastfeeding at night by itself between 6 and 14 weeks of age. The mother usually wakes up worried because her baby has not woken her up. The baby will then need more food during the day.

 

Breastfeeding just before bedtime is usually difficult for the mother to give up. She fears that the baby will not sleep through the night if it is not fed. In this case, the mother can slowly push back the last feed every 15 minutes.

 

Basically, the breastfeeding rhythm develops naturally. It is best for the mother to follow her instincts rather than the clock.