How often should babies feed?

This is the most common question for many new mothers. In fact, due to the different circumstances of each baby, the number of feedings is also different. It is decided based on the specific situation of the child, and the number of feedings is also based on the needs of each baby. The following is an introduction to how often babies should feed.

1. Breastfeeding on demand: There is no need to stipulate how many times a day the baby should be fed and the interval between each feeding. It should be determined based on the baby's needs. Feed the baby whenever the baby needs to breastfeed, and breastfeed on demand. The benefit of breastfeeding on demand is that it can promote milk secretion and enhance the relationship between mother and child. Frequent sucking is needed in the first few hours and days after birth to promote milk secretion. When you first start breastfeeding, eat small and frequent meals as the principle. Each feeding time should be about 20 minutes. Both breasts should be fed. The nipple that was fed last should be fed first the next time. This will help empty the breasts.

2. Don’t let him wait: When the baby wakes up and cries for milk, you cannot let him wait or delay, because the baby’s digestive system has not yet developed well and the gastrointestinal function is not yet perfect. When he wakes up and cries, it means his stomach is empty and he is hungry and needs to eat. As the baby grows older and eats more, the interval between feedings will gradually lengthen.

3. Approximate number of feedings: When a newborn baby first starts breastfeeding, he or she needs to be breastfed more frequently. In the first 3-4 days, the baby needs to be fed about every 2-3 hours, about 8 times during the day, 1-2 times in the evening, and 2-3 times at night, because babies under 6 weeks old rarely sleep for more than 5 hours at a time without waking up due to hunger. After the baby is 3 months old, he generally needs to feed about every 4 hours, 3-4 times during the day and 1-2 times at night. As the baby grows older, the intervals between night feedings should be gradually lengthened until there is no night feeding at all so that the mother can get enough rest.

After reading the detailed explanation on how often babies should feed, I believe everyone now clearly understands that the number of times a baby should be fed is determined according to the situation of each baby, and there is no fixed time. I hope that the above introduction can provide more help to more first-time mothers.