Feeding
How often, how much, and signs your baby is getting enough
When to get help: fever, breathing, feeding and other warning signs. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
How often
- Newborns usually feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, about every 2 to 3 hours, at night too. Breastfed babies often feed more often than formula-fed babies.
- Watch your baby, not only the clock. Early hunger signs: stirring, rooting (turning toward a touch on the cheek), sucking on hands. Crying is a late sign.
- Signs of fullness: slowing down, turning away, relaxed hands, falling asleep.
Enough milk?
- By the end of the first week, most babies have at least 6 wet diapers a day and regular poops.
- Babies often lose some weight in the first days and are usually back to their birth weight by about 2 weeks. Your doctor checks this.
Bottles
- Hold your baby fairly upright and let them set the pace, with breaks. Never prop a bottle.
- Prepare formula exactly as the label says. Throw away formula left in the bottle after a feed.
- Formula-fed newborns often take about 30 to 60 ml (1 to 2 oz) per feed in the first days, and around 120 ml (4 oz) by about one month. Your baby’s hunger and fullness signs matter more than a number.
Storing breast milk
- Room temperature: up to 4 hours. Fridge: up to 4 days. Freezer: best within 6 months, up to 12 months.
- Thawed milk: use within 24 hours from the fridge, and never refreeze it. Don’t warm milk in a microwave.
Vitamin D
- Breastfed and partly breastfed babies usually need a daily vitamin D supplement. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which one and how much.
Sources
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- World Health Organization
General information for most babies, not medical advice. Your doctor, nurse or midwife knows your baby: always ask them, and call your local emergency number in an emergency.