Video transcript
Question: How often should I feed my baby, and for how long?
Renee Kam (lactation consultant): Many exclusively breastfed babies feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, at least in the early weeks. This usually means feeding your baby every 2 to 3 hours. You might have one longer stretch between feeds, this could be up to 5 hours for a baby under 6 weeks. You might also have 1 or 2 cluster feeding periods which are times when your baby feeds more often within a shorter period of time. For example, this could be 3 or more feeds within a few hours. As babies get older, they tend to feed less frequently.
Onscreen tip: For more on feeding cues, view the Baby Cues video guide on raisingchildren.net.au: https://raisingchildren.net.au/newborns/connecting-communicating/communicating/baby-cues
Renee: No matter how old your baby is, if you feed her when she’s showing signs of wanting to feed you will help her to get what she needs. A baby usually comes off the breast when she is finished. Generally, the older the baby, the better and quicker they are at feeding. Most babies feed from one best at some feeds and from both breasts at other feeds. Some babies only ever feed from one breast and others always feed from both breasts at each feed. As long as your baby is showing signs of getting enough milk, it doesn’t matter how often or how long she feeds.
Question: Do I need to wake my baby for feeds?
Renee: Most healthy, thriving babies who are showing signs of getting enough milk will wake by themselves for feeds. If this sounds like your baby, you don’t need to wake him for feeds. If your baby sleeps in your room at night, you will naturally wake up to feed him when he’s showing early feeding cues such as turning his head from side to side with his mouth open, sucking on his hands, sticking his tongue in and out, and making squeaky sorts of noises. By having your baby in your room at night and recognising those early feeding cues, you’ll be less likely to miss any feeds this way and your baby will be less likely to get to the stage of crying. Crying is actually a late feeding cue.
Some babies might be a bit sleepy in the early weeks after birth. This might be because of jaundice, or an infection, or if a baby is still affected by pain medications used during the birth. If this is your situation, you might need to wake your baby for breastfeeds until he starts waking by himself more often. For advice on this, speak with your midwife, child and family health nurse, or lactation consultant.
Onscreen: Further information about breastfeeding
Narrator: For further information about breastfeeding, call the Australian Breastfeeding Association helpline on 1800 686 268, talk to a lactation consultant and/or your child and family health nurse, visit the Raising Children Network website at https://raisingchildren.net.au, or the ABA website, https://www.breastfeeding.asn.au.
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FAQs
In the first few weeks of life, breastfeeding should be "on demand" (when your baby is hungry), which is about every 1-1/2 to 3 hours. As newborns get older, they'll nurse less often, and may have a more predictable schedule. Some might feed every 90 minutes, whereas others might go 2–3 hours between feedings.
How often should you wake a breastfed baby? ›
As a rough guide, babies need to feed at least eight to 12 times (sometimes more) over 24 hours during the first few weeks (NHS, 2019a; UNICEF, 2010). That means they'll probably need to feed every two to three hours. Watch our video for tips on how often and how long to breastfeed your baby for.
When to stop waking baby for feedings? ›
Most babies are able to sleep through the night – or sleep for at least six hours without waking up to eat – sometime between 3 to 6 months of age. Healthy babies who are born full-term are generally able to sleep through the night without a feeding starting at 3 months of age or when they weigh 12 to 13 pounds.
Is a 10 minute feed long enough for a newborn? ›
Many newborns breastfeed for 10 to 15 minutes on each breast, but they can also nurse for much longer, even up to an hour. Talk to your doctor or lactation consultant if your newborn is regularly nursing for longer than 50 minutes, though. This may indicate that they aren't getting enough milk.
How long should a baby breastfeed per session? ›
Each breastfeeding session could last between 12 and 67 minutes, and during that time the infants consumed, on average, 54 mL to 234 mL of milk.
Should I nurse my baby every time she wakes up? ›
Most newborns need eight to 12 feedings a day — about one feeding every two to three hours. While waking up a sleeping baby might seem like a bad idea, frequent feedings early on are important for a couple of reasons: Crying is a late sign of hunger.
When can you stop feeding a baby every 3 hours? ›
Most babies usually feel hungry every 3 hours until about 2 months of age and need 4-5 ounces per feeding. As the capacity of their abdomen increases, they go longer between feedings. At 4 months, babies may take up to 6 ounces per feeding and at 6 months, babies might need 8 ounces every 4-5 hours.
What age do babies stop waking for night feedings? ›
Most doctors will agree that you can stop intentionally waking your baby for night feedings around 3-4 months as long as they're showing stable weight gain and staying on their growth curve. However, some babies won't be able to sleep through the night without any feedings until closer to 9 months.
At what age do babies stop waking up at night for milk? ›
There's no hurry to phase out night feeds. You can choose what works best for you and your child. For breastfed children, night weaning might be an option from 12 months. For formula-fed children, you can consider phasing out night feeds from 6 months.
Do you feed every time baby wakes? ›
In most cases healthy, thriving newborns will wake when they need to feed and so get enough milk. Feeding your baby when they show early hunger signs can help them to attach and feed more effectively.
Your body is always making milk. That means there's no need to wait for the supply to “replenish” between feedings. In fact, waiting a long time between feeding your baby can actually reduce your milk supply. That's because your body does an amazing job of producing the right amount of milk to keep your baby happy.
Will baby unlatch when breast is empty? ›
For many babies, being close to mom is a comfort and the motion of sucking is soothing, so they may not unlatch when the breast is empty. If they're comfortable, they may even fall asleep. If that happens, mom can put a clean finger gently inside the baby's mouth to break the suction before pulling them away.
How long does the average mom breastfeed? ›
The average mom exclusively breastfeeds for the baby's first 6 months and then gradually introduces other food while continuing to breastfeed for 2 years or longer. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months after birth.
What is the most important length of time to breastfeed? ›
The American Academy of Pediatrics and the World Health Organization also recommend exclusive breastfeeding for about the first 6 months with continued breastfeeding along with appropriate complementary foods for up to 2 years of age or older.
Should I offer a second breast if baby is asleep? ›
If he remains on the breast until fast asleep, he might not wake up to take the second side, not being particularly hungry at that point. The baby should be offered the second breast when he is not drinking much any longer even with breast compression, not when he's asleep.
When can I stop waking my baby to feed? ›
For babies aged 6 months to a year, night feeds may no longer be necessary and some babies will sleep for up to 12 hours at night.
How long can breastfed baby sleep at night without feeding? ›
It's not until they're closer to three months of age that many start sleeping for longer periods overnight. However, the general timeframe between overnight feeds is still around 5-6 hours.
Should I let my breastfed baby sleep through the night? ›
Letting your baby sleep for longer periods (usually at around 3 months of age) isn't going to hurt your breastfeeding efforts. Your body readjusts your milk supply based on when you nurse and how much your baby needs.
How long should a breastfeeding mother sleep? ›
It categorizes “short sleep duration” as less than 6 hours of sleep per night and “normal sleep duration” as 6 hours per night. This leads us to believe that shooting for 6 hours per night as a breastfeeding mom is a good goal.
Can I let my newborn sleep 5 hours? ›
Newborns who sleep for longer stretches should be awakened to feed. Wake your baby every 3–4 hours to eat until he or she shows good weight gain, which usually happens within the first couple of weeks. After that, it's OK to let your baby sleep for longer periods of time at night.