HOW OFTEN WILL MY BABY FEED?

All babies are different; some are ready to feed soon after birth and continue to feed frequently, on average approximately 8 -12 times in a 24 hour period.

Some healthy term babies don’t feed very often in the first 24 hours but it is important to keep your baby close and offer the baby the breast when you see early feeding cues.

If your baby is preterm or unwell you will need to seek advice from your midwife/neonatal nurse

After 24 hours your baby should start to feed about 8-12 times in a 24 hour period.

The amount of milk taken at each feed will vary just like we eat and drink at different times of the day. It is important to respond to your baby’s feeding cues and let your baby decide how often he feeds and for how long.

If your baby consistently feeds for less than 5 minutes or more than 40 minutes then you should check your baby’s position and attachment.