How often should a baby be breastfed?
Early weeks
Mums should breastfeed their baby on demand, and for as long as they want. They will find that sometimes feeds are long, sometimes short, sometimes close together, and sometimes far apart. Some babies feed every one and a half to two hours. This is quite normal.
They may feel their baby is feeding constantly at certain times of the day, for example, between 5pm and 7pm. This is also when their milk supply is likely to be at its lowest. Reassure them that this is perfectly normal. Recommend that they try to rest as much as possible as it can be very tiring.
6-9 weeks
In time, their baby will settle into a pattern. Routine will come, but maybe not yet. Suggest they try keeping a feeding diary, making a note of every time their baby feeds and for how long. This will help them spot any patterns emerging and help them establish a routine.
How long will each feed take?
All babies are different, so it’s important they let their baby take the lead on this. As a rough guide, feeds can take anything from a few minutes up to 40 minutes.
They should let their baby decide when they have had enough. Then try winding them before trying feeding again. Babies show they are finished by either letting go of the breast or falling asleep.
If their baby empties one breast, they should offer them the other. They might not want both breasts at each feed. Start each feed on the breast that was offered second at the previous feed.
Cluster Feeding – a sign of a growth spurt?
What is cluster feeding?
Cluster feedings are when the baby feeds several times close together, and is a major indicator of a growth spurt.
Babies go through several growth spurts during the first year, which accounts for the dramatic changes in weight and height between a newborn baby and a one year old.
When do babies have growth spurts?
Although babies do not have an internal calendar to tell them when it is time to have a growth spurt, there are typical ages to watch for them. These growth spurts will have the greatest impact on a breastfeeding mum. The ages given below are approximate and a growth spurt at any time should be considered normal.
The first growth spurt occurs between seven and 10 days old. Babies come home from the hospital weighing up to 10% less than their birth weight. When mum’s milk comes in, for those who are breastfeeding, the baby will begin to gain back the lost weight. Three weeks is the next typical age for a growth spurt, followed by six weeks, three months, six months and nine months. These ages, once again, are all approximate, and babies may have a growth spurt at other times as well. As long as baby is growing appropriately and is healthy, a growth spurt at any age should not be cause for concern.
Signs of a growth spurt
- Feeding more often than usual
- No longer sleep through the night, even if they have done previously
- Waking early from naps
- Not settling at the breast
- Irritability due to the need for more sleep and broken sleep patterns caused by growing pains or an empty stomach
Length of a typical growth spurt
Infant growth spurts typically last only two to three days, but can sometimes last for a week or longer. If the growth spurt lasts a week or longer, a breastfeeding mum needs to make sure she is drinking enough and consuming enough calories to compensate for the additional feedings. This may not be hard, as breastfeeding mums tend to feel hungrier than usual when their baby is going through a growth spurt.
For more information have a look at our Breastfeeding Nutrition section
What to do
Encourage mum to adjust her baby's schedule accordingly and feed ‘on demand’. This will increase her milk supply and provide her baby with the extra nutrition required.
