Breastfeeding - How Often Should you Breastfeed Your Baby?

• Usually, it's best to practice demand feeding That means you nurse your baby whenever she or he wants it, for as long as she or he wants it--even if you've nursed ten minutes ago. This way, you never worry about insufficient milk, or a growth spurt.
• Make sure your baby nurses at least eight to twelve times in 24 hours
• An important exception to demand feeding: if your baby is too sleepy to nurse at least eight times a day, wake her or him up to nurse.
• In the beginning (preferably until your baby starts eating solid foods) try not to be separated from your baby for more than an hour or so during the day. If you have to be, express or pump some milk to be given to the baby while you're away. If you're going away for more than a few hours, make sure you express or pump while you're away to maintain your milk supply.
• People might tell you that you should not feed more often than once every two (or three or even four) hours. You might see this recommendation in some old books too. This is the worst advice that can be given to a breastfeeding mother. Your breasts need to be regularly emptied and stimulated in order to produce more milk. Feeding on a schedule is the main reason for insufficient milk. For the same reason, avoid supplements (formula, juice, water, sugar water) until your baby is ready to start solid foods. Supplements reduce your milk supply by depriving your breasts of stimulation.
• See also:
  • how to make sure your baby is getting enough milk
  • Night-time nursing

Back to the breastfeeding main page

Dear Reader:  You can help us make this website even better!

We'd love to hear your comments about this article!  Scroll down to sound off!  All of our articles and ideas have come from our imagination and from reader submissions.  Please use this form to contact us if you have articles, crafts, activities, games, recipes, songs or poems that you would like to add to this website. Make sure to stop by our mom friendly forums too!

Webmasters and Authors:

We will gladly include a link back to your site or book in exchange for sharing your content.  Just contact us!

Bookmark

Email This

Hits: 4675

Trackback(0)

TrackBack URI for this entry

Comments (1)

Breast Feeding

Breast feeding is best for babies for up to 2 years. But of course Mothers can switch to formula, but some use pumps to extract milk because they had plenty.

Francis Medela , March 31, 2009 | url

• 
• +0
• 
• 

Write comment

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment Preview