Baby’s Feeding Pattern

Normal feeding patterns can vary in the first few days of life.

When breastfeeding is unrestricted, some babies breastfeed for several hours at a stretch, switching back and forth many times from breast to breast, then sleeping for several hours, and repeating this pattern until the milk increases on day 3 or 4.

This is one of the reasons that having help is often recommended during this time. Having someone on hand to take care of all the other household responsibilities while mother just sleeps and breastfeeds makes this process much easier.

Some babies breastfeed for short periods, 10-15 minutes, but feed every 30-40 minutes around the clock. If your baby follows either of these first two common feeding patterns, take heart! This is an intense period, but it doesn’t last long. And if you follow our baby’s lead and breastfeed like crazy at first, you will most likely be one of the blessed ones whose milk increases quickly and whose baby is soon satisfied for longer stretches.

Some babies, particularly those whose mothers received medication during labor or whose labors were very long and difficult, may seem uninterested or sleepy during these early days. However, they need their mother’s milk as much as other babies.

If your baby is sleeping so much that he doesn’t wake for at least 8 feedings in 24 hours or he falls asleep within the first few minutes of breastfeeding, you may need to help him. Disregard the oft-repeated adage, ‘Never wake a sleeping baby.’ Although you may not need to wake him completely, putting baby to breast is exactly the right thing to do.

British researcher Suzanne Colson found that newborns-even late preteen newborns-can actually feed very effectively while in a light sleep. If your baby is swaddled, unwrap him. Make sure he’s not overdressed or too warm, which can make him sleepy. Hold him against you in laid-back positions. When you see signs he’s in a light sleep, try helping him to the breast. He may surprise you by taking it.

The most important number to track in these early days is the number of feedings. The goal is to make sure a baby breastfeeds well at least 8-12 times per 24 hours.

(From Breastfeeding Made Simple, by Mohrbacher and Kendall-Tackett, 2010.