When new mothers welcome their little ones, they often face the challenge of how to properly take care of their babies, especially the specific arrangements for breastfeeding can leave them feeling confused. One of their main concerns is when the baby needs to be fed. So, what is the optimal time interval for breastfeeding newborns?
In fact, when it comes to planning the feeding schedule for newborns, many professionals recommend feeding on demand. This means that when the baby shows signs of hunger, the mother should breastfeed promptly, until the baby stops sucking on their own, indicating they are full. Due to the small stomach capacity of newborns, they usually need to be fed every 2 hours or so, sometimes even more frequently. Initially, each feeding session may last about 10 to 15 minutes, which may gradually decrease over time. For babies fed formula, each feeding is typically around 50 to 85 milliliters.
During breastfeeding, if the mother’s milk supply is plentiful, the feeding frequency tends to stabilize. If the baby gains 150-200 grams of weight per week, this indicates good feeding results. On the other hand, if the baby gains less than 100 grams per week and cries frequently due to hunger, it may suggest insufficient milk supply. In such cases, an additional feeding of about 120 milliliters of formula can be considered during the time of day when the milk supply is lowest (usually between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.). After this adjustment, if the mother gets better rest, the milk supply increases, or the baby’s nighttime fussiness decreases, this feeding method can continue. If despite supplementing with formula, the nighttime hunger cries persist and the milk supply remains tight, replacing the 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. breastfeeding with formula milk can ensure the mother gets adequate rest at night. The key to deciding whether to increase the frequency of formula feeding lies in monitoring the baby’s weight gain and making flexible adjustments to meet the baby’s nutritional needs.
