OTHER BREASTFEEDING information WAKING YOUR BABY TO FEED • Try frequent (at least every 2 or 3 hours) your baby, rest assured that it won’t last HOW LONG SHOULD A Your baby may spend so much time sleeping daily feedings if your baby’s pattern is to forever. And both you and your baby will FEEDING LAST? during the first 2 or 3 days of life that you will sleep longer during the day and to nurse benefit from these frequent feedings during The length of time that a baby will be at the have to wake them for feedings. The old often at night. It may take a while, but this her first few days of life. breast for a given feeding varies widely from adage, “Never wake a sleeping baby,” is bad can help your baby move into a better day/ baby to baby. Extremes of too little news for a newborn! Another event in the night pattern. HOW OFTEN TO FEED YOUR BABY or too much time can be worrisome. first few days that may make your baby As they get a little older, your once-sleepy Since your newborn’s stomach is very small Generally, most newborns should feed for at temporarily difficult to wake is circumcision. baby will spend more and more time awake. If and breast milk is easily digested, the milk least 10 minutes and they should be able to Most babies sleep very deeply for 6 to 12 it is still necessary to wake your baby to feed, obtained from a feeding will empty from the complete a feeding in about 60 minutes hours after this procedure. you will be more successful if you wake them stomach in about 1 to 2 hours. This means you or less. from a light sleep. If you cannot wake your will need to feed baby often. Frequent It is important for you and your baby to begin Newborn babies have varying levels of sleep baby or they are very sluggish after not eating feedings are also very important to keep up the feeding in a comfortable position so there that range from very deep to very light. During for 5 or 6 hours, call your pediatrician for your milk supply and to assure that your baby is no need to stop too early. In fact, limiting lighter sleep states, you may note your baby advice. gains weight. breastfeeding time may lead to complications making sucking movements or trying to reach • Let your baby tell you when the feeding is such as breast engorgement, decreased milk their fingers to their mouth. These are cues DEALING WITH A FUSSY BABY finished—they will come off the breast on supply, inadequate infant weight gain, and that baby is ready to feed and should need If you keep your baby with you as much as their own infant jaundice. Limiting the duration of only a little stimulation to do so. possible, you will soon begin to see what feeding does not prevent sore nipples. • Many babies’ sleep/awake cycles naturally calms them. Wrapping baby securely in a • Feed your baby whenever they show signs of allow for 8 to 12 feedings a day. During the receiving blanket or holding them upright on hunger, even if they just ate an hour ago. It is daytime, if 3 hours have passed since the last your chest with their skin touching yours may normal for breastfed babies to “cluster feed” feeding, or if your breasts are uncomfortably soothe them. Once your milk supply has in the beginning. This means your baby full, wake your baby to feed. increased and the baby’s tummy is getting may want to be fed several times in a Frequent feedings are also full, they should settle down. Responding to row before taking that nap you had very important to keep up • Talk to, rub, pat, unwrap, or undress your baby’s cries with love and comfort will give anticipated. It does not mean that your baby to wake them. Change baby’s diaper or the message that the world is a safe place. milk supply is low. It is normal your milk supply wash their face with a warm washcloth. It breastfeeding behavior. may take 5 or 10 minutes of this stimulation Being close and warmly snuggled while • As your baby grows, so does their stomach. to wake your baby. sucking at the breast is comforting for a Babies start to feed less frequently because • Many parents make the mistake of putting newborn as they adjust to life outside the they are able to hold a larger amount of food their baby to the breast at the first sign of womb. As an added bonus, your milk supply at each feeding. wakefulness. Then they wonder why their will increase sooner and you will be less likely baby goes right back to sleep! You must to experience engorgement. really wake your baby so they can participate in the feeding for long Another normal behavior of newborn babies, enough to get an adequate amount of although perhaps less common, is to wake up milk. more often than expected. They may seem to be at the breast constantly. If this describes 18 19