Many of the common concerns that new parents have about their baby are related to newborn feeding behaviour. Common questions include:

• How many times a day should my newborn be feeding?
• How much should they ingest with each feeding?
• When can I switch them to the bottle?
• What are the main difference between breast milk and formula?

Thankfully, years of research have gone into answering those questions for parents. Here is a practical guide to newborn care that will talk about feeding to help you understand this crucial component of taking care of your infant.

What Should You Feed Your Baby

Research has demonstrated that breast milk is the best possible food for newborns.  Not only does it contain nutrients to help your baby grow (proteins and fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamin and minerals), it also carries enzymes and antibodies to help prevent your baby from becoming sick. Scientists have also identified thousands of bioactive molecules in breast milk that helps protect your newborn against infection, reduces inflammation and helps organs develop (Ballard & Morrow, 2013).

Breast milk also changes as the baby grows. For the first few days after giving birth, the mother will produce pale yellow milk known as colostrum. It is high in certain antibodies and white blood cells that help protect your newborn. Colostrum has a different composition to mature breast and contains more protein, Vitamin A, nitrogen and salt. It also has a laxative effect on the baby, helping to flush out any waste products they have in their bodies (which helps reduce the risk of jaundice).

Mothers may not produce a lot of colostrum, but it is very powerful and even a small amount can help your baby remain healthy in the early days.

Mature breast milk beings within 3 to 4 days of giving birth, depending on how much your baby has been drinking. When a baby is breastfeeding, the first milk that comes out is called foremilk. It is thin and contains more water.  It is followed by hindmilk, which is thicker, containing more fat and lactose. The breast only produces one type of milk, but the levels of fat and water vary due to the design of the breast and the mechanics of breastfeeding.

Foremilk helps a baby ease into feeding with the thinner milk and it immediately quenches their thirst. It is designed to help the baby ‘get started’ on the breast. The thicker milk then provides a great deal of nourishment that helps the baby develop.

Some mothers are unable to produce enough breast milk to feed their child or simply prefer to use formula. There may be other reasons for being unable to breast feed including illness. It’s important to realise there is nothing wrong with using formula other missing out on some of the advantages mentioned above. Your baby will still be well nourished if only fed formula.

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How Often Should You Feed Your Newborn

A newborn should be drinking between 8 to 12 times a day for the first 4 weeks. By the time they have reached the 1 to 2 month age range that will have reduced to 7 to 9 feedings a day. 

Newborns should be fed on demand, so when they show any signs of hunger, feed them immediately. Typical signs of hunger in a newborn include:

• Placing their hands or fingers in their mouth
• Puckering their mouth like they are trying to find a nipple
• Pushing their face towards the mothers breast or anything that touches their cheek
• Sticking their tongue out
• Moving their head around
• Crying

How Much Should Your Newborn Be Drinking

A newborn baby will typically drink between 45-90 millilitres per sitting (every 2-3 hours). At two months that will have increased to 120-150 millilitres (every 3-4 hours), at four months about 120-180 millilitres (every 4-5 hours) and finally at 6 months they will be drinking about 180-230 millilitres (every 4-5 hours).

Growth Spurts and Hunger

You will notice that your baby will have sudden bursts of hunger, where they drink more than normal for a few days. They are due to the baby having growth spurts. 

You can expect a newborn to have their first growth spurt between one and three weeks of age. There will be another at between six and eight weeks, then more around the three, six and nine month age.

Is my Baby Eating Enough?

When your newborn has had enough to eat they will seem relaxed and satisfied. In the first few days after a baby is born, they will actually lose some weight (between 5-9% of their birth weight), which they gain back by the time they are two weeks old. Your baby’s increasing weight after the two week period is a great sign that they are nourished and eating well.

A well-fed baby will also have plenty of dirty nappies as all of that milk comes out the other end!  In the first few days, a baby will only have one or two wet diapers per day. By the time they are drinking mature breast milk or more formula that will increase to six to eight nappies a day. 

If you are concerned that your baby is not gaining enough weight, talk to your general practitioner or a lactation consultant. Newborn feeding is perhaps the most important factor in newborn care, so don’t hesitate to ask for help from your doctor.

Source: Ballard, O., & Morrow, A. (2013). Human Milk Composition. Pediatric Clinics Of North America, 60(1), 49-74. doi:10.1016/j.pcl.2012.10.002

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