Once your baby is here, you will always have questions, no matter how prepared you believe you are. Among the most frequent concerns of newlyweds? if their child is consuming an appropriate quantity.
While each baby is different, there are some general rules to follow when determining when to feed them.
What Is a Baby’s Appetite?
From birth to two months old: Babies require eight to twelve meals per day during the first month of life. That occurs roughly every two to three hours. However, some breastfeeding mothers are able to eat as often as 15 times a day, or every 30 to 90 minutes. During the first few weeks of life, if your baby isn’t waking up by themselves for a feeding, you should get them up to eat on time.
Your child will spend 10 to 20 minutes on your breast if you are nursing. While some may nurse for extended periods of time, ensure sure they are consistently sucking and swallowing.
Giving a formula? At each meal, aim for your infant to consume 1.5 to 3 ounces.
They will begin eating at least two ounces at each feeding after around a month. Babies that are breastfed will receive more milk from you as they become accustomed to nursing. However, since they’ll finish it faster, you might not notice.
Whether you choose to bottle feed or breastfeed, your baby’s appetite will increase as they develop.
They can get 4-5 ounces at a feeding, spaced 3–4 hours apart, starting at 2 months.
At four months old, they can require up to six ounces each time. Your paediatrician might advise you to wait if you are still nursing, or they might encourage you to start introducing solid foods.
Some newborns may consume up to 8 ounces of breastmilk or formula by the time they are 6 months old, even though they are not fed as frequently.
Recall that your child’s daily intake of liquids will fluctuate. When going through a growth spurt, for example, kids might want to consume more than usual. Have faith that your infant understands their nutritional needs.
A few indicators that they are full are as follows:
a. They withdraw from their bottle or your breast.
b. When they are being fed, they nod off.
c. They either close their mouths or shake their heads.You can also use such indicators to make sure your child isn’t getting too much food. Additionally, your paediatrician will inform you at routine checkups if your child’s growth (height and weight) is on schedule.
Indices Your Child Is Getting Enough to Eat
When they are fed the appropriate quantity, you will notice:
Lots of damp diapers. They might only wet one or two diapers a day in the early postpartum days. After that, they should require two to five poopy diaper changes per day in addition to six to eight cloth (or five or six disposable) diaper changes per 24 hours.
Steady increase in weight. Your baby should gain 4–7 ounces every week after the first two weeks until they are six months old, and 3–5 ounces between the ages of six and eighteen months.
Your infant is content and active. A well-nourished child will appear attentive and energetic. They’ll also appear satisfied in between meals.
Indices Your Child Is Not Eating Enough
Among the causes to call your doctor are:
They would rather sleep than eat
They won’t latch onto your breast, or they pull away from you
They are fussy right after feedings
Dark coloured urine
They wet fewer diapers
It’s crucial to learn to trust your gut feelings as a new parent. See your baby’s paediatrician if you have any worries about the way they are eating.