How Much to Feed
Angela Oswalt, MSWWhen babies are first born they eat often and at sometimes unpredictable times, and they eat varying amounts at each feeding. As they grow over the first months, their eating schedules regulate more, and they eat more at each sitting, during fewer sittings a day. It's important for new parents to consult with their pediatrician to make sure that their baby is getting the proper nutrition and growing and gaining weight appropriately. For the first three months, parents and caregivers should follow the baby's signals about when they're hungry or full. Parents don't have to force a feeding schedule on babies, but allow babies to let them know when they want more or are satisfied.
When newborns arrive, they can eat up to eight to twelve times a day at erratic times and for different durations and amounts. They may eat from just a few mouthfuls up to three ounces at each sitting. Oftentimes, breastfeeding babies will latch onto the breast even more than that or suckle even when they're not drinking just to get that comforting connection with their moms. This is a rich opportunity for mothers and babies to build that very important bond and trust. Breastfed babies may continue to eat more often than their bottle-fed peers do in the coming months. At about 4 weeks of age, babies may eat six to twelve times a day and take three to six ounces at each sitting, which can be every two to four hours. By around age 2 months, infants are eating about six to ten times a day, eating about three to eight ounces at each sitting, which can still be every two to four hours.
Around this age, as babies are sleeping for longer stretches at night, the frequency of their nighttime feedings may taper. By around age 3 months, babies may be eating only six to eight times a day, eating about four to eight ounces at each sitting every two to four hours except during the night. Between the ages of 3 and 6 months, a baby's eating frequency will continue to decrease, but their consumption will continue between four to eight ounces at each sitting. Around this time, many pediatricians will suggest adding cereal to the bottles to increase caloric intake and to make the bottles more filling. Caregivers should consult with their pediatricians about this addition.
Resources
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Articles
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Infant Development: How Your Baby Grows and Matures
- Infancy Introduction
- Infancy Physical Development
- Infancy Physical Development: Motor Development
- Infancy Physical Development: Gross Motor Skills
- Infancy Physical Development: Fine Motor Skills
- Infancy Physical Development: Average Growth
- Infancy Cognitive Development
- Infancy Cognitive Development Continued
- Infancy Cognitive Development: Language Development
- Cognitive Development: Language Development Continued
- Infancy Emotional/Social Development: Emotional Expression and Understanding
- Infancy Emotional/Social Development: Temperament
- Infancy Emotional and Social Development: Social Connections
- Infancy Sexuality and Body Awareness Development
- Infancy Conclusion
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Infant Parenting: Keeping Your Baby Healthy and Happy
- Infancy Parenting Introduction
- Holding and Physical Support
- Facilitating Growth and Movement
- Feeding and Nutrition
- How Much to Feed
- Breastfeeding
- Selecting and Preparing Bottles
- How to Feed
- Burping and Spitting Up
- When and What Solid Foods to Introduce
- How to Feed Solid Foods
- How Much to Feed Toddlers
- Weaning
- Elimination and How to Diaper
- Penis and Cord Care
- Sleeping
- Bathing
- Other Baby Hygiene
- Dressing Baby
- Soothing a Crying Baby
- Well-Baby Checks and Immunizations
- Common Baby Medical Concerns
- Common Baby Medical Concerns - Teething
- Common Baby Medical Concerns - Colic
- Common Baby Medical Concerns - Coughs and Colds
- Common Baby Medical Concerns - Fever
- Common Baby Medical Concerns - Diarrhea and Vomiting
- Nurturing children
- Discipline
- Baby Safety
- Baby Safety Continued
- Conclusion
- Infant Safety: Keeping Your Baby Safe
- Infant Enrichment: Stimulating Your Baby
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Infant Development: How Your Baby Grows and Matures
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Questions and Answers
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Links
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Videos
- What Your Baby Sees
- Safe Sleep for Babies
- Safe Sleep for Infants
- Button Batteries Sending Kids to the ER
- Uncovering Top Causes of Diaper Rash
- Holiday Travel - Child Safety Away from Home
- Safe Seats for Baby
- Vaccination: A Key Piece of the Puzzle
- Babies on the Move: Protecting Babies with Vaccination
- The Breast Feeding Boost
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- Skin to Skin with your Newborn
- How to Get Your Baby to Sleep
- Diaper Rash Dos & Don’ts
- Sunscreen Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers
- When Breastfeeding Doesn’t Come Naturally
- Diaper Dilemma: Baby Powders & Wipes
- Breast Feeding and Gluten Introduction: What Research Tells Us
- Dealing with Diaper Rash
- Strategies for Encouraging Your Child's Speech and Language Development
- Is it Baby Babble or a Sign of Speech Problems?
- Infant Hearing Loss
- Household Poisonings and Childhood Dangers
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