When and how often should I feed my baby?

Babies should be fed when they give a sign that they are hungry. Crying is a late cue of hunger and makes latching on difficult so look out for feeding cues before this. The following are signs to look out for which will tell you when your baby is hungry:

 

Early cues are:

Licking and smacking lips

Opening and closing mouth

Sucking of fingers, toes, lips, toys or clothes

 

Active cues are:

Nuzzling your chest or whoever is carrying him

Positioning for nursing – lying back or tugging on your clothes

Squirming or fidgeting

Hitting your arm or chest repeatedly

Fast breathing or fussing

 

Late cues are:

Crying

Moving head frantically

 

If your newborn is constantly sleeping then you may have to wake them to nurse. Newborns tend to be very sleepy in the first few days and weeks and may not have hunger cues as often as they need to eat. Newborns should be fed at least every 2 hours during the day and at least once at night. Once the newborn has established a good weight gain pattern (at least 4 ounces every week for babies under 4 months), you will no longer need to wake them to nurse.