She might breastfeed almost nonstop for several hours. She may also be fussy or unsettled during cluster feeding time. Understandably, some parents get the wrong idea about this behavior and think that it means Mom has a low milk supply.
It's important to remember that the way your baby behaves is not a reliable sign of how much milk she's drinking. The most dependable way to judge the milk supply is by your baby's growth pattern and diapers.
If she's gaining well then she's getting enough milk, no matter how fussy she might be or how long she might cluster feed in the evening. On a daily basis, your baby's diapers are the best indicator of whether she's had enough to eat. From age five days up to six to eight weeks, she should have at least five or six sopping wets and three or four palm-sized yellow bowel movements every 24 hours.
After six to eight weeks, some babies develop a pattern of fewer bowel movements but should continue with at least five or six sopping wets along with a good weight gain.
We don't know all the reasons, but it's probably connected to changing fat levels in mother's milk. The amount of fat varies somewhat from feeding to feeding and within each feeding. If some time has passed since the last feeding, the milk at the beginning of the feeding is lower in fat like skim milk , then it becomes more like whole milk, and then high in fat like cream toward the end of the feeding.
When feedings are more closely spaced as in cluster feeding , they're higher in fat. Experts recommend that babies be breastfed exclusively without formula, water, juice, non—breast milk, or food for the first 6 months. Then, breastfeeding can continue until 12 months and beyond if it's working for you and your baby. Breastfeeding has many benefits for mom and baby both. Studies show that breastfeeding can lessen a baby's chances of diarrhea , ear infections , and bacterial meningitis , or make symptoms less severe.
Breastfeeding also may protect children from sudden infant death syndrome SIDS , diabetes , obesity , and asthma. For moms, breastfeeding burns calories and helps shrink the uterus.
In fact, breastfeeding moms might return to their pre—pregnancy shape and weight quicker. Breastfeeding also helps lower a woman's risk of diseases like:. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.
How Often Should I Breastfeed? By the time your baby is 1—2 months old, he or she probably will nurse 7—9 times a day. Newborns should not go more than about 4 hours without feeding, even overnight. How Long Does Nursing Take? Many of the health benefits this year of breastfeeding has given your child will last her whole life. She will be less likely to need orthodontic treatment and have a reduced risk of some childhood cancers such as leukaemia.
The National Health and Medical Research Council recommends breastfeeding for a year, or for as long as mother and baby desire, because it helps ensure normal nutrition and health for your baby.
Your baby is probably well established on family foods, too. He has had time to form a solid bond with you — a healthy starting point for his growing independence. He is now old enough that you and he can work together on the weaning process, at a pace that he can handle. In cultures where there is no pressure to wean, children tend to breastfeed for at least 2 years. It makes sense to build our children's bones from the milk that was designed for them.
Your milk provides nutrients, anti-infective factors and other protective substances as long as your child continues breastfeeding. You can try patting, stroking, undressing, or changing the diaper to help wake your baby to feed. If you have concerns about how much your baby is sleeping or eating, talk to his or her doctor or nurse.
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