Is a 10 Minute Feed Long Enough for a Newborn [+ Other Newborn Feeding Questions]
If you are a seasoned parent or have experience with newborns, you know that it seems as though they are always eating or sleeping. There is a good reason for this! Newborns spend most of their day eating, sleeping, or being burped. Ah, what a life!
Newborns, like every other activity, will need to learn how to eat properly. Some babies can start eating with no problem from the beginning, while others may have difficulty latching to the bottle or breast. This is normal, and you both will eventually get the hang of it!
A burning question on many parents’ minds is how long a feeding should last for a newborn. Five, ten, twenty minutes? Continue reading to learn if a 10-minute feed is long enough for your newborn.
How Often Should My Baby Eat?
When your baby is a newborn, they should really eat whenever they want! It should be on-demand as their stomachs are so small and can only hold a certain amount of liquid. Although they should be technically fed on demand, they will realistically be hungry every 1-3 hours. Keep in mind that whether they are showing symptoms of hunger or not, your baby should not go longer than 4-5 hours without eating, even at night.
As you get to know your baby, you might be learning what cues they will show you when they decide it’s time to eat. Some of the signs to look out for are:
Moving their head from side to side
Opening their mouth
Sticking out their tongue
Putting their hands in their mouth
Puckering their lips
Rubbing their face against their mother’s chest
Crying
If you notice your baby doing any of these things, it might mean that it’s time to chow down! You want to try to feed them before they begin crying, as this can lead to an incomplete feeding session as they are upset.
Keep in mind that you want to avoid overfeeding them as well. You can probably tell that they are getting full if they are slowing down, spitting out their bottle or unlatching, closing their mouth, or turning away from the bottle. If you notice your baby doing any of these things, you can stop the feeding session.
Is My Baby Eating Enough?
A huge fear of many parents is whether or not their baby is getting enough to eat. That was definitely my biggest fear with both of my kids! Here are some helpful ways to tell if your little one has had enough to eat:
Seems satisfied
Has approximately 6-8 diapers a day
Has regular bowel movements
Sleeps well
Are alert while they are awake (not constantly drowsy)
Are gaining weight
As long as your baby is experiencing these things, they should be getting enough to eat. As always, if you have any concerns, discuss them with your pediatrician.
Should I Wake My Baby At Night to Feed?
When your baby is a newborn, they must be fed at least every 4-5 hours. The first month especially, although your baby might want to sleep through the night, they should be woken up to feed. A solid piece of advice that I was given from my children’s pediatrician is that once your baby reaches their birth weight or a little above, you can let them sleep for longer stretches at night.
The first little while that your baby is home don’t worry about establishing a schedule. When they are this small, they will let you know when they are hungry or tired! Until they are a little older, follow their lead, as they will cue you in when they need something!
How Long Should Feeding Sessions Be for My Newborn?
You may think that your feeding session should be shorter since your newborn’s stomach is so small, but it’s actually the opposite! When your baby is small, they are inexperienced at eating, and it takes time for them to get the hang of it. Because of this, feeding sessions may take as long as 20-45 minutes when they are first learning to eat!
Some babies will take less time to eat, while others will take longer. It all depends on the baby and how quickly they can learn how to feed properly. As they get older, their feeds will become less frequent and take approximately 10-15 minutes in total.
If you are breastfeeding, try your best to have your baby suckle off both of your breasts. This will help reduce the risk of developing clogged ducts or mastitis. If your baby only wants to eat off one breast, try to use the unused one for the next feeding. You can remember this by putting a hair tie on the wrist of the side you need to have your baby fed next.
Track Your Baby’s Feeding with Baby Connect
When you feed your baby, there are so many aspects that come into play. You must make sure you don’t feed them too much or too often, and that they are awake and alert while eating. If they start to doze off, this can not only prolong the feeding but also possibly increase the amount of air they are sucking in, causing more trapped gas.
This is why monitoring your baby’s feeding is important to maintain a good schedule. Using Baby Connect is perfect as you can track how often you are feeding your baby, how many ounces you offer, how much they actually eat, and how long it took them to eat. This will allow you to create the ultimate feeding routine with your baby as you both get the hang of things!
