How much milk should you give your little one? (Breastfeeding Frequency and Duration) Let's talk about this!

As a mother, there is nothing more precious than breastfeeding your little one, right? Although it is a very natural thing, new mothers have many questions about this. 'How often should I breastfeed my baby?', 'How long should I breastfeed for at a time?' You must be wondering these things too. So, let's talk about all this in a simple way that you can understand.

How often should a newborn baby be breastfed?

Right after your baby is born, that is, for about the first month, he may ask for milk from 8 to 12 times a day. You may think, 'Mom, so many times?' The reason for this is that breast milk is digested very quickly. Therefore, little ones get hungry quickly. Also, when you breastfeed your baby frequently, your body's milk production also improves. It's like supply-demand. Breastfeeding this often in the first few weeks also stimulates your milk supply.

What about when the baby gets a little bigger?

When your baby is about a month or two months old, the frequency of breastfeeding may decrease a bit. Then it will be about 7 to 9 times a day. But not all babies are the same. Some babies will ask for a little more, some a little less. It varies from baby to baby.

What does "milk on demand" mean?

We say 'feed on demand'. Doctors also call this ``on-demand feeding''. Simply put, it means feeding your baby when he or she shows signs of hunger . A newborn baby will usually feed every hour and a half to three hours . Some days they will be hungry every hour and a half, and some days they will be hungry every two or three hours. That can vary. As babies get older, their feeding patterns will become more regular. Then you will get used to it.

But one thing to remember. If you have a newborn baby, never leave him without milk for more than 4 hours. This is true even at night. The reason for this is that the blood glucose level of young children can drop quickly, and dehydration can occur. So be careful about that.

How do you count the time between feedings for a baby?

This is also a question that many mothers have. 'How do you count the time your baby has been breastfeeding?' It's very simple. You need to count the time from the time you start breastfeeding your baby until the time you start breastfeeding again . For example, imagine that you started breastfeeding your baby at 6 am. Then you started breastfeeding again at around 8 am, and then you started breastfeeding again at around 10 am. If your doctor or nurse asks you, 'How often does your baby breastfeed?' you can say, 'About every two hours.' Do you understand? Not from the time you finish breastfeeding, but from the time you start.

How do you know if a baby is hungry?

When babies are hungry, they tell us in different ways. We call these 'hunger cues'. It's important to recognize these so you can breastfeed without waiting for your baby to start crying.

• Early cues:
• Mouth watering, lips licking.
• Opening and closing the mouth.
• They shake their heads from side to side to search for milk (this is also called the ``rooting reflex'').
• Mid cues:
• The body is pulling and struggling.
• Putting hands to mouth.
• Breathing rate increases.
• It makes a little noise and whines when you play it.
• Late cues:
• Crying loudly.
• Struggling until my body turns red.
• It's getting hard to calm down.

It's best to breastfeed at the first sign of hunger, before your baby starts crying. It can be a little difficult to calm your baby down and breastfeed after crying.

How do you know if your baby is getting enough milk?

One of the biggest fears many mothers have is, "Is my baby getting enough milk?" If you're bottle-feeding, you'll see a drop. It's normal to have this doubt because you can't see it when you're breastfeeding. But don't worry, there are ways to tell if your baby is getting enough milk:

• Wet diapers : There should be at least 6 wet diapers per day (after 5-6 days). This number may decrease slightly in the early days. The color of the urine should be light yellow or colorless. If it is dark yellow, it means that the baby may need more milk.
• Bowel movements: In the first few weeks, it is best to have 3-4 bowel movements a day or more. The stools may be yellow, slightly watery, and may be mustard-like. However, as some exclusively breastfed babies get older, it is normal to have bowel movements every few days, but the stools should be soft.
• Weight gain : If the baby is gaining weight properly, it means that he is getting enough milk. Your family health worker or doctor will check the baby's weight and tell you about it.
• Baby is active and happy: If the baby is calm and happy after feeding, sleeps well, and plays when he wakes up, that's also a good sign.
• Swallowing sound: If you hear the baby swallowing (like a slurp) when they suckle, it means that the milk is coming in well.
• Breasts feel lighter after breastfeeding: Before breastfeeding, your breasts feel full and a little heavy. If your breasts feel lighter after breastfeeding, it means your baby has been breastfed.

If you pay attention to these things, you will know for yourself whether your baby is getting enough milk or not.

Is breastfeeding at night the same?

Yes, absolutely. Breastfeeding a newborn at night is just as important as feeding it during the day. Some mothers think that they should let their baby sleep well at night. That's true, but with a newborn, as mentioned earlier, it's not a good idea to go without breastfeeding for more than 4 hours. That means, even if the baby is sleeping well, if it's been 3-4 hours, you'll have to wake the baby up and give him some milk.

Breastfeeding at night also helps to maintain your milk supply. This is because the hormone ``Prolactin``, which helps in milk production, is secreted more at night. Therefore, breastfeeding at night stimulates it even more.

What to do when your baby suddenly asks for more milk? (Growth Spurt)

Sometimes you might think, 'Oh, my baby is asking for milk today, it's like he's never had it before.' That's what we call a `(Growth Spurt)`. That's when a baby's growth rate suddenly increases. This `(Growth Spurt)` can usually occur at times like 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months. During these days, the baby may ask for milk more often and for longer periods.

Don't panic at that time, just feed your baby whenever he asks. Your baby will return to normal feeding patterns in a few days. Your body will also produce milk to meet the increased demand.

Mom, these things are important for you too!

To breastfeed your baby well, you as a mother need to be in good health.

• Drink plenty of water: Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water a day . It is normal to feel thirsty while breastfeeding.
• Eat nutritious food: Eat a balanced diet. Include plenty of vegetables, fruits, legumes, grains, and protein-rich foods (such as fish, meat, eggs, milk, and lentils) in your diet.
• Get as much rest as possible: Resting with a newborn baby is like a dream. However, try to curl up and sleep when your baby is sleeping. If possible, get help from others with household chores.
• Mental health: As a new mother, you may experience a variety of emotions. That's normal. If you're feeling overwhelmed, talk to your husband, family, or doctor about it.

Only if you are well can you take good care of the baby.

In short, things to remember (Take-Home Message)

Okay, so here are the things you need to remember from what we've talked about:

• It is normal for a newborn baby (in the first month) to ask for milk 8-12 times a day.
• Feed your baby 'on demand' . That is, as soon as he shows hunger cues.
• Do not leave a newborn baby without feeding for more than 4 hours, even at night, and wake him up to feed him.
• The time between feedings is counted from the time you start feeding until the time you start the next feeding.
• To know if your baby is getting enough milk, keep an eye on things like the number of wet nappies, bowel movements, and weight gain .
• If your baby keeps asking for more milk, it could be a ``Growth Spurt''. Don't panic, just give him as much milk as he asks for.
• As a mother , you should also take good care of your health.

Breastfeeding is a very special bond between you and your baby. It's normal to have questions along the way. If you have any concerns, don't be afraid to ask your family health worker or doctor. They will help you.

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