Did you just have your first baby? Feeling perplexed about how much and how often to breastfeed your baby in the first 3 months? These are the first few concerns of any first time mom! But no need to worry mommyz, feeding on breast milk is natural and instinctual for your baby. Many health organizations and lactation experts advocate breastfeeding based on your baby’s demand! Over time, your baby will be developing a pattern of feeding as frequently as every 2-3 hours (about 8 to 12 times a day).
To help you figure out your breastfeeding routines, read more below about how much and how often you should feed your infant!
In A Nutshell…
- Babies aged 1-3 months old are recommended to exclusively and solely drinking breast milk. On average, they feed every 2-3 hours, 8-12 times a day. This roughly translates to about 4-5 ounces per feeding (about 25 oz per day).
- Breastfeeding on demand or responsive feeding is a better determinant of how often you should nurse your baby. This offers a variety of benefits for both mom and child.
- Babies show signs when they are hungry or full. It’s best to breastfeed once the baby shows early hunger signs so that they can latch and breastfeed properly.
- Frequent diaper change, weight gain, good disposition, and leaking breasts are good indicators to know that you are feeding your baby enough.
Story Time
The first few months and weeks after my baby Samuel was born was when I worried the most about how much “actual” milk he was drinking. In fact, I will confess that I would feed him from time to time with a big bottle of formula before bedtime just in “case” he wasn’t taking enough milk from me. I would weigh him before and after feedings and do all these complicated math to figure out the oz. I feel so silly know for not trusting my body, when in fact he was taking more than enough breastmilk. With some simple guidelines to follow and sticking to exbreastfeeding babies get everything they need. your baby is born is usually when you are
How Many Ounces of Breast Milk for 1-3 Months Old?
Feeding your baby adequately and appropriately is ultimately essential for their first year of life. It is within this period that they grow and develop the most. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), mothers are recommended to exclusively breastfeed for the first six months and wean with complementary foods while continuing breastfeeding until the first year.
Once your breast milk supply starts kicking in, it can be confusing to figure out how much and how often you should be breastfeeding. Here are some general guidelines:
General Infant Feeding Guidelines
Exclusive breastfeeding (giving your child nothing but breast milk) is the way to go according to health and lactation experts. Breast milk is tailor-made by your body to meet the nutritional needs of your child. So whatever their body demands, it will be supplied completely by your own milk.
In addition, the antibodies and immunological properties in your breast milk can’t simply be matched. That’s why most people call breast milk “liquid gold”. Other than providing nourishment, it also protects your baby from all sorts of infections and diseases!
It’s important to remind yourself that babies differ in the way they feed. Some like to feed less but more often, while others drink more and feed longer. According to the AAP, these are your general feeding guidelines:
- Most newborns eat every 2 to 3 hours or 8 to 12 times every 24 hours. Babies might only take in half an ounce per feeding for the first day or two of life, but after that will usually drink 1 to 2 ounces at each feeding. This amount increases to 2 to 3 ounces by 2 weeks of age.
- At about 2 months of age, babies usually take 4 to 5 ounces per feeding every 3 to 4 hours.
- At 4 months, babies usually take 4 to 6 ounces per feeding.
Breast Milk Calculator
Some moms may choose to pump out their breast milk and feed it through a bottle. On average, exclusively breastfed babies from 1-6 months eat up about 25 oz (750 ml) of breast milk a day. Depending on the baby, milk intakes can also range from 19-30 oz (570-900 ml) per day.
With this information, you can also find out the estimated average amount of milk your baby needs per feeding:
- Estimate the number of times that baby nurses throughout the day
- Divide 25 oz by the number of feeding sessions.
This will be your “ballpark” figure for the amount of expressed milk your exclusively breastfed baby will need at one feeding.
Fortunately, there are many types of breast milk calculators available nowadays. The Kelly Mom and Mom Junction breast milk calculators will give you the result in both ounces and milliliters.
How Often Should You Breastfeed?
The fear of every first time mom is that they might not be feeding their babies enough! That’s why they go on a deep dive on google trying to find the best feeding schedules and figuring out feeding intervals so that they can provide a good breastfeeding structure.
But did you know that babies ages 1-3 months have total control of how much they want to feed? Yes mommyz, that’s why it’s better to breastfeeding on demand and not by the clock!
Breastfeeding On Demand or By Schedule?
It’s been an age-old practice for many moms to go by their breastfeeding on a specific schedule. Since lactation experts say babies feed every 2-3 hours, moms would plot down in their schedules the time they should be breastfeeding their child.
However, several studies found that breastfeeding on demand is actually better than feeding on schedule. Breastfeeding is natural and instinctual. Listening to your baby’s hunger cues is the preferred way to nurse since most full-term babies have complete control over their hunger and appetites. So, they know biological for themselves when they need more and they’ve had enough.
Breastfeeding on demand or responsive feeding offers a variety of benefits. Among these are the following:
- Mothers can establish a better milk supply. The more breast stimulation you get, especially in the first few months, the more you be able to lactate.
- Babies feed more adequately. On-demand feeding ensures that your child is getting the right amount of breast milk per feeding so they can grow properly.
- Less stress when it comes to breastfeeding. Sticking to a schedule can be restricting for many moms. If you feed on demand, you’re more likely to accept the varieties in times and quantities that your child breastfeeds.
Putting your baby on a specific feeding schedule can actually do more harm than good. Here are the disadvantages of schedule feedings:
- Lower milk production. Breastfeeding works on the law of supply and demand. When your feedings are put on time intervals, it may be hard to establish a good milk supply.
- Feeding on schedule is associated with early weaning. Feeding on specific time intervals can decrease your milk supply, which may make you want to wean early.
- Mothers can have breast engorgements. Delaying your milk let down because you’re following a schedule can lead to fuller than normal breasts.
How To Know If Baby Is Hungry
A child wouldn’t be able to speak and communicate with you, but they give you several signs to show you that they are hungry! Feeding cues often start subtly and become increasingly obvious as the baby’s appetite and hunger grow stronger. Here are some of the hunger cues to watch out:
- Subtle cues: Eyelids fluttering before they open their mouth, repeatedly opening their mouth, restlessness, putting their hands on their mouth, increasing signs of alertness
- Moderate cues: Baby becomes more active, the head is turning when you touch the side of the cheek, squeaking, whimpering
- Stronger cues: body and mouth become tense, breathing is faster, crying.
Responding as early as you can to a baby’s hunger cues will make breastfeeding a gentle experience. If you wait too late wherein your baby becomes distressed and irritable, it will be harder for them to latch and feed properly.
How To Know If Baby Is Full
Here’s a good guideline to remember: babies are usually pretty good at saying no when they’ve had enough breast milk. It will become obvious that they are full when you see the following signs:
- Sucking decreases and suddenly stops
- Baby closes their lips
- Head turns away from nipple and breasts
- Interests shift from breast to their surrounding
- Falling asleep while nursing
However, in certain instances, babies can also be overfed. They can have stomach pains, become gassy, spit-up, or vomit. Lactation experts suggest decreasing the length of a feeding session since you can always give more breast milk later if your baby still shows that they’re hungry.
How To Know Your Baby Is Feeding Enough
When you’re breastfeeding, it can be hard to tell if your baby is getting enough breast milk. There are several ways to know that your baby has been fed adequately. According to the AAP, here’s what you can expect from a well-nourished baby:
- You are changing your baby’s diaper often. Breastfed babies usually pass yellowish stool during or after feeding. How often they poop can vary, particularly in the first 3 months. But don’t fret, if you have been religiously breastfeeding, most babies do not become constipated.
- Your baby has gained weight. When the milk supply is established, breastfed babies can gain ½ to 1 ounce per day during the first 3 months.
- They look satisfied and happy after each feeding
In Summary…
Babies in the first 3 months usually just depend on your breast milk. Experts recommend exclusively breastfeeding for the first six months. In general, your baby will develop a pattern of feeding around 2-3 hours or about 8-12 times a day. That’s summing up to about 4-5 oz per feed or 25 oz per day!
Breastfeeding relies on the principles of supply and demand, Thus, baby-led breastfeeding or responsive feeding is the best way to find out how often and how much you should be feeding your baby. Look closely into hunger and fullness cues and watch out for signs that indicate you’ve fed your baby enough.
To know more about breastfeeding on demand, check out our previous article about it!
