You may have been warned to not breastfeed on a whim and to wait 2-3 hours between feeds. You may have also been advised to wait until you hear him cry. The abundance of breastfeeding frequency charts according to age might have you believe there is an exact science to it.
But reality isn’t that simple. As with everything, how often a baby naturally wants to feed will vary amongst individuals.
Let’s start with the fact that The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding babies on cue rather than on a schedule.
Moreover milk production is primarily a supply-demand situation. Frequent nursing in the early weeks is important for establishing a good milk supply. You will also go through couple of growth spurts, where your baby will feed more often than usual for several days. This period will help you milk supply adjust to increasing demand.
And in fact, crying is generally considered a late feeding cue and indicates your baby is too hungry. The early signs of hunger generally are;
- Fluttering eyes, before they are even open
- Moving his hands to his mouth
- Making mouth movements
- Moving towards the breast or turning his head from side to side in the bed
So don’t wait to breastfeed your baby. Instead of watching the clock watch him closely to learn his hunger cues. Here’s a short video to get you started:
