My daughter ate every 2 hours around the clock for the first 2 weeks after that it was every 2 hours from 6am-10pm. After 10pm she would go every 4 hours. Once she was about 4 months old she was sleeping from 9pm until 6am nad eating every 5 hours.
At first she was taking 2 ounces at every feeding then she went to about 4 ounces every feeding and then to about 6 oz every feeding.
Until she reached her birth weight I woke her to feed her.
2006-12-05 04:59:32
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answer #1
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answered by momoftwo 7
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There is no "normal" with babies - they are all so different. You don't want to feed every time he cries as he will cry for different reasons - hunger, thirst, pain, tiredness, fear, cold, hot etc. It is the only way the baby can communicate. So when he cries, try to determine why he is crying. If you just fed him, he might have gas and need to be burped. Or he might have wet his diaper and need to be changed. However if you are breast-feeding, don't worry too much about over-feeding. He will let you know how much he needs and when in a growth spurt, he will feed more often for a few days to increase your production to meet his new needs, so allow him to - otherwise he will be hungry all the time. As for night feedings, while some babies sleep through the night from the beginning, waking at night is more common, so be prepared for that. Think about it - milk, especially breast milk (which is the best thing you can do for him) is digested rather rapidly, so four hours after you feed him, he will be empty again, and will want to feed some more. So at least in the first few weeks, night feedings will be needed. Relax - you will know how to take care of him when he gets here - just follow your instincts.
2006-12-05 05:00:55
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answer #2
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answered by auskan2002 4
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Try to get a copy of the "American Academy of Pediatrics -Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5". It a thick book, so don't get scared, you don't have to read it all at once. It's divided month by month with information about all aspects of development. It's a great reference.
Also, talk to your friends who have children - find out who they use for a pediatrician. The pediatrician will probably have a book that they will give you either at your interview meeting with him, or in the hospital. - Did you know you can interview pediatricians? It's a chance to see how they interact with you - see if you get a good feel for them - ask them some questions about their way of handling 1) sick child app'ts 2) if your child is hospitalized, will they see them, or will it be a specialist 3) if you're breast feeding, do they have a certified lactation specialist in their office - get a feel for how supportive they are of breast feeding moms. You sort of get the drift. After reading a bit in the book, you may have other things you want to ask.
Don't get all hung up on "rules and regulations" - full term, healthy babies are very sturdy and resiliant. The best thing you can do is love that baby, and have faith in yourself and your common sense. Too often new parents get hung up what they have been told, read, heard and they don't listen to their hearts. Babies need love, safety, food, and a place to sleep.
Enjoy these last few weeks of pregnancy - and love that wonderous little once they get here.
2006-12-05 05:10:49
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answer #3
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answered by kids and cats 5
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Well your friend is CORRECT
A newborn baby only cries for necessity,
I have 3 children, and i breast fed and formula fed.
And newborn baby eats about 2 oz every 2 hours, however, it gradually increases,
i personally fed my baby 4oz every 4 hours or so,sometimes they ate 3oz and sometimes 6 oz
but you should always make the bottle for more than they eat
because he/she instinctively knows when he / she is full.
And will stop when they are done.
newborns, need to be held, every child is diffrent, but most of the time its trial and error
they can't talk to you so its best to try everything, and eventually you'll get a feel for what they want and need.
Breast fed babies need to be fed ON DEMAND.
its usually more frequently, and it takes longer than bottle feeding.
I would do 20 minutes on each breast.
so 40 minutes of feeding.
and everytime he cried i would place him on the breast , especially in the first few weeks,
for one thing it increases your milk supply, soothes the baby, and comforts them.
if he didn't suck then he wasn't hungry.
as they get older, they need more. and at 3-4 months start with the cereal, i used oat meal because rice is constipating.
But the best thing is to talk to your doctor, and to the lactation consultant at the hospital.
Congrats and Good luck.
Meg
each baby cries and you try to feed her, change her, and play with her.put her to sleep.
2006-12-05 05:06:33
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answer #4
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answered by Anonymous
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I understand what your concern is. If it's been 3 or less hrs since the last feeding, just take a little bit to try to soothe the baby. maybe he's gassy, maybe his diaper is bothering him. Use the feeding as a last resort. As long as your baby is a healthy weight and isn't in need of additional feedings than about 3-4hrs is good.
I got lucky with my daughter. For the first 2 mos, she woke up about 1 time a night. SInce then, she's slept through the night. She goes to bed about 7pm and doesn't get fed again until I wake up to get ready for work around 6am. But on the week ends, she sleeps until about 8 or 9. She takes after her sleepy head daddy!! LOL. She's 8mos and can hold the bottle herself. I feed her then so that daddy can sleep a little longer...ain't I a nice wife??!!!??
2006-12-05 04:59:47
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answer #5
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answered by Laura R 3
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of course you should wake up in the middle of the night and feed him. I don't know how your going to get any sleep otherwise. babies stomachs are smaller so they eat smaller meals more frequently than adults. your right about your friend and her baby, you shouldn't always feed your baby because hes crying. newborns cry all the time and its not just because hes wet or hungry. they arent use to being out here in the "world" so they cry sometimes because everything is new to him. you should try picking him up or lying him next to you. if not then try the bottle. babies do eat about every1 and a half when they first come home.
2006-12-05 05:01:20
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answer #6
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answered by tjmom 2
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Your doctor will advise you on the feeding of your new little one and what is best for him depending on different factors. Normally, you feed the baby about every 4 hours, but if the baby is hungry sooner than that, you should feed him. It has never made sense to me to wake a baby in the middle of the night to feed him. If the baby is hungry, he will wake up on his own and let you know that he is hungry.
2006-12-05 04:56:02
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answer #7
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answered by ltlchk_2 2
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Usually before you leave the hospital your baby is on a feeding schedule, rule of thumb when your baby cries, check the diaper first, rub baby on back to make sure he is not gassy, then see if baby wants to eat. Sometimes it is not about eating. Yes you will have to wake up at night to feed your baby
2006-12-05 04:58:13
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answer #8
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answered by stringhead3 4
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I fed my daughter on demand and she's one of the happiest healthiest babies ever. According to what my postpartum nurses said, they're supposed to eat every 2-3 hours for about 15-20 minutes on each breast. Unless your formula feeding, which I know absolutely nothing about. Good luck.
2006-12-05 04:55:20
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answer #9
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answered by julia marie 2
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If you are breastfeeding, you can feed him anytime that he seems to give you cues that he is hungry. Early on, this will probably be about every 2 hours. You can't nurse too much. If the baby isn't hungry when you offer, he won't nurse. So if you are unsure, it doesn't hurt to offer. Also, the don't always nurse for hunger, sometimes it is for comfort.
2006-12-05 05:00:01
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answer #10
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answered by momma2mingbu 7
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