How Often Should I Nurse My Baby?

As a new lactating mom, I remember wondering how often I should nurse my baby and I don’t think I ever received a definitive answer. Some people told me to restrict how often or how long my baby ate and others said to nurse on demand. Back in the early days, breastfeeding was such a mystery to me. Today it’s completely natural.

When moms ask me “how often should I nurse my baby,” I tell them to trust their child. I realize that the breastfeed-on-demand people were right. Newborns need to nurse between eight to 12 times in 24 hours (about every two to three hours), and they know how to regulate their calorie intake.

It’s impossible to nurse a baby too often. Although technically it is possible to overfeed a nursing baby. How so? Sometimes mothers have an over abundant milk supply that baby can’t handle. This sometimes happens with younger babies and moms who have a strong letdown. If you have a baby with a strong need to suck, try limiting them to just one breast per feeding instead of switching sides. This will help regulate your supply to baby’s needs. Also, they will get more of the higher fat “hindmilk” if they are kept to one breast per feeding, which may lead to less spitting up.

During a growth spurt, a baby may want to nurse all the time. It usually takes two or three days of increased nursing for mom’s body to respond by increasing her supply. Limiting a baby’s nursing during this time could lead to slow weight gain.

Breastmilk is supremely efficient, being digested within 90 minutes of the last feeding. Look for hunger cues—the rooting reflex, fussing, sucking on fingers—and offer the breast to offset any crying.

Babies are smart. As long as they’re eating enough, go with their flow. The biggest lesson with breastfeeding is learning to trust your baby.