Is my new baby eating enough?

No matter how prepared you are, you will always have questions once your newborn arrives. One of the most common worries of new parents? If their baby eats the right amount.

Every baby is unique, but there are a few basic rules to keep in mind when it comes time to feed him.

How much do babies eat?

From newborn to 2 months: During the first month of life, babies should eat 8 to 12 times a day. It's about once every 2-3 hours. However, some breastfeeding people may eat every 1.5 hours and up to 15 times a day. If your baby doesn't wake up on his own to feed during the first few weeks, you need to get him to feed on time.

If you are breastfeeding, your baby will spend about 10-20 minutes with you. Some may suck longer, but make sure he sucks and swallows constantly.

Can you give me a formula? Plan for your child to drink 45 to 90 ml at each feed.

After about a month, he will start eating at least 120 ml at every meal. As breastfed babies learn to suckle, they will also get more milk from you. You may not notice it because they will do it in less time.

Whether you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, as your baby grows, their appetite will also increase.

At 2 months, he will be able to drink 120-150 ml at each feeding with an interval of 3-4 hours.

At 4 months, he may need up to 180 ml each time. Your pediatrician may recommend that you start introducing complementary foods or advise you to wait if you are still exclusively breastfeeding.

At 6 months, some babies drink up to 240 ml of breast milk or formula, although more time is needed between feedings.

Remember: the exact amount your baby drinks varies from day to day. For example, he may want to eat more than usual when he is experiencing a growth spurt. Trust your child to know how much food he needs.

You can watch for several signs that he is full:

He pulls away from your breast or his bottle
He falls asleep during a feeding
He shakes his head or keeps his mouth closed

These signs can also help you understand that you are not overfeeding your baby. And during regular checkups, your pediatrician will let you know if your child's height (height and weight) is in question.

Signs that your child is eating enough

When he gets the right amount of food, you will see:

Lots of wet diapers. For the first days after birth, he can only wet one or two diapers a day. After that, he needs six to eight cloth diaper changes (five or six disposables) every 24 hours and two to five poops every day.
Sustained weight gain. After the first 2 weeks, your baby should gain about 11-200g per week for up to six months and 80-140g between 6 and 18 months of age.
Your child is active and happy. A child who eats well will be alert and active. He will also seem satisfied between feeds.