Congratulations! If you’re reading this, you’re most likely expecting a child or have recently given birth to a baby! How exciting! If you’re a first time Mama, you must have so many questions and the most common one we get is “How much milk is my baby supposed to be drinking?” Understanding your baby’s nutritional needs will ensure healthy growth rates for your baby!
First Week After Day 4
Did you know that by day 3-4, the size of your newborn’s stomach is roughly the size of an apricot? SO SMALL! That being said, don’t worry too much because they won’t consume too much per feed but will drink more frequently! Per feed, you can expect to feed your baby:
- 30 - 60ml every 2 - 3 hours
This frequency of feeding will also be consistent throughout the night. The frequency of the feeding is also important for breast stimulation which will help you establish your milk supply. If you are choosing to pump exclusively, this is how frequently you should be pumping too!
Weeks 2 & 3
During this time, you will see a significant increase in your baby’s appetite as your baby continues to grow. With great babies come great responsibilities! Lucky for you, your baby’s feeding schedule would’ve stabilised by now. At this time, you can expect your baby to consume:
- 60 - 90ml every 3 - 4 hours
At this point in time, your tiny baby’s stomach should have increased to the size of an egg! Now that your baby's stomach is slightly bigger, your baby will consume more milk per feed but the hours in between feedings will be longer. You may see your baby drop a feed too! You can also expect your baby to go through a growth spurt during this time which will also affect the amount of milk your baby consumes!
1- 6 Months
By the time your baby is about 1 month old, their feeding will continue to increase. You can probably expect those little chubby fat rolls on your baby too - So cute! At this time, the average intake of milk for your baby should be:
- 90 - 150ml (or more) every 3 - 4 hours
At this time, your baby’s feeding schedule should be more consistent. While every baby is unique and can have different schedules, it’s also important to understand your baby’s hunger cues and feed them as and when they are hungry. It is completely normal for your baby to go off schedule - as long as they are getting enough milk!
Tips for Feeding Your Newborn
- Understand Your Baby’s Hunger Cues: Some common signs that your baby is hungry can include sucking on their hands, fussiness and crying.
- Burping: After each feed, remember to burp your baby. Burping your baby will help them release any trapped air which will prevent gas, discomfort and reflux.
- Track The Number of Nappy Changes: One of the best indicators that your baby is getting enough breastmilk is by monitoring how frequently you need to change their diapers. Typically, they would have 6 - 8 wet diapers and will have at least 3 - 4 bowel movements a week.
- Growth Spurts: During your baby’s growth spurts, you can expect your baby to consume more milk. These growth spurts usually occur at 2 - 3 weeks, 6 weeks and 3 months of age.
- Stay Hydrated and Nourished: A mother’s nutritional intake is an important part of milk production. To support your milk supply, you need to have a balanced diet and to drink plenty of water!
- Lactation Support: If you are experiencing low milk supply, you can consider trying Legendairy Milk SG’s Lactation Support Supplements to increase your milk supply. You can also talk to a Lactation Consultant if you suspect that more serious issues are at play!
Feeding your baby is not an easy task - especially if you’re a first time parent. With the many changes that you experience and the uncertainties, we hope that the mystery of how much milk your baby should consume is not an uncertainty anymore! Understanding how much milk your baby needs and truly listening to your baby’s hunger cues will save you so much troubleshooting if your baby is ever fussy! Happy feeding Mama, you’ve got this!
References:
- https://www.babycentre.co.uk/l25009531/how-big-is-your-babys-stomach-photos
- https://www.happiestbaby.com/blogs/baby/growth-spurts
- https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/infantandtoddlernutrition/mealtime/signs-your-child-is-hungry-or-full.html#:~:text=Your%20child%20may%20be%20hungry,%2C%20smacks%2C%20or%20licks%20lips.
- https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/reflux-in-babies/
- https://parenting.firstcry.com/articles/diapers-usage-how-many-will-your-baby-need/
- https://legendairymilk.sg/collections/all
- https://wa.me/6587869549?utm_campaign=Understanding%20PPD%20%2801HYCFN4JFC54XKB2FCA3QXMQZ%29&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Newsletter&_kx=GZfDL5wZMJ-W-KyNQHRi8Q.Pb9fHX