How Much Is Normal for a 6 Week Old to Eat?

With SH all the way, reread hers. I only have 2 new things.

1) Why formula? (check out la leche league, for a gazillion and one tips, tricks, & FAQ's). Not a judgement call...Obviously, sometimes we have no choice...but if he's nursing well, you DO know that you're only training your body to not make enough milk if you keep supplementing, right? It typically only takes a day or two for your body to "catch up" with increased demand...sometimes even less...<grinning> and you can tell when demand is increasing or decreasing fairly easily...either you're feeding reeeeeally often one day....or you leak for a day. :)

2) There was some concern in the beginning that my son might not have been getting enough to eat, so I worked with the lactation consultants at our hospital. Now, my son was big too, (10 lbs at birth) so this is by no means the "average" (5-10 oz per feeding being the average)...they found that at just a few weeks old he was getting an average of 20oz per feeding! Zoiks. He'd drain both breasts dry. Did until he stopped nursing. How they found this out, btw, is that they have EXTREMELY sensitive digital scales that were baby sized and took a reading in about a quarter of a second...they'd weigh him, he'd nurse, they'd weigh him again.

Oops...one more thing... On the subject of hind milk: They were times when I'd nurse and it would be super quick (like 20-30 minutes)...but most of the time my son would nurse for an hour or more. (Essentially half an hour each breast...and then wait an hour or two and then eat, etc.) While there were many times that I just snuggled and loved on my wee one, what became my habit was to read while nursing...or hang out with a friend or my mum or sister. I wasn't one who could talk on the phone & nurse or study and nurse, but quiet one on one time with someone I felt comfortable "flashing" ;), no problem. It was a good time to connect both with my child, other people I loved, and to take some "self time"...so those hours spent nursing were times I really enjoyed on multiple levels. Mostly, though, I curled up in the rocker with my son and a good book. 9 months later...when I lost my milk (long story short, massive infection) I'd gotten through an entire 47 book mystery series. And I'll tell ya, those counteless hours, looking back on it they were gone in a blink. Enjoy them.

Good Luck!

C.,

If breastfeeding is important to you, I'd continue letting him nurse as much as he wants at both breasts and skip the formula. It is entirely normal for a breastfed baby to want to eat every 2 hours. Breastmilk is highly digestable and they burn a lot of energy at this age because they are developing very rapidly. The thing "wrong" with giving formula is that breastfeeding becomes more "supply and demand" as you get further away from the actual birth. Each time you give formula you are signaling your breasts to make less milk. It becomes a very slippery slope where suddenly you aren't making enough milk so you give more formula so you make less milk and before you know it, your milk supply is gone and you've weaned entirely.

Good luck, it sounds like you are doing great.

:-)T.

Until baby is around 12-16 weeks, I would feed as often as they want, or every 2-4 hours. My daughter is 11 weeks. I let her whenever she wants during the day and at night she goes to bed at 8pm, I wake her to nurse at 11pm, she sleeps until 4am, I nurse her and she sleeps until 7am. If you don't want to give her formula, you could try pumping after morning feeds to increase the amount of milk you make.-www.weelicious.com

Hi C.!

Looks like you got a lot of good advice. Btw: when I had my baby last fall, a lot of people (at the hospital & doc's office as well as my mother in law) were advising a formula supplement b/c my baby was hungry all of the time but I had to just have faith that my breasts would respond to her hunger and they did. A friend of mine supplemented with formula and hasn't been able to stop supplementing b/c now her breasts don't have the signal to produce more. It is stressful - I totally remember the feeling and not wanting to "starve my baby" but now she is 9 months (today) and very healthy & happy. She only had a few ounces of formula her first month. She was 8 lbs/3 oz at birth so not small...

Good luck and whatever you decide to do, your baby will be fine!!!!!!!
C.

Hi C.. Has anyone responded to your post? I am having the exact same problem with my 8 week old (I have been having it since he was 6 weeks old). Every feed is a struggle because I never know how much will fill him. Please let me know if you hear anything. Thank you! J.

Each baby is different.... my kids were "big" too, born over 8 pounds each and ate like there was no tomorrow.

Just make sure to keep feeding him on demand.
MANY babies "cluster feed" meaning they NEED the intake and will even nurse/feed even every hour or less.

Just ask your Pediatrician... that is what they are there for. You can even page them. They are used to questions from new parents... do NOT hesitate to call your Doctor, ANYTIME.

Your newborn seems normal and a good hearty feeder. That is good. Just make sure you are producing enough milk too... making sure your baby nurses long enough to get to the "Hind milk" which takes at least 15 minutes... then a baby will typically nurse at the breast longer than that. I nursed my kids with both breasts per session... they nursed anywhere from 20 minutes to 45 minutes per session...drinking me dry each time, but I had tons of milk.

A newborn WILL feed every 2 hours, or less. BUT... DO NOT go longer than that... a baby MUST be fed ON demand, for the 1st year of life. This is their PRIMARY source of nutrition.

Your newborn is normal... and feeding patterns like this is normal. Breastfeeding is demanding... and this is the way it is. Your baby is big (like mine were), so he probably needs more intake to keep up with him... and when they are having "growth spurts" they feed even more and more frequently.

A good book is "What To Expect The First Year." You can find it at any bookstore and I highly recommend it. It will answer MANY questions... especially for a 1st time Mommy.

Congratulations... your baby is a good feeder.

All the best,
Susan

C.~ Every baby is different and there is no cookie cutter answer. As a avid breastfeeding mom of 2, I would forgo the formula and let your breasts do the work. Your breasts may not be producing enough and that is why your having to supplement. Remember you just breastfeed and your breasts will produce exactly the amount he needs. Honestly in the beginning they are on the boobies all the time. It's gets more scheduled in the months to come. Let him eat whenever he wants and you breasts will catch up. Don't worry pretty soon he'll empty a breast is 5-10 min. The supplement feeding can screw you up because then you not making what he needs. Normal is: your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and happy, sleeping. Otherwise don't give it a second thought.

C. G

My youngest boy was 9lb 6oz at birth, he was 15# at three months. By the time he was a year old he was about 20#. The doctor (his pediatrician) said it was fine for him. Your son by the age of 18 could ultimately be over 6 feet tall. My youngest boy is 6ft 3in tall and big boned. He is solid as a rock. Nothing to worry about but his bronchial asthma, he had this from birth too. Check with your pediatrician and he/she will know best. I wouldn't worry much, you son sounds like a very healthy boy. At night you may want to consider some watered down rice cereal, that is what I had to do to keep up with my son. Yes, I breastfed him till he was two months. He began to crawl before he was 8 months since he was too heavy to logically pick up and carry for long periods. He was never overweight either. He was right on target for his size and weight at birth,according to his pediatrician (this was determined by his personal growth chart, not the chart you see on the wall at the doctors office). I wouldn't worry much, he will stretch out later on as he gets older.

Every two hours during the day is very normal, you want to 'fill them up' during the day so at night they'll go longer 4-6 hrs or more at that age. Why are you giving formula? That might be the issue. The more you supplement, the less your body produces. Just nurse exclusivley and see how that works. Milk production is all supply & demand. Find a Le Leche League group nearby they have a TON of info on MANY subjects. Their website has alot of info and great books to read as well.

Hi C.,

I just wanted to share my experience to help put your mind to rest: my now 10 month old ate almost all day .. literally!! I worried a bit in the beginning but then soon learned that that was just how she was. Now she eats every 2-3 hours. There is nothing wrong with how much you LO is eating. Nurse Nurse Nurse and quit the supplementing with formula!!!

J.

Seems like a lot. They definitely should be nursing on demand (whenever they want for as long as they want) in the beginning and every 2 hours or so sounds normal. Little babies will definitely sometimes want to nurse every hour or even from time to time every 1/2 hour (like the marathon feed - which usually occurs around late afternoon/evening). Usually at 6 weeks they have a bit of a growth spurt as well (if I'm remembering correctly). But, why are you also giving him formula? It sounds like he's nursing really well and gaining weight - not sure he needs the supplemental milk. Have you tried just nursing him without offering the bottle after?

Oh, yeah, both boys nursed all the time at that age! I remember it being extra intense from week 6-8. I agree, try to get rid of the formula if you can. The intensity of the constant nursing dropped off with both around age 8 weeks - they started to sleep longer stretches, etc. Just hold on a couple more weeks, and don't beat yourself up about housework, etc. right now.