Written by Ashley Treadwell, IBCLC
Google can be an amazing resource - but it can also provide WAY too much information for a first-time mom. One of the questions we get often from our clients is what is the best way to feed a breastfed baby - let the baby demand when to feed or try to shape their feedings into a structured schedule? Moms hear a lot of differing information about when to feed their babies in the early weeks - every 2-3 hours, 8-12 times in a 24 hour period, etc. It can be confusing to know what this means exactly - is it every 2 hours or every 3 hours? What if baby goes longer than 3 hours? What if baby seems hungry before 2 hours? What if baby wants to feed 15 times a day, or maybe only 7? How do you know when you should feed your baby?
Here’s the short answer: