New born baby questions?

Question

so i was wondering

1. how often do you feed a new born?

2. how much do you feed a new born?

3. if there sleeping how long should you let them sleep before you wake them to feed them?

4. when can they start eating baby food?

5. when do you increase the amount they eat?

sorry new mom and need to know these things before the baby is here :)

Answer 1

I agree mostly with the first.

I would say that most babies should not go past 3.5 hr without eating within the first couple weeks. During the night let them go as long as they stay asleep, but you can go ahead and wake them around 4 hrs.

I would do on demand after the first week. Try to get them on a 2 or 3 hr schedule, depending on how much they need.

If you feed more frequently they start "snacking" and not getting full meals, and it will drive youinsane-youwon't get any sleep.

Your sleep wil be extremely important so try to get them on a loose schedule 2 or 3 hrs between feedings.

Most babies go about 2 hrs between if they get full each feeding.

They will fall asleep while eating and try to give them a bit more to make sure they are really done.

Answer 2

1. feed baby on demand.

2. start with 5 fl oz and gradually increse over the weeks.

3. dont wake baby, unless he/she gone over 6 hours with out feed

4. they can start eating baby food about 6 months ols

5. increase thier food a little each week.

Answer 3

1. Most babies wants to eat every 3-4 hrs

2. Well it depends.. some newborns can only consure 2 oz. at first because their stomachs are so small but your baby may want more than that but no more than 4 oz.

3. Well they say that you not wake up the baby to feed them. They will wake up when they need food, but if they seem like they are sleeping for a long time make sure you check on them from time to time.

4. My daughter started eating baby food when she was 41/2 months, but every baby is different. Check w/ your doctor before intrducing any new foods to make sure he/she is ready.

5. When it seems like your baby is still hungry after all the food is gone! Your baby will let you know when he/she needs something and you will be able to tell what they are asking for.

Good luck... Im sure that you will do fine. You will understand your baby like no one else! Just trust yourself and what you can do!

Answer 4

every 2-3 hours

2-3 ozs

never wake a baby, they will wake when hungry

4 months before introducing solids

whrn they eat what you give them and are still hungry

but always ask your ped any question you have

Answer 5

you'll hear lots of different answers for this stuff -- every baby is different and so is every mom. definitely take a baby care class (check your hospital) and consult with your pediatrician (you should choose one before your baby is born).  Get a few baby care books too.

I didn't know any of this before my baby was born -- and there was no reason to. It's one of those things you learn "on the job."  When your baby is hungry he will cry and/or root (turn his head from side to side with an OPEN mouth) -- pay attention to your baby's sign.  It's trial and error too. It will take some time to learn your baby's signs and to understand what he needs.  Always feed when he's hungry and always let him sleep when he wants to.  good luck!

When he's older (2-3 months) you can work on getting him on a routine if it would be helpful to you, but in the beginning don't worry about that.  

Answer 6

1) Whenever baby cries, check diaper and then try to feed.....this can be as often as every 2 hours.....but will get less often as baby gets older.

2) Hard to measure if you're nursing but I think I was always told 10 min each side.....or 4 oz every 2 hours to start.....then add to it as baby gets older and/or still seems hungry.

3) This one is tricky as there are many factors to consider.  If you are nursing, you want to feed the baby every few hours especially in the beginning to establish your milk supply.  If baby is tiny or premature you want to make sure they are getting enough nutrition....often these babies (and c-section babies) can be sleepy for the first few weeks and need to be woken to eat every 2-4 hours.  ALso, if your baby has mild jaundice which isn't that rare especially in babies born a bit early, you want to keep they hydrated as that helps.  As much as you would love the sleep, I probably wouldn't let a new baby sleep more than 4 hours unless he/she was gaining weight great and my milk supply was fabulous.

4) Somewhere around 6 mos although I think you can introduce around 4 mos if your baby is no longer satisfied with just milk.   ALso, consider allergies in your family.....if you have a family history, I believe it is recommended to wait longer.  THen, start with rice cereal and move onto vegetables (green then orange) and then fruit.  THink you can start the meats at 9-12 mos.  Only introduce one item at a time and wait a week in between to make sure the baby is tolerating it well.  Also, offer baby the food over and over, they may not like it at first.

5) Increase the amt they eat when they no longer seem satisfied with the normal amount.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Answer 7

First, I'm sure you've found a pediatrician...if not, you should definitely choose one before the baby comes. He/she will help you with all of these questions. Here's my version:

1. Feed newborn frequently. Whenever they're hungry, or, if they are sleepy like mine was, at least every 3 hours.

2. I'm not sure about this one because mine was breastfed. I think we aimed for 15-20 mins on the first breast and then switch to the second breast for a little longer.

3. At first I woke my daughter every 3 hours to feed her. Your doctor will advise, once they are gaining weight at an acceptable rate, as to when you can lengthen the interval before waking them or stop waking them altogether and let them wake to feed on their own.

4. They usually start around 4-6 months on baby food. American Academy of Pediatrics has some who advocate waiting until 6 months, and others who say you can start incorporating it earlier. My daughter's doc had us start introducing during the 4th month. My daughter didn't seem all that interested or hungry for it at first, so I held off a couple more weeks and followed the baby's lead. She's 6 months old now and we're starting to increase her intake of baby food.

5. Increase what they eat when they seem to still be hungry after feedings. You'll know what to do. The baby will let you know when he/she needs more food.

Good luck!

Answer 8

1. feed them when they let you know they are hungry

2. i would make 4 ounces to start, and let her drink what she needs then you will know for the next time.

3. dont wake up a sleeping baby to eat

4. you can try baby foods for the age, once they can sit up on their own.

5. they will let you know when to increase the amount.  

just relax, if you let them, babies will tell you everything!

Answer 9

1. feed on demand. until you learn your baby's "language" always offer when they cry. if you are BFing, a baby will rarely take the breast if they are not hungry.

2. again, i only know the answer for BFing since i never gave my baby formula. with a BF baby, they honestly instictually know when to stop, so you feed them until they are done. my son normally nursed for 15 minutes- he was very efficient.

3. until a newborn is back to its birth weight, you should wake them. many resources will say 2-3 hours, but most moms i know will say to stretch it 3-4 hours.

4. they can start at 4 mos, but more and more you are seeing doctors and experts say to hold off on solids until 6 mos unless the baby really shows signs of being ready. holding off can help avoid issues like juvinille diabetes and childhood obesity.

5. again, babies are pretty in tune with how hungry they are. if they suck down their food and are still pursing their lips or moving their tongue a lot (baby signs that usually mean hunger), you may want to increase their amount at the next feeding. remember that a newborn has a stomach roughly the size of a small nut, so it doesn't take much to fll them up.

this is a great website with more information on all your questions:

http://www.askdrsears.com/search.asp

also, if you can take a parenting/newborn class at your hospital, it's well worth it. my husband and i both got a lot out of ours.

Answer 10

1) As often as they want

2) As long as they want, my b*****s don't have markers.  Formula fed babies can be overfed however and you should try to stick to accepted norms.

3) Under 4 weeks you should wake them either:

-Every 3 hours day and night

-Every 2 hours during the day and at least once at night

-Every 2-3 hours during the day and every 4-5 hours at night

There is no consistent rule.  Do watch stool counts and make sure they are meeting minimums, do make sure their urine isn't dark.  Do watch for signs of jaundice or dehydration

4.  No non-breastmilk foods under 6 months.  Between 6-12 months babies MAY start non-breastmilk foods if baby is ready and mom wishes. However non-breastmilk foods are for fun and learning -not nutrition.  Breastmilk is nutritionally complete for at least the first 12 months (including iron, as current studies show.  Older "studies" were based on some pretty hilarious assumptions not on blood iron levels)

5.  Breastfed babies can control their own intake very well.  The only reason you watch the first 4-8 weeks is because babies may be excessively sleepy are not quite aware of their own hunger yet.  After that breastfed babies are self-regulating.