How long breastfeed each breast

Here's the scoop. Image: Sara Bishop Photography. Next on Your Reading List. What You Need to Know. How to Relieve a Clogged Milk Duct. Frequency How Often to Breastfeed Newborn babies want to feed on demand, usually 8 to 12 times in a 24 hour period for the first two to four weeks. You should feed your baby throughout the day and night. Do not give pacifiers to lengthen the time between feedings.

Watch for feeding cues examples listed above. Crying is a late sign of hunger and makes breastfeeding much harder. Duration The length of each feeding During the newborn period, most breastfeeding sessions take 20 to 45 minutes. Typically, the stools are loose and change from black to brown to mustard-yellow in color in the first five days. Breastfed babies vary in stool patterns, but by their third day of life, they will usually have at least 2 to 3 stools in a 24 hour period.

At five days old, most breastfed babies have at least four yellow, seedy stools per day. Older babies vary. Some have a bowel movement every day, while other babies have bowel movements every few days. After your milk increases, the urine will soak the diaper. Your baby's urine is pale in color. You can hear your baby swallowing the milk. Your baby is calm and relaxed after eating.

Your baby is gaining weight. Many babies may lose up to 7 to 10 percent of their birth weight during their first days of life. Babies are born with fat reserves and usually regain the weight by two weeks of age.

Frequent around-the-clock feedings will help prevent a major drop in weight. Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5—10 minutes on each side. Alternate breasts and try to give each one the same amount of nursing time throughout the day. This helps to keep up your milk supply in both breasts and prevents painful engorgement when your breasts overfill with milk.

You may switch breasts in the middle of each feeding and then alternate which breast you offer first for each feeding. Can't remember where your baby last nursed? It can help to attach a reminder — like a safety pin or small ribbon — to your bra strap so you'll know which breast your baby last nursed on.

Then, start with that breast at the next feeding. Or, keep a notebook handy or use a breastfeeding app to keep track of how your baby feeds. Your baby may like switching breasts at each feeding or prefer to nurse just on one side. If so, then offer the other breast at the next feeding. Do whatever works best and is the most comfortable for you and your baby.

After your baby finishes on one side, try burping before switching breasts. How to get started, how to get comfortable and how to make sure the baby is getting enough to eat when breastfeeding. Back to Top. In This Article. All About Breastfeeding. Continue Reading Below. Read This Next. View Sources. Pumping tips and tricks. Covering up while breastfeeding???? There are 94, active discussions happening now in our Breastfeeding community group. First Year. First Year Groups.

Third Trimester. Go to Your Baby's Age.