How often should I breastfeed my baby?
Early weeks
Feed your baby whenever they ask, and for as long as they want. You’ll find that sometimes their feeds are long, sometimes short, sometimes close together, and sometimes far apart. Some babies feed every one and a half to two hours. This is quite normal.
You may feel your baby is feeding constantly at certain times of the day, for example, between 5pm and 7pm. This is also when your milk supply is likely to be at its lowest. Don`t worry, this is perfectly normal. Just try and rest as much as possible as it can be very tiring.
6-9 weeks
In time, your baby will settle into a pattern. Routine will come, but maybe not yet. Try keeping a feeding diary, making a note of every time your baby feeds and for how long. This will help you spot any patterns emerging and help you establish a routine.
How long will each feed take?
All babies are different, so it’s important to let your baby take the lead on this. As a rough guide, feeds can take anything from 10 minutes to about 45 minutes.
Let your baby decide when they have had enough. Then try winding your baby and try feeding them again. Your baby will show they are finished by either letting go of your breast or falling asleep.
If your baby empties one breast, offer them the other. They might not want both breasts at each feed. Start each feed on the breast that was offered second at the previous feed.