Breastfeeding your baby

Newborn babies should breastfeed 8–12 times per day for about the first month. Breast milk is easily digested, so newborns are hungry often. Frequent feedings help stimulate your milk production during the first few weeks. By the time your baby is 1–2 months old, he or she probably will nurse 7–9 times a day. In the first few weeks of life, breastfeeding should be ""on demand"" (when your baby is hungry), which is about every 1-1/2 to 3 hours. As newborns get older, they'll nurse less often, and may have a more predictable schedule. Some might feed every 90 minutes, whereas others might go 2–3 hours between feedings. Newborns should not go more than about 4 hours without feeding, even overnight.