As a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor (CBC), you are bound to get lots of questions about breastfeeding at varying stages. While a lot of support goes into initiating breastfeeding, many clients have questions later. Many ask, “How often do older babies breastfeed?”
As a CBC, you will learn that this can vary just as much as how often newborns breastfeed. However, being able to provide detailed information to your clients is important.
Here is what you need to know to answer, “How often do older babies breastfeed?”
Older Babies Often Breastfeed Less Than Newborns
As a CBC, you know many clients are shocked how frequently babies breastfeed in the beginning. We know this is due to their tiny stomachs and the natural process of increasing milk supply. Newborns can be at the breast upwards of sixteen hours a day. They often eat every 2-3 hours and can be at the breast 20-40 minutes per feed.
By 10 days, baby’s stomach is about the size of a chicken egg so they can consume about 1-2ozs per feeding. This allows them to spread out time between feeds. As they get older, they may feed every 2-3 hours during the day and then only every 3-4 hours per night.
All that said, as a CBC, you know that feeding frequency and time varies. Sometimes babies will eat every 40 minutes for half the day, then not feed for quite a while. Sometimes babies will cluster feed in the evening. And of course, there is those growth spurts to throw parents off every time they think they have figured things out.
Even so older infants feed far less frequently than newborns.
It Is Still Helpful To Feed On Demand
The milk supply process is one of supply and demand. While older babies breastfeed less frequently, they may still have days of frequent feeds.
For example, a teething 5-month-old baby might revert to frequent feeds for comfort. A sick 10-month-old baby is likely to feed almost as frequently as a newborn to ensure good hydration.
Allowing babies to continue to feed on demand can be a vital way to ensure they are getting enough. That said, as babies get older, it is okay for parents to attempt some routines in feeding.
Some parents find it easiest for their routine to feed at more designated times such as before and after bath for bedtime, before offering solids, at nap time, etc. This is going to vary home to home, and if a baby’s overall intake in 24 hours is plenty, the exact timing they get it rarely matters.
Every Breastfeeding Dyad is Unique
Just as adult stomach capacity varies, infants can take in varying amounts of breast milk at each session. The “storage” capacity, for lack of a better word, can also vary breast to breast. It has nothing to do with breast size.
However, some pairs can transfer 2-4oz per sessions, while others transfer 1-2ozs. This may mean some pairs need to feed more frequently even as their baby gets older. Others may have longer stretches as their baby grows.
Ultimately, allowing babies to feed on demand regardless of their age is important for adequate supply and intake.
That said, as babies get older, if parents want to attempt longer stretches, they can offer alternative sources of comfort. If an older baby is truly hungry, they are very unlikely to accept alternative sources of comfort. However, if they are seeking comfort but a parent wants to wait to feed, it is perfectly safe for them to attempt stretching a feed and see how things go.
As a CBC, you can help reassure parents that they can balance on demand feeding with routine. You can provide them with information about signs baby is getting plenty (output means adequate input) as well as information about growth spurts.
As every baby is unique, we cannot answer how often do older babies breastfeed with an exact number. However, we can help reassure parents that the newborn days of frequent feeds do not last forever.