{"id":1701,"date":"2014-01-12T23:07:00","date_gmt":"2014-01-12T23:07:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/?p=1701"},"modified":"2026-09-11T19:31:49","modified_gmt":"2026-09-11T19:31:49","slug":"your-first-night-home-baby-questions-about-feeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/letmommysleep.com\/blog\/2014\/01\/12\/your-first-night-home-baby-questions-about-feeding\/","title":{"rendered":"Your First Night Home with Baby: Questions About Feeding"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

updated June 22, 2025 <\/em><\/strong>– You can now get this information and much more in Your First Week Home with Baby: Ultimate Q&A<\/a>! <\/em>As part of our \u201cYour First Night Home\u201d series, we answer some of the most common questions our night nanny and postpartum doula team get from new parents about newborn feeding. Your First Night Home Baby Questions About Feeding answers parents frequently asked questions about how much, how often and how to feed their newborns. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your First Night Home with Baby: Questions About Feeding<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How often should my newborn breastfeed or bottle feed?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Newborns and infants need to eat every 2 to 3 hours. But there’s no need to get a newborn baby on a schedule; by following your baby\u2019s lead of on-demand feeding your baby’s routine will naturally emerge.  For breastfed newborns, this could mean putting baby to breast ten to twelve times per day. sometimes even more. The more you nurse in the first two weeks, the more plentiful milk supply will become. This will eventually reduce the frequency of newborn feeding. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My milk hasn’t come in, what do I do?  <\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Milk will “come in” usually on day 4 postpartum, typically in the evening hours.  Until then, skin to skin contact and bringing baby to breast even if it seems like they’re not getting anything is the best way to promote milk production. On demand, small feeding sessions, or every 2 hours, is the norm. There are many ways to promote milk production<\/a> if needed. Remember that your baby’s stomach is still tiny<\/em>.<\/a>..don’t let even the smallest hospital bottle of formula fool you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Is my baby eating enough?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As long as your infant has a wet or soiled diaper after each feed, your baby is eating enough. During the first few days, your newborn will likely have about 3-4 wet diapers.  After that, around 8-10 wet or soiled diapers a day, but 12-15 is normal too, especially for a breastfed baby.  If your newborn or infant does not regularly produce wet or dirty diapers and shows signs of dehydration, such as a dark yellow colored urine, please call a doctor. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you sure <\/em>my baby is eating enough?<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A newborn belly is the size of a pea! As they grow the stomach becomes the size of a marble and then a ping pong ball the first 7-10 days after birth.  Small, frequent feeds are the norm during this phase. For a bottle fed baby, try giving approximately 25-45 mLs per feeding. Upon finishing, if your baby cries or smacks her lips, she may want more.  If she spits out the bottle, turns her head, or closes her mouth tightly, she\u2019s most likely full.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For bottlefed babies, a challenge can be that baby has eaten too much, rather than not enough because even with the slowest flow bottle, it is tough for baby to regulate what they’re receiving.  Be sure to give newborns and infants plenty of breaks and time burping when giving milk or formula from a bottle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your First Night Home with Baby: Questions About Feeding <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Should I wake baby to feed?  <\/strong> <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most healthy newborns do not need to be woken up to feed but your pediatrician will let you know. Cases where baby is usually woken up to feed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n