Newborn Baby Feeding and Sleeping Schedule

Getting your baby to follow a schedule for sleeping and feeding is like trying to get a camel through a needle! Most new parents complain about the lack of sleep and exhaustion due to the unpredictability of a newborn’s schedule. However, there are ways to influence your baby’s sleeping and feeding habits to your benefit. It is essential that you keep in mind how the pattern of a baby’s sleep affects his development, and how to work around his sleeping pattern for both his well-being and yours. Understanding and adapting to the sleep pattern of your newborn can be hugely beneficial to your mental health, as well as your efficiency in caring for your little one. Your 1-month-old baby’s feeding and sleeping schedule may not be the easiest to follow, and may take a lot from you.

Remember, raising your newborn baby is a tough task to do by yourself, so seek help from your partner, family, friends, or other caregivers to ensure that you do not stretch yourself too thin. To better understand the requirements of sleeping and feeding patterns of a newborn baby, please consult your paediatrician.

Newborn Sleep Pattern

Babies under one month of age are considered newborns. Babies of one month to one year of age are called infants. Newborns have a sleeping cycle that is very different from adults. In the beginning, they spend a lot of time sleeping—usually 12 to 16 hours in a 24-hour period (1). As their circadian rhythms are not yet regulated, you will find that your newborn often sleeps in short bursts and feeds in between naps. Some babies are born with their rhythms completely opposite, which is why they wake up more often during the night and sleep for longer in the day. A typical nap can last anywhere between 30 and 45 minutes, or even from three to four hours. You will find that your newborn will be much sleepier in the first two weeks of his life. He might even drop off to sleep while you are feeding him, after he has had his fill. At this age, you might have to wake up your baby in order to feed him. After three weeks, however, your newborn will start to wake up and demand a feed through crying (2).

The sleeping and feeding patterns of a newborn baby are not always interconnected, but they do depend on each other to an extent. Both sleep and feeding requirements for children change as per individual cases, and there can be multiple reasons why your baby isn’t able to adapt to a planned pattern for food and sleep. To best understand how to tackle the issues with the feed and sleep routine for newborn babies, please consult a specialist.

Newborn Feeding Pattern

Newborn babies feed very often, as their stomachs are much smaller and need nutrition frequently. The amount of milk or formula required by your baby varies according to their age. Therefore, it’s essential to understand the age-related milestones (3).

If you are feeding your baby formula, then your baby will feed less often than a baby on breast milk. This is because the formula is harder to digest, and hence takes longer to get assimilated. Breast milk, on the other hand, is very easy to digest.

If your baby is on formula, then you can use an easy thumb rule in order to determine how much to feed him. Multiply your baby’s weight by 2.5, and that should give you the amount of formula to feed him in a 24-hour period. If your baby weighs 8 ounces, then you will have to feed her 20 ounces of formula per day.

If you are breastfeeding your baby, then the ideal amount is between 20 to 30 ounces for a newborn. However, you should try to feed on demand in the first few weeks, as this will help establish your milk supply. Your baby will have one to two long sleep periods in a day. This will typically last four hours. So, apart from this one cycle, you must breastfeed your baby every two to three hours (4). This frequency will increase as your baby grows. According to the NHS, babies feed at least 8 to 12 times or more in a day during the first few weeks after birth (5).

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggest that if your baby sleeps longer than 4 to 5 hours in one stretch during the first weeks after birth, they will miss their feedings. So, wake them up and offer a nipple or bottle (6).

Growth Spurts in Newborns

A newborn baby will go through several growth spurts, which is why he requires the right amount of nutrition. Your baby will feed through all the growth spurts, and it is important that you feed him as per his demand. Typically, your baby will go through growth spurts during the following periods:

• 7 to 10 days old
• 2 to 3 weeks old
• 4 to 6 weeks old
• 3 months old

Infant Breastfeeding and Sleeping Schedule

Your baby will be the best indicator of his sleep and feeding schedule. Note signs of sleepiness, such as yawning or rubbing eyes, and get your baby down for a nap immediately. Below, we discuss the average sleep and feeding schedules of babies. However, you might find that your baby fits into a schedule that is slightly different from these, as all babies are different and follow different rhythms. Do not panic if your newborn’s sleep feed routine is different from that of another baby.

2 to 8 Week Old Newborn Baby Breastfeeding and Sleeping Schedule

This schedule is meant for babies who consume an average amount of breast milk. It is also created keeping in mind an average amount of breast milk production. Here is an average seven-week-old baby’s sleep schedule. This remains the same from the second to the eighth week.

Source: https://www.parentune.com/parent-blog/feeding-schedule-newborn/3958

If your baby suffers from reflux or has only small amounts of milk, or you are unable to produce the right amount of breast milk, it is recommended that you consult with your paediatrician on how best to feed your baby.

2 to 8 Week Old Newborn Baby Formula Feeding and Sleeping Schedule

With babies that are fed formula, there will be longer nap times and lesser frequency of feeding, as formula takes longer to be digested.

Source: https://www.parentune.com/parent-blog/feeding-schedule-newborn/3958

As mentioned before, these schedules represent the average requirements for newborns. You must tweak and experiment with this schedule depending on your baby’s needs, as each baby will have a different rhythm of waking, sleeping, and feeding. Consult with your paediatrician for any concerns that you may have regarding your baby’s schedule.

FAQs

1. How often should you feed your little one?

If you are exclusively nursing your baby, you should nurse on demand in the first few weeks after birth so that your breast milk supply becomes well-established. To maintain your supply, you’ll need to nurse every 2 to 3 hours, on average. Once the baby gets past the 3 months of age, their feeding gap will stretch to 5-6 hours, and then 7-8, and eventually up to 10 or 11 hours around 9 to 10 months of age. If your baby is on formula, you can do on-demand feeding. Most healthy newborns on formula feed about 2-3 hours, which later extends to every 3-4 hours as they grow older. With an increase in age, the feeding routine will become more predictable and formula-fed babies can go on longer stretches at night without needing a bottle (7).

2. How much formula or breast milk does a baby need?

Every baby is unique, and so is their feeding and developmental schedule. If your baby is being fed formula, you can apply a straightforward calculation to estimate how many ounces they require daily. Simply take your baby’s weight and multiply it by 2.5. For instance, a baby weighing 8 pounds would need roughly 20 ounces of formula over a 24-hour period. For breastfed infants, the general guideline suggests that most newborns need between 20 and 30 ounces of breast milk (and between 25 and 35 ounces once they are no longer in the newborn stage).

If you want your baby on a combination of breast milk and formula, you can talk to your doctor about how best to make the formula work for you and your baby. For instance, your baby can have the formula when you are going to work and just before bedtime, as it will allow for less frequent feeding. You must keep in mind that your baby’s sleep schedule may not change for very long, and ensure that you are mentally prepared for the same.

References/Resources:

1. BetterHealth Channel – Typical sleep behaviour (1) – newborns 0 to 3 months

2. BetterHealth Channel – Child development (1) – newborn to three months

3. Cleveland Clinic – Feeding Your Baby: The First Year

4. Mayo Clinic – Feeding your newborn: Tips for new parents

5. NHS – Breastfeeding: the first few days

6. American Academy of Pediatrics – Amount and Schedule of Baby Formula Feedings

7. Nemours KidsHealth – Formula Feeding FAQs: How Much and How Often

Also Read: 

Baby Sleeping Positions
Bottle Feeding Mistakes
Feeding a Baby with Syringe
Risks of Baby Sleeping on Side

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