Daily Breastfeeding Schedule

Video Transcript

" Greetings! My name is Asma Hanif. I am a certified nurse midwife with a private practice in Baltimore, Maryland and on behalf of Expert Village, this segment is on breast-feeding and just how often you should nurse. The answer to that question is very simple, frequently. The more you nurse, the more quickly your mature milk will come in, and the more milk you will actually produce. Nursing for 10-15 minutes per breast 8-12 times every 24 hours is pretty much on target. According to the latest guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, you should nourish a newborn whenever he showed signs of hunger, such as increased alertness or activity, mouthing or rooting around for your nipple. Crying is a late sign of hunger—in other words, ideally you should start feeding your baby before he starts crying. During the first few days, you may have to gently wake your baby to begin nursing, and he may fall asleep again in mid-feeding. To make sure your baby is eating often enough, wake him up if it has been four hours since the last time he nursed. Thank you and on behalf of Expert Village, I appreciate you watching. "