Meal times

From birth, your baby needs to be fed if she is hungry. Respect her feeding rhythm, she knows how to feed according to her needs. You don’t need to insist on a fixed schedule by giving her food without her asking for it.

Feeding should respect baby’s needs, without confusing crying with hunger. For babies who are not breastfed, or who are bottlefed, and to promote good digestion, a minimum interval of 2-3 hours must be observed between bottles.

After birth, baby has no reserves to fast and her fluid needs must be covered throughout the day (24 hours). You may be inclined to do everything you can to have a good night’s sleep, but wanting to space out feedings too quickly is dangerous and causes hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) in infants.

This is because energy reserves before the age of 3 months are very limited, even if your baby is of an appropriate weight. Night feeds should be given at the time your baby wants them.

The gap between the night feeds will gradually increase and the times will eventually coincide with your usual times. Good sleeping habits are not established in the #rst few months of life.

Observe your child carefully, he or she is unique and the best solution is to adapt the timetable and volumes to his or her rhythm.

  • Baby is capable of self-regulating her needs, the natural reflex of hunger-satiety-thirst must absolutely be respected.
  • Remember: a baby does not only cry because she is hungry. Crying can have other causes: the restless crying in the evening, the crying of separation from the parental body, desire for a cuddle, for warmth, etc. Learn to recognise your baby’s requests.
  • You will quickly recognise whether she is crying due to hunger or for some other reason.
  • Do not feed if baby is not hungry, try to understand why baby is not well and respond appropriately to her needs.
  • When baby is not breastfed, she normally needs a 2-3 hour break between meals.

It is important that you perceive your child’s hunger and satiety signals and react accordingly.

As crying is not always a signal of hunger, other possible causes should be investigated when the infant cries.

BABY MAY BE HUNGRY IF SHE

  • moves her lips;
  • opens her mouth searchingly;
  • sucks on her fingers;
  • is agitated, nervous;
  • cries.

If she calms down as soon as she is in your arms, it means that she does not need to eat.

BABY IS FULL IF SHE

  • drinks more slowly;
  • stops drinking;
  • falls asleep;
  • lets go of the nipple or dummy;
  • turns her head, closes her mouth;
  • is calm, relaxed and happy.

Last update