How often and how long should I breastfeed? Responsively feeding your newborn
It is normal for your baby to want to feed very often. Newborns need to feed at least eight to ten times a day and often will feed more often than this. Your baby’s first food is colostrum, which your body has been making during pregnancy in preparation. It comes in very tiny amounts but has all your baby needs for the first few days until your breasts start to produce mature milk. The more your baby feeds at the breast, the more milk your body knows to produce.
Responsive feeding means offering the breast in response to feeding cues but also for other reasons, for example for comfort or because your breasts feel full, or you want to relax and cuddle your baby. You can’t overfeed a breastfeeding baby and you can’t spoil a baby.
The World Health Organization recommends that all babies are exclusively breastfed for six months, and then for two years or as long as mother and baby want to, alongside solid food.
The longer you breastfeed, the longer the protection lasts and the greater the benefits.
Try not to worry about how long you’re able to breastfeed for. Any amount of breast milk has a positive effect.
It’s up to you and your baby when you decide to stop breastfeeding.
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