Your newborn baby is a blessing, a joy, and a gift from God. They're also a huge undertaking, and it can be difficult to know whether you're giving the best possible care to your newborn. With sleepless nights, struggles with self-care, and the need to stay steadfast in your relationship with God, it's important getting a handle on sleeping and feeding schedules.
Feed your baby when they show signs of hunger rather than putting them on a newborn feeding schedule. Your baby may cue you by turning their head in search of the breast, sucking on their fingers or hands, making sucking noises, or opening and closing their mouth. Try to recognize these feeding cues and feed your baby before they start crying, which is a late sign of hunger.
Babies often feed irregularly. Sometimes they go an hour or less between feedings and other times they might go as long as three or four hours between feedings. The length of each feed also varies. You should continue feeding as long as your baby is actively sucking and swallowing. Most babies signal that they're finished by relaxing their face and hands, and no longer showing any feeding cues.
Generally, a newborn baby should be fed every two to three hours, so if you don’t see feeding cues by hour three, try to feed the baby—even if it requires waking them up. If your baby seems satisfied, produces about six wet diapers and several stools a day, sleeps well, and is gaining weight regularly, then you’ll know they're eating enough.