How long should it take a baby to finish a bottle?
A bottle-feeding should take about 15-20 minutes. If the baby finishes the bottle in 5-10 minutes, the flow is likely to fast. If it takes your baby 30-45 minutes to take a bottle, the flow is too slow. Consider changing the bottle and nipple to meet your baby's needs.
Most babies will take 1 - 2 ounces of formula per feeding and will eat every three to four hours for the first 1-2 weeks. Give your baby about 20 minutes to eat. If your baby is eating 2 ounces in less than 15 minutes, then you may consider increasing the amount you give for the next feed.
How fast should baby eat from a bottle? Bottle-feeding should take as long as nursing does for infants – at least 20 minutes but no more than an hour. If your baby can chug down a bottle in 5 minutes, they are likely gulping too fast and taking in too much air.
But a long feed isn't necessarily a problem. Babies can take as much as an hour to finish a feed, or as little as five minutes. The important thing is that, in the early weeks and months, your baby sets the pace. The length of a feed depends on how long it takes for milk to go from your breast to your baby.
Ideal feeding times for babies
If your baby completes his feeds too quickly, this could be because the nipple* is too fast. If he feeds too slowly, this can occur because the nipple ring is screwed on too tight (see notes on common bottle feeding problems) or because the nipple* is too slow.
A newborn should be put to the breast at least every 2 to 3 hours and nurse for 10 to 15 minutes on each side. A 20- to 30-minute feeding helps to ensure that the baby is getting enough breast milk. It is also enough time to stimulate your body to build up your milk supply.
This is definitely a good sign that he needs something, but feeding your baby before he gets to that point is much more effective. If you wait until your baby is screaming and crying to try to feed him, you'll both become endlessly frustrated. Your baby will become hungrier while feeding him becomes more difficult.
On average, a newborn drinks about 1.5–3 ounces (45–90 milliliters) every 2–3 hours. This amount increases as your baby grows and can take more at each feeding. At about 2 months, your baby may drink about 4–5 ounces (120–150 milliliters) every 3–4 hours.
When fed too much, a baby may also swallow air. This can produce gas, increase discomfort in the belly, and lead to crying. An overfed baby also may spit up more than usual and have loose stools. Although crying from discomfort is not colic, it can make crying more frequent and more intense in an already colicky baby.
- Change to a slower nipple.
- Take short feeding breaks.
- Try to burp her more.
- Avoid laying your baby on her back during feeding. Try to feed her in a near–sitting position so that milk will flow into her mouth more slowly.
- Try to keep activity to a minimum right after feeding.
Why do you have to wait 30 minutes to make bottle?
By waiting 30 minutes after boiling the water, you can be sure that the water is still hot enough to kill any germs in formula powder, and dissolve the powder, but not so hot that it will damage the nutrients. This will help you to prepare healthy and nutritious formula milk for your baby.
Some babies will get 60 to 150 ml (2 – 5 ounces) in five minutes time. However, some babies continue to take 20 to 40 minutes per feeding. Both types of babies are normal.
How Long Does Nursing Take? Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
Once your baby is feeding, try using breast compressions to help get more let-downs and your milk to flow faster. If your baby has been used to the instant and fast flow from a bottle, they may not want to attach if your milk isn't coming quickly. Again, triggering the let-down may help.
Duration. During the newborn period, most breastfeeding sessions take 20 to 45 minutes. However, because newborn babies are often sleepy, this length of time may require patience and persistence. Feed on the first side until your baby stops suckling, hands are no longer fisted, and your baby appears sleepy and relaxed.
It could be the nipple is too long, too short, too fast or too slow. The most important piece of feeding equipment is the nipple. The nipple needs to be the right size and speed for your baby's size, age and sucking ability.
FEED IN A SEMI-UPRIGHT POSITION
For example, think of drinking from a cup while sitting up versus lying down. When lying down, gravity causes the milk to rush to the back of the throat which can result in gulping. A more upright position can prevent the need to gulp.
Your baby may also eat more than he or she needs. Do not put your baby to bed with a bottle. Milk can pool around the baby's teeth and this can cause tooth decay. Do not force your baby to finish the bottle if your baby is showing signs of fullness as this can lead to your baby eating more than he or she needs.
It depends on your baby. As babies get more experience breastfeeding, they become more efficient and take less time to eat. Older babies may take five to 10 minutes, or less, on each side. Short nursing sessions are normal – and perfectly fine unless your baby is having trouble gaining weight.
Newborns under 30 days of life will nurse for 5 – 10 minutes on each side. Newborns don't feed on any particular identifiable pattern. Newborns usually have 4 – 7 feedings every 24 hours in the first 2-3 days of life, but can nurse as many as 12 times every 24 hours in the first 3 days.
Is it OK to put baby to sleep without burping?
Even if your baby falls asleep, try burping them for a few minutes before placing them back down to sleep. Otherwise, they make wake up in pain with trapped gas.
If baby has been crying before she nurses, or is so hungry that she nurses “frantically” or if mom has a fast let-down, baby could be taking in more air and may need to be burped more often. Burping is usually only necessary during the first few months, though it may extend longer.
While we typically recommend night feeds happen in a dark environment, feeds right before bed can be done in a brighter environment since we want to ensure a full feed. If your baby falls asleep during a feed, chances are they did not get the calories that they need for the night.
Beginning to nurse or feed your baby while they're still calm will facilitate the most successful breastfeeding results. Once crying begins, it can be harder to properly latch.
Babies need to feed often because they have teeny tiny stomachs. A 4- to 5-week-old baby can only hold about 3 to 4 ounces of milk at a time. This is why babies are ravenous again only a little while after feeding. As babies grow, their stomachs also grow, enabling them to handle more milk.
Most healthy formula-fed newborns take 2 or 3 ounces of formula per feeding, and eat every 3 or 4 hours. By one month of age, most have increased on their own to about 4 ounces every 4 hours. By six months, the amount at each feeding has increased to 6 or 8 ounces, but the frequency has dropped to 4 or 5 times a day.
Renee Kam (lactation consultant): Many exclusively breastfed babies feed 8 to 12 times in 24 hours, at least in the early weeks. This usually means feeding your baby every 2 to 3 hours. You might have one longer stretch between feeds, this could be up to 5 hours for a baby under 6 weeks.
- Closing their mouth.
- Turning their head away from your breast or their bottle.
- Ignoring the bottle or your breast.
- Slowing down or falling asleep during a feed.
- Relaxing their hands.
Sometimes, babies spit up when they eat too much, or when they burp or drool. Many infants will spit up a little after some — or even all — feedings or during burping because their digestive systems are immature. That's perfectly normal.
When a baby is hungry, it shows very similar body language. The motions will be more in the upper torso, arms and head. The legs will not kick as fast or as hard as they would if there were a lot of pressure in the intestine with excessive gas or flatulence.
Why does my baby drink so fast?
The main cause of baby drinking milk too fast is either you are having an over-supply or forceful letdown if you are breastfeeding or the size of the nipple if you are bottle-feeding. This results in babies feeding too fast and choking because they can't keep up with the flow of the milk.
Hold your baby in a semi-upright position for bottle feeds. Support their head so they can breathe and swallow comfortably. Brush the teat against your baby's lips and when they open their mouth wide let them draw in the teat. Always give your baby plenty of time to feed.
Hiccups are normal and usually don't hurt your baby. In younger babies, hiccups are usually a sign that they need to be seated upright during or after feeding, that feeding needs to be slower for them, or that they need more time before or after feeding to relax.
Baby formula doesn't have to be warm. It's fine to feed your baby cool or even cold formula. It's all up to your baby's preference – they may prefer it warm, at room temperature, or even chilled, and all of those options are just fine.
Is it safe to feed babies cold milk? Yes, it's safe to feed your baby cold milk. In fact, frozen breast milk can be used as a form of pain relief for teething babies!
...
When to Change Nipples
- Taking longer to finish eating.
- Fast sucking with not many swallows (bottle nipple may collapse)
- Getting fussy while eating.
| Age | # of feedings per day / 24 hours | Average Bottle Sizes (if applicable) |
|---|---|---|
| 0-4 weeks | on-demand | ~2-3 ounces / 60-90 ml |
| 5-8 weeks | on-demand | ~2-4 ounces / 60-120 ml |
| 9-12 weeks/3 months | ~8-10 | 3-4 ounces / 90-120 ml |
| 13-16 weeks/4 months | ~6-10 | 3-4 ounces / 90-120 ml |
Use prepared infant formula within 2 hours of preparation and within one hour from when feeding begins. If you do not start to use the prepared infant formula within 2 hours, immediately store the bottle in the fridge and use it within 24 hours.
Baby is at Least 12 Weeks Old
Baby needs to be old enough to go 4 hours between feedings both for the length between feedings and also because going 4 hours between feedings means dropping the number feedings in a day.
If your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and seems content after most breastfeeds, they're getting what they need. Babies who are feeding well can take anywhere between five minutes and 40 minutes at each feed.
Why does my baby falls asleep after 5 minutes of breastfeeding?
Babies are biologically programmed to fall asleep at the breast. Falling asleep at the breast is a normal behaviour and is mostly due to a hormone called cholecystokinin or CCK. CCK makes your baby feel full and sleepy and it is released in your babies gut as soon as they start sucking.
Some babies may want to nurse every 30 minutes to an hour in the evenings. This is normal, and it does not mean your baby isn't getting enough milk.
Ideal feeding times for babies
If your baby completes his feeds too quickly, this could be because the nipple* is too fast. If he feeds too slowly, this can occur because the nipple ring is screwed on too tight (see notes on common bottle feeding problems) or because the nipple* is too slow.
How Long Does Nursing Take? Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
A newborn should be put to the breast at least every 2 to 3 hours and nurse for 10 to 15 minutes on each side. A 20- to 30-minute feeding helps to ensure that the baby is getting enough breast milk. It is also enough time to stimulate your body to build up your milk supply.
For the first few weeks of life, I usually recommend that Mom wake the baby to breastfeed at least every two to three hours, measured from the start of one feeding to the start of the next, during the day and evening hours. It's okay to let the baby take one longer stretch of sleep at night if she is able to do that.
How do I keep track of how long my baby is feeding for? For the first few weeks (until your milk supply is well-established), you'll want to feed baby a minimum of every two to three hours. That means, counting from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next.
Don't worry if your baby doesn't finish the bottle. Babies are very good at judging how much they need, so you can let your baby decide when they've had enough formula or breastmilk. If your baby goes to sleep during a feed, put baby over your shoulder, rub their back, and stroke their head, legs and tummy.
If your baby did not finish the bottle, use the leftover milk within 2 hours after the baby is finished feeding. After 2 hours, leftover breast milk should be discarded.
How Long Does Nursing Take? Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
Why is my baby so fidgety when feeding?
Just as breastfeeding and bottle-feeding are getting easier and everyone is getting into a groove, your little one starts getting fidgety and distracted during feedings. As frustrating as this can be for you, it's a pretty normal stage for babies as they get older and become more aware of their surroundings.
It's fine to give your baby room temperature or even cold formula. If your baby prefers warm formula, place a filled bottle in a bowl of warm water and let it stand for a few minutes — or warm the bottle under running water.
The safest way to pre-prepare bottles is to make the bottles in the evening in the normal way, ensuring the powder is added to freshly boiled water. Then immediately cool the milk under running cold water or in a bowl of cold water.
You may notice or hear deep rhythmic swallows once they're feeding. If your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and seems content after most breastfeeds, they're getting what they need. Babies who are feeding well can take anywhere between five minutes and 40 minutes at each feed.
Hand-express or pump until you feel your milk flowing. Then start nursing your baby. Hold your nipple between your forefinger and your middle finger. Or gently press your hand into the side of your breast during let-down to slow the rapid flow of milk.
