As well as getting to know your newborn, you’re probably figuring out how often to feed a 5-day-old baby. Getting feeding right is essential to their growth.
Our article offers tips and schedules to help you with feeding routines and concerns. You’ll find out when to feed a 5-day-old baby and more, so keep reading.
Understanding 5-Day-Old Baby Feeding
It’s important to understand the principles and common concerns around 5-day-old feeding.
The Importance of Baby Feeds
Your baby’s first few feeds will include colostrum, the first milk your body produces. It is rich in nutrients and antibodies.
From around day five after birth, your breasts produce transitional milk. This marks the change from colostrum to mature milk. Transitional milk is creamier and higher in fat and calories than colostrum and is perfect for your growing baby. Later on, around 4 weeks after birth, your breast milk will be mature.
Bottlefeeding is another option. It allows you to hand over to your partner for some feeds. 5-day-old baby formula feeding also means you can measure how much milk your little one has had.
Common Feeding Challenges for a 5-Day-Old Baby
Feeding can present challenges if your 5-day-old baby is feeding constantly.
Or maybe your 5-day-old baby won’t feed, or they sleep through feeding times.
Understanding more about these issues, you can find solutions to your challenges.
Feeding Schedules and Patterns
These suggested schedules will help get your 5-day-old baby into a regular feeding routine.
Typical Feeding Schedule for a 5-Day-Old Baby
Health website WebMD recommends feeding a newborn baby on demand. Most newborns need feeding every 2 to 3 hours, so that adds up to 8 to 12 feeds every 24 hours.
Breastfeeding moms produce around 500 ml or 16.5 ounces of milk per 24-hour period. If you’re bottle feeding, you’ll need to offer 28.5 ml to 57 ml or 1 to 2 ounces around 8 times a day.
Your 5-day-old baby will let you know when they’re hungry. Look out for these signs:
- They turn their head to one side.
- They open and close their mouth repeatedly.
- They make sucking noises.
Adjusting Feeding Schedules Based on Baby's Needs
If your 5-day-old baby is feeding non-stop, setting up a routine will help them learn when and when not to feed. A typical routine looks like this:
- Feed baby.
- Soothe baby to sleep.
- Change baby’s diaper on waking.
- Interact with baby.
If your 5-day-old baby is not feeding, talk to your pediatrician as soon as possible. You can also experiment with different feeding positions and try skin-to-skin contact, which can stimulate them to feed naturally.
Maybe your 5-day-old baby is feeding constantly all through the night. In this case, make sure you rest during the day. You could also try giving your baby’s last feed of the day at a later time to encourage them to sleep for a longer stretch at night. However, you will still need to ensure that they are feeding every 3 hours at a minimum. This means you may need to wake them up to feed.
Breastfeeding and Bottle Feeding Tips
Our suggestions are here to help you whether you’re breastfeeding or bottle feeding your baby.
How to Breastfeed Properly
It’s important to get into the correct position to breastfeed your baby:
- Ensure that you are sitting comfortably and with support.
- Hold your baby so their body is in alignment.
- Let them snuggle into you and face your breast.
- Keep their neck, shoulders, and back supported.
Here’s how to help your baby latch on:
- Line up their nose with your nipple.
- Tip their head back carefully and wait for them to open their mouth wide.
- They should now be able to latch on naturally.
To ensure your baby is getting enough milk, you can try:
- Feeding them on demand
- Expressing breast milk after feeding to help keep your supply going
- Offering your baby both breasts at each feed, alternating the side you start with.
See a lactation consultant if you need assistance with breastfeeding.
Bottle Feeding Guidelines for a 5-Day-Old Baby
Get your baby off to a great start by choosing the right formula and bottle.
When choosing formula, make sure it’s designed for newborns.
Your bottle should have a nipple with a slow flow rate. You can also choose an anti-colic bottle to reduce the amount of air swallowed.
Here’s how to bottle feed your newborn:
- Sit in a comfortable position, holding your baby semi-upright.
- Introduce the nipple to your baby’s mouth until he/she opens up, and then place it gently inside.
- Keep the bottle in a horizontal position while they feed.
Tools and Logs for Tracking Feeding
Tracking your baby’s feeding times and amounts can help you feel in control.
Maintaining a Feeding Log
If you want to get your baby into a regular routine, tracking their feeding times and amounts can help.
Keep it simple by recording feed times and amount of milk consumed (if you are bottle feeding) in a notebook.
Or use a baby tracking app on your cell phone to record information.
Tools to Help with Feeding
These tools can help you with feeding your 5-day-old baby:
- Newborn formula to support their nutritional needs.
- Anti-colic bottles to reduce the amount of air your baby swallows.
- A breast pump to help stimulate your milk supply and extract milk for storage.
- Breast pads and nipple cream to ensure your comfort.
- A breastfeeding pillow to help you sit comfortably while feeding.
Getting Your Baby Off to the Best Start
Understanding and managing your baby’s feeding needs will help you get them off to the best start in life.
That’s exactly what our tips are for. Follow them to ensure that your little one’s nutritional needs are met from the very beginning.
