Why are length and frequency of feeds important?
A. A typical range of feedings is 8-12 feeds per 24 hours. More than 12 feeds daily may suggest that a baby is still hungry after a feed or that baby is not optimally positioned and latched-on to obtain maximal milk flow. Fewer feeds might indicate inadequate intake and may result in poorer milk production. The number of feedings per day is more important than the timing of feeding. Babies may cluster several feedings over a period of hours, but go for longer stretches at night without feeding, for example. Similarly, a prolonged feeding may mean that the baby is not getting enough milk, especially if the mother cannot tell if the baby is swallowing during this feeding. Mothers should learn to differentiate nutritive suckling from comfort suckling. In nutritive suckling, there is a sustained rhythmic suck-swallow pattern with occasional pauses. In comfort suckling, the movement is lighter, and does not tend to give a strong tugging sensation. Comfort suckling may help stimulate milk pr
