Newborns wanting to breastfeed too much is a problem that makes parents feel extremely worried and anxious. This can happen for many reasons and mothers need to grasp it promptly to meet their baby's needs.
1. Reasons why newborns want to breastfeed constantly
According to experts, newborns wanting to breastfeed constantly can be due to many different reasons, classified into 3 basic groups including:
1.1. Babies want to breastfeed a lot because they are in the development stage
When they are first born, the stomach of a newborn is usually very small, the amount of milk that the baby needs at this time is only about 5 - 7ml/feeding. However, the stomach will gradually develop and increase in size every day, making the baby's need for breastfeeding increasingly higher.
After about 3 days of birth, the baby can eat 22 - 30ml of milk per feeding. At 1 week old, the baby will absorb about 40 - 60ml of milk/feeding.
Normally, the period from 7 - 10 days after birth, the 2nd - 3rd week, and the 4th - 6th week after birth are the milestones of the baby's rapid growth that parents need to pay attention to. From here, the amount of milk for the baby also needs to change quickly. When the baby is 1-2 months old, the average amount of milk per feeding will be 60 - 120ml.
1.2. Weak breastfeeding
One of the reasons why the baby wants to breastfeed continuously and does not sleep is due to weak breastfeeding. This is often seen in premature babies or babies with some problems such as oral thrush, mouth ulcers, tongue-tie, etc. Because each time the baby breastfeeds, the amount of milk absorbed is not much, the baby will often get hungry quickly and want to eat continuously and more times than usual.
1.3. Mothers have little milk
Another reason why newborns cry and want to breastfeed continuously is because of low breast milk. One breastfeeding session is often not enough to meet the baby's nutritional needs for a long time, causing the baby to often want to breastfeed.
1.4. The baby wants to be in contact with the mother's breast
There are quite a few babies who want to breastfeed continuously even when their stomach is full. The reason is that the baby wants to feel safe and protected when being with the mother. From here, the baby will have the reflex to breastfeed many times a day.
In addition, another reason why newborns want to breastfeed continuously is because of sleepiness. You can recognize that the baby has trouble sleeping with signs such as yawning a lot, being tired, irritable, crying... At this time, the baby is very sleepy but cannot sleep, needs to be held, comforted and sucked on the mother's breast to sleep easier.
2. Is it abnormal for a newborn to want to breastfeed too many times?
The schedule of activities, eating and sleeping of newborns often depends on the needs and appetite of each baby. You can easily see that there are periods when your baby eats a lot and sleeps little and vice versa.
Therefore, it is completely normal for a newborn to want to breastfeed too much, and does not affect the baby's development, so you need to breastfeed according to the baby's needs.
3. What to do when a newborn baby wants to breastfeed continuously?
When your baby wants to breastfeed continuously and does not want to sleep, mothers should not worry too much but pay attention to the following:
3.1. Breastfeed on demand
You do not necessarily have to breastfeed your baby at a fixed schedule, every 2-3 hours, but should breastfeed your baby when he is hungry. At this time, the baby's sucking force is often strong, helping the baby to breastfeed faster and more. At that time, the mother's mammary glands also receive enough stimulation to secrete milk easily, helping the baby to eat more.
3.2. Breastfeed properly
Breastfeeding in the wrong position will cause the baby to not be able to breastfeed enough according to the baby's needs, leading to hunger and frequent breastfeeding. To avoid this, you can refer to the following instructions for breastfeeding your baby properly:
- Mothers need to sit and breastfeed their babies in a truly relaxed and comfortable position.
- Mothers hold their babies with both hands, pressing their bodies close to their bodies so that their faces are facing their breasts. It is especially important to keep the baby's head and body in a straight line.
- Let the baby suckle the entire areola so that milk can flow more easily and evenly.
3.3. What to do when the baby still wants to breastfeed even though his stomach is full?
In the case where the baby wants to breastfeed continuously even though his stomach is full, depending on the cause and condition of the baby, the mother can choose the appropriate way to handle it.
- If the baby is full but still wants to breastfeed to help him sleep or help him feel comfortable, you can continue to breastfeed when the baby does not show signs of vomiting or crying more.
- On the contrary, if the baby wants to breastfeed continuously but shows signs of regurgitation, or spitting up milk... at this time, the mother should stop breastfeeding. Instead, mothers can apply alternative methods such as sucking on a pacifier, singing lullabies, or changing the position of holding the baby appropriately. This may help the baby feel more comfortable.
- Mothers need to pay attention to monitor the health of their children regularly. In case the child wants to breastfeed a lot but does not gain weight, is slow to develop or has unusual symptoms, the mother should take the child to the doctor to diagnose the disease (if any). This will help treat the child promptly and effectively.
It is not too unusual for a newborn to want to breastfeed too much. However, you need to monitor the health of the child regularly to see a doctor promptly when necessary.
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