Breast milk or the formula recommended by your baby’s doctor are the only foods your baby should have now. Your baby’s feeding schedule should be on demand. Your baby senses what his body needs and adjusts his intake. Sometimes, he will need more, sometimes less. Your baby will have 5-10 feedings a day, drinking between 16 and 32 ounces of milk for the day. Be careful that your baby is not being fed too much. Interested friends and relatives may pressure you to fatten your baby up. Fat does not equal healthy. Researchers believe that putting on too much weight in these early months may cause your child to be overweight in the future. Babies need to be fed the correct amount. If your baby isn’t hungry, don’t force him to eat. No fruit juice. Fruit juices can reduce your baby’s appetite for what he really needs —
breast milk or baby formula. Babies don't need to begin to have baby cereal until they are at least 4-6 months old. Feeding cereal to your baby does not help him sleep through the night. Your baby will sleep through the night when he is ready, usually when he weighs about 11 pounds, not because of what he eats. Your baby may not be hungry every time he cries. When babies are fed too often, they eat less at each meal. Their stomachs empty more quickly, and empty stomachs soon make them hungry again. Try to figure out why your baby is crying and soothe him in other ways. Giving him a bottle just to keep him quiet teaches him to connect food with being unhappy. This may lead to feeding problems later. If you think it is too soon for your baby to eat again, try playing with him or help him get interested in another activity. If he is truly hungry, he will let you know by trying to suck on his hand or your shoulder or anything he can touch.

Browse related FAQs by tag: parenting