Newborns ask for too much milk, is it abnormal?

Newborns asking for too much milk is a problem that makes parents feel extremely anxious and worried. This can appear due to many reasons and mothers need to catch it in time to meet the needs of the baby.

According to experts, babies who want to suckle continuously can be due to many different reasons, which are classified into 3 basic groups including:
1.1. Babies require a lot of milk because they are in the development stage When they are born, their stomachs are usually very small, the amount of milk they need at this time is only about 5-7ml / feeding. However, the stomach will gradually grow and increase in size every day, making the baby's need to breastfeed more and more.
After about 3 days of birth, babies can eat 22-30ml of milk per feeding. At 1 week of age, babies 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 baby's leaping growth milestones 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, then the average amount of milk per feeding will be 60-120ml.
1.2. Weak suckling baby One of the reasons why babies who want to feed constantly refuse to sleep is due to weak suckling power. This is common in babies who are born prematurely or have some problems such as oral thrush, canker sores, sticky tongue, etc. Because each breast-feeding time, the amount of milk absorbed is not much, so the baby will often get hungry quickly. Asking for food more often than usual.
1.3. Mother has little milk One of the other reasons why babies cry constantly for feeding is due to the low amount of breast milk. A single breast-feeding often does not meet the baby's long-term nutritional needs, causing the baby to ask for milk frequently.
1.4. Baby wants to contact the mother's breast In fact, there are quite a few babies who want to feed continuously as soon as their stomach is full. This is because babies want to feel safe and protected when they are around their mother. From this point on, the baby will have reflexes to feed several times a day.
In addition, another reason why babies want to feed constantly is due to sleep deprivation. You can recognize the baby having trouble sleeping with signs such as yawning a lot, tired, irritable, crying... At this time, the child is very sleepy but can't sleep, needs to be cuddled, comforted and sucked on the mother's breast to make it easier to sleep. sleep more.

In fact, the schedule of activities, eating and sleeping of babies often depends on the needs and feeding capacity of each baby. You can easily see that there are periods when children eat more, sleep less and vice versa.
Therefore, it is very normal for babies to ask for too much milk, absolutely not affecting the development of the baby, so you need to feed your baby on demand.

When the baby wants to suckle continuously and refuses to sleep, don't worry too much, but pay attention to the following things:
3.1. Breastfeeding on demand You don't necessarily have to feed your baby at a fixed schedule, every 2-3 hours, but should feed your baby when he or she is hungry. At this time, the baby's sucking force is usually strong, helping the baby suckle faster and more often. At that time, the mother's milk glands also receive enough stimulation to be able to secrete milk easily, helping the baby eat more full.
3.2. Breastfeeding properly Breastfeeding in the wrong position will prevent your baby from sucking enough on demand, leading to hunger and frequent feedings. To avoid this, you can refer to the following instructions for proper breastfeeding:
Mothers need to sit and breastfeed in a really relaxed, comfortable position. The mother holds the baby with both hands, holding the baby close to the mother so that the baby's face is towards the breast. Pay special attention to keeping the baby's head and body aligned. Allow your baby to fully latch on to the areola so that milk can be released more easily and evenly. 3.3. What to do when the baby is full of tummy and still wants to feed? In the case of the baby asking for continuous feeding even though the stomach is full, depending on the cause and condition of the baby, the mother can choose how to handle it appropriately.
If your baby is full but still wants to breastfeed to help him sleep or feel comfortable, you can continue to breastfeed when the baby does not appear to be vomiting or crying more. On the contrary, if the baby wants to suckle continuously but shows signs of regurgitating milk, spitting up milk ... at this time, the mother should stop breastfeeding. Instead, mothers can apply alternative methods such as sucking on a pacifier, singing a lullaby or changing the appropriate position to hold the baby. This may help your baby feel more comfortable. Parents need to pay attention to monitor the health of their children regularly. In case the baby requires a lot of milk but does not gain weight, slows down growth or has abnormal symptoms, at this time, the mother should take the child to the doctor for a medical diagnosis (if any). This will help to provide timely and effective treatment. It's not unusual for a newborn to ask for too much milk. However, you need to monitor your child's health regularly for timely check-ups when necessary.
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Top team of pediatric experts : Experienced professors, associate professors, doctors, and masters, who have worked at major hospitals across the country, are well-trained at home and abroad; understand child psychology. Comprehensive services: Vinmec provides a series of continuous medical examination and treatment services from Newborn to Pediatric and Vaccine,... according to international standards to help parents take care of their baby's health from birth to adulthood. Advanced techniques: Vinmec has successfully deployed many specialized techniques to make the treatment of difficult diseases in Pediatrics more effective: neurosurgery - skull surgery, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in cancer treatment ,.... Professional care: Understanding children's psychology, building a play space for children, helping them feel comfortable and familiar with the hospital's environment, cooperating in treatment, improving effectiveness of medical treatment.