When starting solids, how much breast milk does a baby need in 24 hours?

The article is expertly consulted by Th.S BS. Ngo Thi Oanh – Doctor of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Hai Phong International General Hospital

It is difficult to know exactly how much milk a baby will need in a day at the beginning of solids because it depends on the age, weight and calories consumed by the child. However, most babies will still feed six or more times in a 24-hour period, even after they start eating solid foods. It is important that you watch for the signs and feed your baby whenever he shows signs of wanting to feed. You can breastfeed your baby and see it as a snack, or a way to make your baby feel comfortable or even breastfeed and see it as a full meal.
You should also note that you should not start introducing solids too early. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies be exclusively breastfed for the first six months and wait until they are 6 months old before starting solid foods. From 6 months to a year, breast milk is still the most important food in your baby's diet, so it's important to maintain your milk supply. The best way to do that is to give it to your baby before solids are introduced.
As children get older and eat more solid foods, they will drink less breast milk. However, there will be days when the baby will not want to eat and will suckle a lot, and vice versa, there will also be days when the baby will just eat and not like to suck. Therefore, it is difficult to determine exactly how much milk a baby needs during a 24-hour period once solids have started.

Exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months has many benefits for both the infant and the mother. Chief among these benefits is protection against gastrointestinal infections in children. Early breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth protects infants from infections and reduces infant mortality. The risk of death from diarrhea and other infections may be increased in partially or not exclusively breastfed infants.
Breast milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients for babies 6–23 months old. It can provide half or more of a child's energy needs between the ages of 6 and 12 months and provide a third of the energy needs of a child between 12 and 24 months. Breast milk is also an important source of energy and nutrients during illness and reduces mortality in malnourished children.
Children and adolescents who are breastfed at an early age are less likely to be overweight or obese and have better expressions of intelligence. Breastfeeding improves child development and reduces health costs with economic benefits for individual families as well as at the national level.
Longer breastfeeding times also contribute to the mother's health and well-being. It reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and helps prevent unwanted pregnancy. Therefore, this is also known as a natural method of birth control.

Babies from about 6 months of age often have energy and nutrient needs that exceed the energy provided by breast milk. Therefore, adding food to the diet is necessary to meet these needs of the child. If the baby is not given other foods or the child is not given the right food, it will slow down the infant's growth. The guiding principles for appropriate complementary feeding are:
Continue breastfeeding as often as required until the child is 2 years of age or older. Practice reactive feeding (eg, direct feeding and support older children. Feed slowly and patiently, encourage children to eat but do not force them, talk to children and maintain communication). by eyes). Practice good hygiene and proper food handling. Start feeding your baby from 6 months of age with small amounts of food and gradually increase as the baby gets older. Gradually increase the consistency and variety of the food. Increase feeding frequency: 2–3 meals per day for 6–8 months old and 3–4 meals per day for 9–23 months old, with 1–2 complementary snacks as required. Use fortified foods or vitamin-mineral supplements as needed and during illness, increase fluid intake including breastfeeding more, and offer soft, preferred foods. Breast milk is an invaluable source of nutrients for babies during the first 6 months of life. However, after 6 months, breast milk meets only about 70% of the baby's nutritional needs, the baby's digestive system is ready to receive complementary foods. In case the child cannot fully tolerate the required meal, does not get enough milk or is malnourished, has a history of premature birth or congenital disease, etc., additional vitamins should be considered. and nutrients in the daily diet.
Parents need to pay special attention to their child's diet to ensure adequate nutrition. It is possible to add lysine, essential micro-minerals and vitamins such as zinc, chromium, selenium, and B vitamins to help meet the needs of nutrients, aid digestion, and enhance nutrient absorption. help improve anorexia, help children eat well.
For more nutritional knowledge and child care for each age, parents should regularly visit the website vimec.com and make an appointment with the leading doctors, pediatric and nutrition experts of the National General Hospital. Vinmec when needing advice on children's health.

Sources see more: who.int, babycenter.com