Why is my newborn always hungry?

Question

He is a week old and is breastfed. He seems to always be hungry no matter how long he stays on the breast. He pops himself off the breast and will fall asleep for about 5 or 10 minutes and then wake up making the little signals with his mouth that he is hungry. This tends to happen all day long but mostly at night. I know I am producing enough milk because I leak all the time and i've pumped to make sure I am getting milk in. He eats for a long time too and then when I put him on again he'll eat another good while. Does anyone know why he's always so hungry even after just being fed? Is this normal and will it stop after a while?

Answer 1

For the first 5-6 weeks, really all your baby will want to do is eat, sleep and poop. Mostly eat. You will feel like he is attached to you 24 hours a day. He is growing a lot and he is building your supply. Just keep nursing him whenever he wants for as long as he wants, even if he just ate 30 minutes ago.



At the major growth spurts too you will notice an increase in feeds (3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months) and also at night baby's will often do what is called "cluster feeding" where they will pretty much nurse non stop for 3-4 hours. they are usually stocking up for a little bit longer nighttime stretch.



With my first son I didn't know any of this. He was nursing constantly at night, from about 7pm to 11pm and I was in tears thinking I wasn't making enough milk, that I was doing something wrong, that I would never be able to put him down. So take comfort in knowing that it's normal and your baby is doing wonderfully and doing exactly what he should be doing; building his bond with you and building your milk supply so he can grow big and healthy.



After you hit 6 months, you should notice a change in the nursing habits. He will get into a more regular routine of nursing every 2-4 hours and going a longer stretch at night (if you're lucky, not all moms get that). Except of course at the growth spurts (sometimes you get one at 4 months too, I know I did with my first) when he will go back to nursing constantly. But once you hit 6 weeks, it will all get so much easier!



Congrats momma, you are doing awesome!

Answer 2

It's very normal. In the first 6 weeks it will feel like you are constantly feeding. There are a heap of growth spurts during this time (common around 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, also at 4 months & 6 months) so your son will feed almost constantly to help build your supply. At night he may also be cluster feeding where he feeds often and then may sleep a longer stretch.



If you are ever worried that you aren't producing enough look at the number of wet nappies being produced. By the sounds of everything though you have no need to worry. Remember as well that after about 6-8 weeks it gets so much easier.

Answer 3

Very very normal. The first six weeks are a series of growth spurts. I would stop pumping as it can lead to an oversupply of milk. Right now the best thing you can do is nurse your baby whenever he wants for as long as he wants. His nursing will bring in your milk and give you the perfect amount that you need to feed. him. When you start to think it will never end just remember that it will, and pretty soon. Part of it is also just wanting to be held and want the comfort of mom. Do you have a sling or wrap? You can try wearing him to help.

Answer 4

He prolly isn't always hungry he is prolly comforting sucking from you some of them time, if u try giving him a pacifier after u know he's had a good feed then that might help, unless u don't mind him comfort sucking from u as that is perfectly fine too.



Course he could be eating most of that time too as ur milk supply is prolly still adjusting since he is only a week old and so he may get into more of a routine as he gets older and ur milk supply regulates itself.



The website below may help answer ur question as well.



Hope this helps, :D

Answer 5

I experienced the exact same thing with my son. The problem was that he wasn't getting enought milk even though I was producing enough. He cried so much and nursed and nursed and nursed. Then when I took him to his ped. for well child visit, I learned that he had lost more than the normal amount of his body weight at that point and I was told to supplement with formula (although if you are pumping, you can just bottle your milk) My son just needed to learn to eat properly because he wasn't. He didn't open his mouth wide enough. I thought the pain I was feeling was the normal pain that every mom describes but it wasn't. It took a few weeks and he was fine. I fed him formula in Breastflow bottles, babies have to suck on the nipples of them just the same way as with nursing, making it easier to go back and forth between the two.

Answer 6

This is normal. babys do feed for a long time at first but baby will get better at it and they will feed for less time as they get older.

Babys are born with a sucking reflex if you like and they suck not only to feed but also for comfort.

If it is a problem for you maybe try a dummy.

Answer 7

My son is like this. He can drink 4 oz in one sitting and he's a week old! (I pump) I can barely keep up with his appetite!

It's normal; and most likely he just wants to suck on something, not necessarily eat.

Also, babies digest breastmilk a lot easier and faster than formula.

Answer 8

because is stomach is still small and he is newborn and he will always be hungry