Finding your groove with a new baby and creating routines for moms can be a bit of a struggle. Life with a baby is never boring and it doesn’t take long for moms to feel overwhelmed and tired. Getting to know your baby and their feeding cues and building a mom and baby feeding routine is one of the best things you can do to help make life easier and make you feel a bit better with your new lifestyle.
This is one piece of advice you can actually use, unlike the age-old “sleep while your baby sleeps” advice that doesn’t take into account that no one has time for that.
Essential parts of every mom and baby feeding routine
Every mom and baby feeding routine will be a bit different and will even vary by the time of day, but every feeding has some of the same steps that need to be factored into the feedings.
Each feeding should include a diaper change. Most newborns will need a diaper after each and every feeding. If your baby is not having at least 12 soiled (wet and solids total) diapers per day, you should have a talk with their doctor.
To prevent gas build-up, you should burp your baby with each feeding. Many babies will fall asleep during feedings and sleep right through being placed on your shoulder and given a few gentle taps while you sway back and forth.
Take a moment to spend quality time with your baby during each feeding. Look them in the eyes, read to them, sing to them, or simply snuggle them. Quality time is one of the best parts of feeding your baby.
Building a mom and baby feeding routine for bottle-fed babies
Building a mom and baby feeding routine is easy for bottle-fed babies.
Bottle-fed babies usually eat around the same times each day, allowing you to find a schedule that works around your everyday life.
When building a mom and baby feeding routine for your bottle-fed baby, you want to learn your baby’s feeding cues so you can warm their bottle before they are crying.
This is important to help make your life easier. Setting alarms on your phone for a bit shorter than every 2 hours is a great way to work on building a routine for your baby and allowing you to prep the bottle before your baby is expecting it.
When feeding your baby, move to a quiet, out of the way space where you can snuggle your baby and spend time bonding during the feeding.
Many babies will fall asleep in their mom’s arms after feeding, allowing for them to rest a bit.
It is a good idea to put together the space you will be laying your baby down in after they fall asleep, before each feeding, so you can take advantage of the time with two arms.
Building a mom and baby feeding routine for breastfed babies
When it comes to important times to have a routine for mom and baby, breastfeeding definitely falls in this category but the best way to feed your baby is with feeding on demand. This helps to build up a quality milk supply and helps your baby cope with growth spurts. This can mean that sometimes your baby will cluster feed and others will sleep for long stretches.
While it can be nearly impossible to get your breastfed baby into a routine for how often feedings come, a routine can still be a valuable tool for caring for your baby.
Settling in for feedings in the same spot can help make it easy for a mom to relax with a good book and get some rest.
Sometimes you may need to multitask during feedings. Learning to feed your baby in a wrap carrier is a great way to make use of feeding time to help keep your baby calm and help them doze off while you have two hands.
This can be a great way to work your baby’s feedings into your normal daily routine, allowing you to care for the rest of the family and even take care of your personal needs while you feed your baby.
When feeding your baby, use a marker such as a hair tie or bracelet to mark which side you started the last feeding. This will help you see at a glance which side you should offer first for the next feeding.
Each feeding should include at least one glass of water for mom.
Breastfeeding takes a lot of fluids, and when you take the time to replenish them with each feeding, you help to keep your milk supply strong and keep yourself feeling great.
Adding a healthy, protein-packed snack can help boost your milk supply as well as helping to keep you feeling fuller so you can keep your energy up to care for your baby.