What's Your Baby's Feeding Style?

Years ago, researches at Yale University conducted a study on how infants eat. They noticed four common feeding patterns and gave them playful names. See if your little one's dining habits fall into any of these groups.






How can you tell if your baby is getting enough nourishment?
Check his diapers. During the first six weeks of life, your little one should wet six to eight times a day and have at least two bowel movements daily. As for hydration, there's no need to give your newborn water-even during the hot summer month-as breast milk or formula will almost always meet all of an infant's fluid needs for at least the first six months of life.

Barracudas. These tiny feeders get right down to business, grasping the nipple (whether they're breast- or bottle-fed) and sucking vigorously for up to 20 minutes. Their ravenous ways tend to calm down over time, a comforting thought for breastfeeding moms.

Excited Ineffectiveness. Not a very playful name, we'll admit, these overanxious eaters become frantic at the site of a breast or bottle. There's only one problem: in their clamor for food, they grasp the nipple energetically only to lose it seconds later. This continues for about a minute until the frustrated feeder starts to scream in frustration. Tip: Feed this type of an eater as soon as he wakes up, before he become desperately hungry.

Gourmets. These curious eaters insist on playing with the nipple, tasting the milk first and sometimes even smacking their lips before digging in. They like to take their time, and trying to hurry or prod them will only make them irritable. Our best advice: remain patient. They eventually settle down and nurse well.

Resters. Like the Gourmets, Resters are in no rush. They prefer to nurse for a couple of minutes, take a little break, and then resume for nursing. Some even fall asleep during feeding, napping for as many as 30 minutes, and then awake for a second helping.

Regardless of your baby's feeding style, make sure he eats often-about every two to three hours in the early weeks, keeping in mind that breastfed babies generally eat more frequently than those who are bottle-fed.

Further Reading
For the latest on newborn nutrition, check out these features:
Tips for Nursing in Public
Coping with a Pause in Nursing

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