5 week old baby feeding routine
5-Week-Old Baby Milestones – Happiest Baby
By Dr. Harvey Karp, MD, FAAP
Pause for a moment and give yourself some credit. Five short weeks ago, you may have been mystified by the art of holding a baby, changing diapers, managing feedings, and more. Look at you now! Although the days (and nights) may still feel far from easy, there’s no doubt you’re hitting a bit of a groove.
It’s incredibly validating to interpret your baby’s cues and fine-tune their preferred blend of the 5 S’s. Also validating? Those heart-melting little grins. Your little one is becoming fascinated by your face—and is skilled at sensing your presence from across the room. In another month those baby smiles will start popping all day long, and the month after that, they will be embellished with little squeals, the very first sign of spoken language and conversation!
For some families, this is when babies meet other caregivers. There are the logistical details of daycare or a caregiving situation to work through, such as how to pack up for the morning or help your baby accept a bottle. It’s completely normal for this transition to also feel like an emotional roller coaster.
In many communities, there just aren’t enough childcare resources to go around. So, although it seems way too early, it’s smart to start researching what’s available in your neighborhood now. It’s absolutely the right time to ask friends, relatives, and even strangers you meet in the park for their recommendations.
Most babies don’t experience separation anxiety until four or five months—but you might! Take the time to get to know your new caregivers. Do a trial run of the morning routine and help your helpers with your advice and observations. These early conversations will reveal if the caregiver you are considering is a respectful good listener and who is asking thoughtful questions. And, all this can really help boost your confidence.
5-Week-Old Baby Feeding Schedule
How much breastmilk should a 5-week-old baby eat?
A breastfed 5-week-old baby eats about 2 to 3 ounces of milk about every 2 to 3 hours, and as they approach 2 months, they’ll begin eating closer to 4 to 5 ounces every 3 to 4 hours.
Monitor your baby’s cues to determine when they’re hungry.
How much should a formula-fed 5-week-old baby eat?
At 5 weeks, formula-fed babies eat about 4 ounces of formula every four hours, and you may find that your baby no longer needs a middle-of-the-night feeding. However, every baby is different. A good rule of thumb is that in a day, your baby should consume about 2.5 ounces of formula for each pound of their body weight.
Your 5-Week-Old Baby’s Development
Let’s talk baby talk
There may be a new voice in the house—but not your baby’s! Sure, you’re hearing some precious “coos” from your peanut, but the big surprise is that you have suddenly begun speaking a new language: “mother-ese!” The features of speaking (or singing) mother-ese are repeated short phrases delivered in a high-pitched, sing-songy style. And research shows that this sugary conversational style helps babies tune in and learn!
Okay, it’s not a full conversation, but it is a tiny, two-way “dialogue.
” You say a few phrases in sing-song mother-ese (“Hi BAY-by…Hi BAY-by, good MORN-ing, good-MORN-ing!”) then, wait. Give a few seconds to allow your baby to respond…somehow (watch you, blink, coo, smile, shriek, etc). Then you respond with a bit more mother-ese. At this age, these little chats usually only last two to three minutes.
This back-and-forth—known as “serve and return”—may seem like a silly little game…and it is. However, this back-and-forth is teaching your baby the most important social rule they will ever learn: The way we show our love and respect for someone we care about is to pay attention and to take turns.
Your 5-Week-Old Baby’s Health
5-week-old baby fussing and not sleeping? Could it be colic?
Research has shown that infants reach peak fussiness around 5 to 6 weeks. If that’s what you are going through, you’ve joined centuries of parents who’ve tried to figure out why their babies cry and how to help their babies overcome the tears.
We often hear about gas or reflux or being overtired or bored as being a cause of this irritability. Through the years, the word “colic” has been thrown around as the cause of this crying. Colic means crampy stomach pain. That can seem right, especially if your baby doubles-up, gets red-faced and passes gas. Typically, colicky babies are happy and alert many hours of the day…until things just fall apart at dusk…that early evening fussy period is called the “witching hour.”
How can you tell if your baby is crying from pain? Try a few good old calming tricks. Start with the 5 S’s. Most of the time, they help very quickly. If not, double check to make sure you’re doing them right. Still fussing? Continue the 5 S’s, but turn on a really strong white noise (like a hair drier or exhaust fan). If all else fails, some parents find success with a car ride. Of course, if nothing is calming your baby or if the fussing is mixed with being listless, lethargic, and not eating properly—or there is any fever—call your doctor to get medical advice.
Fortunately, most of the time the cause of witching hour fussing is much simpler. After 3 to 4 weeks of age, babies have increasingly opened up to the world. They spend more and more time awake and alert…and by the early evening, the full day of lights, sounds, colors, and smells just overwhelms them and triggers a melt-down, especially in babies with more sensitive and/or passionate temperaments (you know the babies who carefully watch your every move— or the ones who are big grinners but cry from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds when hungry.)
< Your 4-Week-Old Baby | Your 6-Week-Old Baby >
About Dr. Harvey Karp
Dr. Harvey Karp, one of America’s most trusted pediatricians, is the founder of Happiest Baby and the inventor of the groundbreaking SNOO Smart Sleeper. After years of treating patients in Los Angeles, Dr. Karp vaulted to global prominence with the release of the bestselling Happiest Baby on the Block and Happiest Toddler on the Block.
His celebrated books and videos have since become standard pediatric practice, translated into more than 20 languages and have helped millions of parents. Dr. Karp’s landmark methods, including the 5 S’s for soothing babies, guide parents to understand and nurture their children and relieve stressful issues, like new-parent exhaustion, infant crying, and toddler tantrums.
View more posts tagged, Week By Week
Have questions about a Happiest Baby product? Our consultants would be happy to help! Connect with us at [email protected].
Disclaimer: The information on our site is NOT medical advice for any specific person or condition. It is only meant as general information. If you have any medical questions and concerns about your child or yourself, please contact your health provider.
Five-Week-Old Baby Feeding Schedule & Amounts
By Motherly Updated April 5, 2022
By this point, your five-week-old baby’s feeding schedule should feel somewhat routine, which can actually be liberating! With some confidence around when your baby will be ready to eat, you can also plan for outings—both with and without your baby.
If going back to work is on the radar, now is a good time to start organizing the feeding essentials so you can make the transition as smooth as possible.
How much should a five-week-old baby eat?
The American Academy of Pediatrics and La Leche League recommend the following feeding schedules and amounts for 5-week-olds.
Breast milk: 2 to 3 ounces every 2 to 3 hours
Formula: 4 to 5 ounces every 4 hours
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) also recommends that parents should follow the responsive feeding method, also known as feeding on demand, which looks to the infant’s hunger cues for when to feed. The schedules below are just examples—be sure to follow your baby’s hunger signals to know when your little one is ready for the next feeding. As babies get older, their hunger cues and feeding times start to become a little more predictable.
Related: 2-month-old milestones
How often should a five-week-old baby feed? A sample feeding schedule:
Remember, it’s more important that you follow your baby’s cues than adhere to a set schedule, so schedules outlined are general guides of how frequently you’ll feed your baby—not hard-and-fast rules.
These guidelines also apply primarily to infants born full-term and without any underlying medical conditions. For preterm infants, babies with certain medical conditions or for any specific questions pertaining to your child, be sure to consult your child’s pediatrician for a more customized feeding schedule.
When is breast milk supply regulated?
For breastfeeding mamas, milk supply during the early weeks can feel like a roller coaster. But, by 5 weeks of breastfeeding, your milk supply should begin to regulate more. First, the good news: That means you may not feel as much engorgement and will not experience as much leaking. However, it’s common for supply to dip, too. The best ways to keep your supply going strong is to continue to feed your baby when they are hungry, keep yourself hydrated and avoid diving right into strenuous exercise when cleared by your doctor.
Related: Baby Sleep Guides & Schedules
How to pump breast milk at work
If you are heading back into the office in a few weeks and plan to pump, the logistics may feel a bit overwhelming at this point.
First of all, it’s important to know you’ve got this! Many, many mamas have walked this road before you. They also led the way to creating legislation that protects your rights as a pumping mom. With that in mind, it can help to have a thorough discussion with management about where and when you’ll have the privacy to pump. Don’t leave this to the first day back on the job! Then pick up some more pumping-on-the-job tips from a lactation consultant.
Feeding your baby is a team sport—and you are the MVP, mama. Remember that the most valuable player needs to take care of themselves, too. If you’ve been holding down the nighttime feeding shifts for the past five weeks, consider asking your partner (if applicable) to take over a nighttime bottle-feeding shift so you can squeeze in a bit more shut-eye. Even one night of deeper sleep can make a world of difference.
Read more about wellness for mama and your 5-week-old:
- How much sleep does a 5-week-old need?
- Motherly’s Postpartum Wellness Class is here!
- Subscribe to the Becoming Mama podcast
- It’s not ‘spoiling’ to breastfeed your baby on demand
A version of this story was published October 17, 2021.
It has been updated.
newborn sleep and feeding schedule
02/26/2019
13
Your baby is almost 5 weeks old and do you remember how the first month was filled with new emotions, doubts and discoveries for you and your baby? But now you better understand your monthly baby and strive to organize a comfortable daily routine for your child. “What is important to consider at this age? How many hours of sleep and wake is enough for a child? How to properly organize the approximate regimen and feeding of a newborn this month? Frequently asked questions by new parents. Let's explore them together! nine0003
Baby's daily routine
1 month
In the first month of life, sleep is extremely important for the development of children, their growth and mood. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to organizing the rest of the crumbs.
The baby sleeps approximately 17-20 hours a day.
At the same time, some children of this age sleep more, others less.
Usually night sleep is 7-10 hours with awakenings for feeding, and daytime sleep is about 8-9 hours. With this mode, you will notice that the baby sleeps 4-6 times a day. It is important to remember that a newborn's daytime sleep can be both short (20-40 minutes) and long (up to 3 hours). nine0003
This is due to the fact that the brain of a newborn is not yet physiologically mature, the biological clock is not formed, so the child does not have any clear regimen. It turns out that you will not be able to achieve one schedule daily yet. Also, leaving at night can change and be quite late. You will also notice that the baby during the rest gurgles, moves and does not seem to be actually sleeping. The fact is that now the child sleeps mainly in the fast phase, so now children's sleep is quite restless. nine0003
Waking time - is the second important point that should be taken into account when forming the routine of a monthly baby.
On average, the baby should be awake for up to 60 minutes. Focus on the time that the child slept in the previous daytime sleep - as much as possible he can hold out in the state of wakefulness. This will also help organize the baby's routine this month.
Avoid overexertion and watch your activity time between naps. Do not be afraid to soothe a newborn baby by any means. nine0003
What can be done to make the baby sleep better:
- Swaddle your baby so that he calms down faster and does not wake himself up with his arms and legs.
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Organize sleep in your stroller. Babies tend to sleep longer outdoors. How long it takes to walk depends on the time of year. In summer it is possible up to 2-3 hours in a row, in winter - depending on weather conditions. If it's too cold outside, the best way out is to put the child on the balcony. nine0003
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If the baby has difficulty falling asleep in the evening, dim the lights in advance, turn on white noise.
- Use a sling or chaise longue if the baby is completely capricious.
- Start going to bed as soon as you see the first signs of fatigue in the child - this is exactly the time when he wants to sleep.
- Remember that a change of bed may cause the baby to wake up. If you decide to transfer a sleeping baby from your arms to the crib, do it 20 minutes after falling asleep, when the baby is fast asleep. nine0040
- Bathe your baby before bed. Soon, bathing for him will be a signal to end the day and prepare for bed.
- Give your baby a pacifier if he can't sleep. Just remember that it is better to start using a pacifier when breastfeeding after lactation is established.
- Use a weak night light when feeding at night.
Causes of poor sleep in a 1 month old baby can be:
1. Physical discomfort. In the evening, the baby may begin an attack of colic, which lasts from 2 to 6 hours. Support the baby in every possible way on such days - by 6 weeks relief will come.
Also remember that the baby takes over your state. A calm mother is a calm baby. Therefore, try not to forget about your rest too and do not worry if the regime is violated. nine0003
2. Confusion of day and night. Due to the not yet formed circadian rhythms, a 1-month-old baby may sleep more during the day than at night. But already by 1.5 months, the baby will begin to sleep at night for up to 3-5 hours in a row. Take your child out to bright light during the day and dim the lights at night. So the baby's body will quickly adjust the internal clock. Try to start the morning early so that the child understands that the day has come. Carrying out hygiene procedures will become for him an association with the morning.
The table shows the sleep norms of a baby in the first month of life:
Baby's feeding schedule
1 month
A newborn baby basically eats every 2-3 hours, regardless of the time of day.
Therefore, do not worry if the child often wakes up at night now.
IV babies eat less often because formula takes longer to digest than breast milk.
Modern pediatricians advise in the first weeks of a child's life on breastfeeding to organize meals on demand in order to establish lactation. Night feeding also occurs on demand. nine0003
Gradually, you will learn to understand when the baby is hungry and asks for breasts. Also during this period, breasts are a way for children to satisfy the sucking reflex, calm down and relax.
When breastfeeding, the baby does not need water or other fluids for the first 6 months.
After the first month, the intervals between feedings will gradually increase. This will allow you to establish a more flexible mode when breastfeeding.
After a month, the break between feedings will increase, and you can move on to establishing a flexible regimen.
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Apparently, it is very difficult to organize a clear daily routine for a newborn baby and live according to a schedule. But there are approximate norms of sleep and wakefulness, which allow you to create an approximate regimen during the day.
Tell us, did you manage to set the regimen for your baby at 1 month?
Like this article? Rate:
Votes: 198
Daily routine of a 5-month-old baby
07/16/2019
41
5 months is an important milestone in your baby's life. The period of infancy has ended, and now is the time to lay the foundations for healthy sleep habits and a proper daily routine. It is important to understand what is the best time for a child to rest, how many hours without overwork he can be awake.
A suitable rhythm of the day will improve the behavior of the baby, and he will have enough energy for him to learn new skills, play and explore the environment.
Nutrition is the second point worth paying attention to. The period of colic should already be over, the baby’s body will get stronger enough, and digestion will improve. Many mothers tend to start complementary foods at this age. But is it necessary to rush, especially when the baby is breastfed? nine0003
Let's dwell on these points in more detail!
Approximate daily routine
At five months, babies need 14-15 hours of sleep per day. Of these, night sleep is up to 10 hours with awakenings for feeding. And the baby sleeps for 4-5 hours during the day.
By the 5th month, the period of "sleep regression" usually ends, and the child's biological rhythms are formed. You will notice that the daily routine has become more predictable than before. Now you can lay the foundations of a physiological regimen with getting up no later than 7 am and leaving earlier at night between 18.
00-20.00. nine0003
Daytime nap
You will be taken to a chart with 3 naps. At the same time, the segments of morning and lunch dreams will be the longest. To find the best time to sleep, look at your child's signs of fatigue and the maximum awake time at this age, which is now around 2 hours. Wake time can vary between sleeps. It is usually shorter before the first daytime sleep (1.5 hours). And longer before the second sleep - up to 2 hours. Remember that the process of laying down also enters during wakefulness. nine0003
If the child is not overworked, then daytime sleep will not become a problem and will gradually lengthen to 60-90 minutes.
Night sleep
The baby is not yet ready to sleep without waking up all night. He will wake up to food up to 3 times, this is the norm at 5 months of age. With artificial feeding, the number of night rises may be less. But if the child wakes up more often and you feed him so that he falls asleep, then this indicates his inability to prolong sleep on his own.
In this case, feeding has become habitual, which helps the child "stick together" sleep cycles. It is better to leave her - you can teach your baby the skill of falling asleep on his own. nine0003
How to improve your baby's sleep:
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Switch from sleeping outside in your stroller to a crib. Sleeping in a still state is more restorative. At the same time, remember the right conditions for the crumbs to rest: darkness, white noise and the right temperature.
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Do a ritual before every sleep. It will help to relax the child and set him up for rest.
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Set aside time for active games after waking up, and 1-1.5 hours before rest, move on to a more relaxed wakefulness. nine0003
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Make sure your baby gets enough sleep. Otherwise, overwork will accumulate, which will manifest itself in frequent nocturnal awakenings. This is where following a routine can help.
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In cases where the child has woken up after 20-30 minutes, try not to take him out of the crib. If he's not very upset, don't go in on him. If he protests strongly or you are not ready to listen to his crying, you can enter, pat him on the back or hiss. nine0003
Check our table to see if your five-month-old baby is getting enough sleep:
Diet at 5 months
The basis of a five-month-old baby's diet is breast milk or infant formula. The child does not need water, since he receives the norm of liquid from milk and formula. Therefore, the menu remains the same.
WHO (World Health Organization) does not recommend introducing complementary foods before 6 months of age. But sometimes the child is ready to change the diet a little earlier. Before introducing adult food, if you see the need, first consult with your pediatrician. And already discuss the complementary foods menu with him.
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The diet will consist of 5-6 feedings during the day and 1-3 feedings at night.
When breastfeeding, the amount of breast milk drunk at a time will be about 210-214 ml. for one meal. The duration of feeding may vary.
When formula-fed, the volume of the mixture should be calculated from the recommendations of the pediatrician. This is usually 1/6 of the child's actual body weight. At 5 months, a formula-fed baby will drink 800-1000 ml. mixture per day every 3-4 hours during the day. nine0003
The baby is becoming more and more interested in the world around him and during feeding he may start to be distracted, not eat up and make up for hunger at night when he needs sleep. In this case, you can arrange feeding in a calm environment.
Baby development
Every week you will notice how your baby grows and develops. He develops an interest in others and begins to “communicate” with other children and adults.
Mom and dad become the most important people in his life. nine0003
- The kid likes to look at everything around, shows interest in the reflection in the mirror, begins to distinguish colors.
- The child actively develops physically and learns to control his body more and more. He is already trying to sit down and actively rolls over from his back to his stomach and back.
- The baby is learning to hold things with his hands, and the grip is getting stronger.
- The child already distinguishes sounds. He listens more and more to your voice and to various noises around. nine0040
Play different genres of music for your baby. He will smile, wave his arms, and maybe make sounds in time with the melody.
Each time you give him a toy, say its name, for example: “This is a ball”, “This is a bunny”. What will help the baby to speak faster.
Use colorful and mirrored toys.
Lay your baby out on a play mat to explore colors, toys hanging above him to help him discover the world.
