What should I feed my newborn?
Until six months of age, breast milk is the recommended nutrition standard of the Canadian Pediatric Society and other Canadian health organizations. Along with breast milk, 400 IU of vitamin D should be provided daily to prevent vitamin D deficiency.1
If you and your baby are unable to access breast milk, look for formulas that provide vital nutrition for your newborn. There are also formulas that address special nutritional considerations like allergies or other conditions, so talk to your baby’s doctor about what might work best for your baby.2
How often and how much should I feed my newborn?
Newborns will seem like they have quite an appetite, and that’s because they have a lot of growing ahead of them. Babies who will be breastfed typically need to be fed 8 to 12 times over a 24-hour period in their first few weeks of life. It may be common for you to wake up your baby for a feed in the first weeks of life. It is recommended that babies are fed “on demand” which means breastfeeding in response to the baby showing signs of hunger. Signs of baby hunger can include moving hands toward the mouth, smacking or puckering of the lips, opening and closing the mouth repeatedly, rooting on the chest of whomever is carrying them and fussiness. Let your baby guide their feeding schedule, but be alert for unusual changes in their attitude, diapers, and weight gain and consult your baby’s doctor if your baby doesn’t seem satisfied after feedings.2
For formula-fed babies, you can consult our feeding guide to learn how much formula your newborn might need. But again, keep an eye on your baby’s satisfaction, diet, and stools for the amount and feeding frequency that seems to suit them, since every baby can be different and consult your baby’s doctor if you do notice any unusual changes.
How long is breast milk good for?
Breast milk can be safely stored in a few different ways, including at room temperature, 15 to 20 C, for up to four hours, in a refrigerator kept at 0 to 4C for up to 5 days, and frozen at -18 to -20 C for up to six months. Storing at the back of the fridge or freezer helps maintain temperature consistency, and you may want to add a thermometer to your fridge. Make sure the milk was stored in clean, dry containers and not punctured or damaged, and that you write an expiration date on the container so you know when it can still be used safely.
Store enough milk in one container to be used in one feeding, as leftover breast milk is only good for one hour at room temperature after feeding. Breastmilk should not be refrozen after thawing. Frozen breast milk will not be good once 24 hours passes after thawing, so only take out as much as you plan to use in that timeframe.3
How should I prepare to feed my baby stored breast milk?
The first and most important thing to remember when feeding your newborn or baby is that your hands and your containers need to be clean. And it’s especially important to make sure your hands are clean and freshly washed for at least 20 seconds before handling breast milk you intend to store or feed. You can warm or thaw the milk by running warm water over the storage container until the milk becomes slushy. It’s normal for frozen breast milk to have separated with fat on top, so feel free to shake to recombine the container’s contents once it’s begun thawing.3
Once you’re at the slushy stage of thawing, you can heat your container in a pot of warm—not boiling—water on the stove. When warming breast milk, be careful not to overheat it, since that may cause it to lose nutritional value. Microwaves heat unevenly, making some pockets of unusual warmth or cold in the milk, so aren’t recommended for thawing and warming breast milk for feedings.3 You can check the milk’s temperature by putting a few drops on the inside of your wrist or on the back of your hand, and at most, the milk should be gently warm to the touch.4
How should I prepare to feed my baby formula?
Once again, remember you need clean hands, a clean preparation area and a clean bottle. Wash hands thoroughly with soap and water before preparing formula.
For powder formula:
Boil clean bottles, nipples, caps, scoop and utensils in water (2 minutes at a rolling boil). Allow them to air dry and cool. Cover them with a clean tea towel if you're not going to use them right away. Boil fresh water at a rolling boil for 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature prior to mixing. Pour desired amount of the cooled water into the bottle. Add powder. Cap bottle and SHAKE WELL.
For concentrate:
Clean top of can, SHAKE WELL and open. Pour desired amount of water into the bottle. You should use boiled water cooled to room temperature. Add an equal amount of concentrated liquid. Cap bottle and SHAKE WELL.
Your baby’s health depends on carefully following the instructions on the package. Proper hygiene, preparation, use and storage are important when preparing infant formula. Use as directed by your baby's doctor.
You can warm up premade formula in much the same way as you would warm stored breast milk: by warming the container of formula in warm water no more than 15 minutes and being careful not to cover the bottle’s lid or nipple to keep it sterile. Shake the bottle occasionally while warming. The formula should be warm and not overheated to preserve nutrients and protect your baby’s sensitive mouth.
While formula is best when freshly made, it can also be prepared ahead of time and stored for up to 24 hours in the refrigerator. Formula that has not been consumed after two hours at room temperature should be discarded, and if feeding has begun, use formula within one hour or discard. If you need to bring formula with you for an on-the-go feeding, make sure you carry an ice pack with it and try to refrigerate it as soon as possible.
No matter what’s inside your newborn’s bottle, we hope this helps you feel prepared for those first few feedings. You’re helping your baby grow big and strong, and in about six months, you can try introducing their first solid foods!2
- https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/canada-food-guide/resources/infant-feeding/nutrition-healthy-term-infants-recommendations-birth-six-months.html
- https://caringforkids.cps.ca/handouts/pregnancy-and-babies/breastfeeding
- https://myhealth.alberta.ca/Health/pages/conditions.aspx?hwid=ue5301
- https://www.inspq.qc.ca/en/tiny-tot/feeding-your-child/bottle-feeding-your-baby/warming-milk