While an ideal breastfeeding schedule looks different for every baby, especially as their nutritional needs evolve through the process of breastfeeding, it is very common to face certain challenges during this time period. While most of the major issues associated with breastfeeding in general will be resolved by the time your baby is 10 months old, there are still potential problems. As your breastfeeding frequency decreases, you may suffer from breast engorgement. This may go away with time, but treating the problem with manual expression or a breast pump may help decrease the discomfort. As your baby combines solid foods along with breastfeeding, it may increase the risk of infections such as thrush if proper care is not given to oral health, so be mindful of the timings and cleaning. One of the biggest challenges however is that by the time baby is 10-months old, mom’s often do not have the ability to spend all day with baby, which can have significant impacts on feeding schedules. It is important to try and maintain the schedule. Using a breast pump and bottle feeding the baby at regular times is a perfect alternative to scheduled breastfeeding, and still maintains all the benefits, and prepares baby for weaning.
Breastfeeding frequency for a 10-month old
Whether you’re caring for a 1-week old or a 10-month old, it is critical to remember one crucial fact that all babies are different. While their needs can broadly be defined as per their age, it is important to tailor their schedules and intake as per their individual requirements. In general, any schedule that allows for the following will work for your 10-month old
- Solid food three times a day
- 700-900ml of milk or formula a day
- Around 14 hours of sleep in a 24-hour period of time
- Time for playing, skill development, and parental interaction