How Long Should a Newborn Breastfeed Per Feed? Minutes, Feed Length by Age, and When It Changes

How long should a newborn breastfeed? There is no set number of minutes. In the first few weeks, a breastfeed may take up to an hour, says The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne (RCH). As your baby grows and your milk increases, feeds get faster. Let your baby finish the first breast, then offer the second.

So a 45-minute feed in week two is usually normal, and so is a quick one. This guide covers what Australian guidance says about time on each side, how feed length changes through the newborn weeks, and which long, short or painful feeds need a call to your nurse.

How long does a newborn breastfeed take?

A newborn breastfeed takes as long as your baby needs, and in the first few weeks that can be up to an hour. The NHMRC's Infant Feeding Guidelines, which set Australia's national advice, describe feed length as highly variable.

The RCH says there is no need to time or limit each feed, because your baby will drink the amount of milk they need.

NHMRC · Infant Feeding Guidelines

The length of each feed is highly variable, and during the early neonatal period feeds can take up to an hour.

The Australian Breastfeeding Association (ABA) puts it in everyday terms. Some babies take a while and others finish more quickly. Like adults with meals, snacks and drinks, a baby may want a quick feed one time and a longer one the next, and doesn't need a "full" feed every time.

What matters more than the minutes is whether your baby is getting enough milk. A lactation consultant on Raising Children Network(opens in a new window) says that as long as your baby shows signs of getting enough, it doesn't matter how often or how long they feed. The RCH lists those signs: regular wet nappies with clear or pale yellow wee, weight gain, and a baby who is alert and content when awake.

For how many feeds to expect in a day, see our newborn feeding schedule. This page covers how long each one takes.

How long on each side? The 10 to 15 minute rule

Australian health guidance sets no minutes per side. You may hear a rule of thumb of 10 to 15 minutes on each breast, then switch. The RCH, the NHMRC and the ABA say something different: let your baby finish the first breast, then offer the second.

• RCH Melbourne: Per feed, up to an hour in the first few weeks. Per side, none set; finish one breast before offering the other.
• NHMRC: Per feed, highly variable; up to an hour early on. Per side, none set; finish the first breast before the second.
• ABA: Per feed, lengths vary; no need to time feeds. Per side, none set; early on, one breast may be enough.
• Raising Children: Per feed, doesn't matter if your baby is getting enough. Per side, none set; one breast at some feeds, both at others.
• KidsHealth (US): Per feed, up to 20 minutes or longer at first. Per side, about 5 to 10 minutes as babies get older.

KidsHealth, a US children's health site, is the only source in the list that gives minutes per side. Even it frames them as a rough guide that changes with milk flow, let-down and latch.

The RCH explains why there is no timer: your baby will drink the amount of milk they need. Its advice is to continue feeding until your baby shows signs they have finished.

Whether to offer one breast or both, and which to start with next time, is covered in our guide to which side you breastfed on last.

Feed length by age in the newborn weeks

Feeds are long and frequent in the first weeks, then get faster as your baby and your supply mature. No Australian source gives minutes for each week. The list shows what changes feed length at each stage, drawn from the ABA, the NHMRC, the RCH and Pregnancy, Birth and Baby.

• Days 1 to 4: Feed length varies widely; sleepy babies may doze off early. Colostrum comes in small amounts. The ABA puts a feed at 2 to 10 mL on day one, rising to 30 to 60 mL by days 3 to 4.
• Days 5 to 14: Feeds take up to an hour. Your milk has come in (between days 2 and 5). A new baby still removes only a little milk with each suck.
• Weeks 3 to 6: Up to an hour, plus runs of short feeds. Evening cluster feeds and growth spurts bring bursts of short, frequent feeds.
• After the early weeks: Feeds are often shorter. Your baby is more efficient at the breast and your milk volume has increased.

Three things to keep in mind when reading the list:

• The ages are approximate. The RCH says feeds get faster "as they grow and your milk volume increases", not at a set week.
• Both ends are normal. A 50-minute feed and a 10-minute feed can both be fine in the same day.
• The trend matters more than one feed. A run of very long feeds with an unsettled baby is worth a check. The help section below covers when.

How to tell your baby has finished the first side

Your baby has usually finished a breast when their sucking slows, the swallows fade, and they come off the breast on their own. Raising Children's lactation consultant says a baby usually comes off the breast when they have finished, and healthdirect says they may come off by themselves.

The sucking pattern is the other clue. Children's Health Queensland describes a feed that starts with a few rapid sucks, then settles into slower, deeper sucks as your milk flows, with pauses along the way. The ABA says a steady rhythm of sucking and swallowing means your baby is getting milk.

Signs your baby is winding down on a breast:

• Sucking slows and swallows become rare, a sign the milk flow has slowed.
• Your baby lets go of the breast on their own.
• Your baby dozes off. For sleepy babies, the ABA suggests taking your baby off when sucking slows, waking them gently and offering the other side.

Once your baby has finished the first breast, offer the second. The Royal Women's Hospital and the NHMRC both advise it. Your baby may take it or may not, and both are normal.

Let your baby finish the first breast, then offer the second. Australian guidance sets no minutes per side.

Why feeds get shorter as babies grow

Breastfeeds get shorter because your baby gets better at feeding and your milk flows more readily. The ABA explains that in the early days a new baby removes only a small amount of milk with each suck. As they grow and become more efficient, feeds often get shorter.

The RCH adds the supply side. As your milk volume increases in the first weeks, your baby feeds faster and less often. Raising Children's lactation consultant sums it up: the older the baby, the better and quicker they usually are at feeding.

A shorter feed at 8 weeks than at 2 weeks is not, on its own, a sign of less milk. The ABA lists shorter feeds as a normal change, not a supply problem, alongside breasts that feel softer after a few weeks.

Very long or very short feeds: what's usual

Most long and short feeds are normal. Long feeds in the first weeks, quick feeds some of the time, and runs of short feeds in the evening are all within the range Australian sources describe. The signs that something needs checking are covered in the next section.

Long feeds

A long feed often has an ordinary cause:

• Comfort. The ABA says babies may breastfeed for comfort, not only hunger.
• A sleepy baby. Newborns often fall asleep during feeds. The ABA suggests switching breasts, waking your baby gently, or using breast compressions to keep milk flowing.
• Cluster feeding. Back-to-back feeds in the evening can feel like one feed that never ends. Our guide to cluster feeding and the witching hour explains what's normal.

One pattern is different. The NHMRC says that if a baby spends long periods on the first breast, there is a good chance of a feeding problem, most likely that the baby isn't attached well and can't remove milk effectively.

Short feeds

Short feeds are often fine too:

• A quick feed. The ABA compares it to an adult having a drink rather than a meal.
• Cluster feeds. The RCH describes cluster feeding as a lot of short feeds over a few hours.
• Hot weather. The ABA says shorter, more frequent feeds help babies get extra fluids.

Short feeds are worth a second look when your newborn keeps falling asleep early in most feeds, or pulls off and fusses. The ABA notes that fussing at the breast can be a slow let-down rather than low supply. A baby who is hard to wake for feeds is covered below.

When long, short or painful feeds need help

Get help when feeding hurts, when long feeds come with an unsettled baby, or when nappies or weight say your baby isn't getting enough. healthdirect says breastfeeding should not be painful, and to speak to your doctor or midwife if it is continuously painful.

Talk to your child and family health nurse, midwife, GP or a lactation consultant (IBCLC) if:

• Feeds hurt beyond the first moments. The ABA says early-days tenderness at the start of a feed that eases as milk flows usually settles within the first week. Cracked or grazed nipples often mean your baby's attachment needs adjusting.
• You hear clicking, or see hollow cheeks. The ABA lists clicking or slurping sounds, sucked-in cheeks and fast sucking with no swallows or pauses as signs your baby may not be well attached.
• Your baby spends long periods on the first breast at most feeds and still doesn't settle. The NHMRC links this pattern to attachment problems.
• Your baby is very sleepy or hard to wake, or long sleeps mean fewer than 8 feeds in 24 hours. The ABA says little babies need at least 8 feeds in 24 hours, and to see your doctor or child health nurse if your baby is very sleepy or hard to wake.
• Wet nappies drop. From day 5, the ABA says to expect at least 5 heavy wet disposables (or 6 very wet cloth nappies) in 24 hours. Our guide to how many wet nappies a day has the counts.
• Your baby isn't back to birth weight by 2 weeks. Children's Health Queensland gives this as a sign feeding is on track.

You know your baby best. If feeds feel wrong to you, even with no single sign on this list, that is reason enough to call.

Keeping a rough record

You don't need to time feeds, but a rough record helps when a nurse asks how feeding is going, or when you want to see whether feeds are getting shorter.

In BabyLog's free breast feed log, you time the feed, can split the minutes between left and right with an optional slider, and tap the side your baby finished on. On Pro, the Add Feed screen also suggests which side to try next.

If a record would help, you can start free in the browser on your phone, with no app store needed.

Common questions