A. No fewer than 8 times per day, depending on how long he gives you at night. If he can go 4 hours, youll most likely see two feedings in between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. If you tank him up right before you go to bed, you might only have one.

Q. How commonly should I nurse an older baby?

A. Depending on your childs age, you should be on a 3-4 hour routine during the day. Remember, as your child gets older, the frequency of nursing sessions will drop off, but he will be eating more at each session. If you are committed to nursing past 6 months of age, its not recommended that you drop below 5 feedings per day. If you believe your milk supply is waning and you dont want to stop breastfeeding, add a feeding or two to your daily routine in order to increase your milk supply

Q. How do I drop a feeding as my baby grows?

A. The most common changes are moms who want to switch from a 3 to a 3.5 hour routine or a 3.5 to a 4 hour routine, babies who are ready to drop their middle of the night feeding, or parents who are ready to stop the late-night feeding.

Most fairly often youll know when your baby is ready to switch by a change in his sleep patterns. A baby on a 3 hour routine typically takes 3 naps per day (morning, afternoon, late afternoon) and the switchover to a 3.5 hour routine will see a shortening of one of those naps or the dropping of the last nap of the day. Babies are often ready for this switch by about 12 weeks of age.

Dropping the middle of the night feeding is most generally accomplished by the baby himself between 7-14 weeks of age. You will understand your baby is ready when he doesnt wake you up until 6:00 a.m. or so, and youll most likely wake in a panic that morning, realizing you werent beckoned in the middle of the night. He will require more food during the day from this point on, and your breasts will likely be overly full for several days, but its all dazzling!

Stopping the late night feeding is typically the trickiest to do. Many parents are reluctant to drop it, thinking that if they do, their baby will wake in the middle of the night, starving. If you think he cannot drop the feeding completely, back it up in 15-minute increments until you arrive at your desired instant. If his last two feedings of the day are closer than your flexible schedule says it "should be," do not worry. Its a temporary fix, and thats what flexibility is all about. The routine serves you, not the other way around!