How Big is a Newborn Stomach?
When a baby is born, their stomach is a tiny size – only about the size of a cherry! A newborn baby’s stomach is capable of holding just 1.5 – 3 teaspoons of liquid (5-7 cc’s) at a time. It is an incredible feat of engineering that allow them the space to accept enough liquid to obtain the necessary nutrients for their body, growth and development.
Why is it So Small?
A newborn baby’s stomach may be small but it still has to do a lot of work, meaning it needs to work quicker than that of an adult’s. The efficient muscle contractions, passing liquid to and from the stomach to the baby’s body allows them to continue growing and developing in the very early weeks.
How Does it Grow?
The stomach of a newborn baby grows rapidly over the first two years of their life and can eventually expand to be able to ingest up to 4 ounces (120 cc’s) of liquid at one time.
Advice to New Parents
New parents should consider the following to ensure that their newborn baby gets good nutrition:
- Feed frequently – Offer small feeds throughout the day, rather than using long gaps between feeds.
- Follow a feeding schedule – Make sure your baby is eating at regular intervals. This helps to regulate their digestion and allows them to get used to their hunger cues.
- Listen to your baby – Your baby will start to let you know when they are full.
It is amazing how quickly and efficiently a newborn baby’s small stomach grows and matures over the first two years of life. As parents, we should provide healthy and nutritious meals to keep them on track for their development.