When did your LO become "more efficient"

[squizita]

I know babies often become more efficient as they get older, breastfeeding more quickly.
I have no idea of the time scale iyswim and whether it's a leap or a slow change.

Just curious - have no problem myself. DD is 2 months and there's a clear difference since birth. Just interested really. I feed on demand and dd takes 10-20 min usually which is fine. :)

[Innocuoususername]

DC1: down to 5-10 mins at around 16-20 weeks.
DC2: down to 3 mins by 2 weeks . I was advised by a lactation consultant that 2nd babies are often quicker as your let down can be quicker and your supply comes more easily. Which was lucky, because with a toddler I really couldn't be sitting around for half an hour as I was with DC1.

[squizita]

Wow Vert bet that was a time saver!

I guess babies do vary a lot. Makes me feel happy that my 10 minute baby isn't going hungry snotty health visitors etc asking how long she takes and I umm and ahh even though she's perfectly healthy and a little hope that in future she'll be down to 5 min. More time for intellectual activities like deciding what bobble hat to slap on her head and so forth...

[Heatherbell1978]

My LO has fed in 6 mins since he was about 2 weeks old! In the early days I was worried he wasn't getting enough but at 13 weeks old now he's still on the 50th centile. My boob has always felt completely drained afterwards so he's obviously quite efficient! It's great but now that my supply has calmed a bit, he's getting really fussy as he's been so used to gulping it down quickly so it does have a downside.....!

[Innocuoususername]

Yes it was a major time saver! The down side was a lot of choking and windiness as it was like drinking from a firehose for her but by about 4 weeks she'd learned to cope.

And ignore your HV, time spent at the breast is not a good indicator of intake. Every mother and baby pair is different. It's possible for a baby to be on for 30 mins+ and not be getting enough if latch is not good. On the other hand, a well attached baby with a mum with fast let down and good supply can get what it needs in 5 (or less). The best indicator of what goes in is what comes out I.e. Wet and dirty nappies and weight gain. And as Heather says, the feeling of breasts being emptied, though second time around I've experienced this less.

[squizita]

Mine is gaining slowly though development, strength and wet/ditties suggest to all other professionals she is just going to be short - she is ahead physically and mentally ... just between 25th and 9th percentile (born just under 25th).
Honestly she eats plenty because if she isn't satisfied she asks for more or feeds soon after.