How long does your last feed take

[firsttimemum15]

Hi

I bath my baby read a story and quietly song the same rhymes during our last feed.

I'm quite confident my baby doesn't comfort suck. But after speaking to other mums today I'm starting to doubt myself and what I'm doing.

Our last feed of the day seems to take 1.5-2 hours. Baby is over 5 mo. She used to give chunky sleeps of avg 6 hours but is going through a regression at the moment for whatever reason. I haven't changed what I'm doing is the point- so what I'm doing works.
But today other mums said their last feed of the day can take 5/10 mins and baby is asleep by 7pm.

I start bed bath at about 7/7.30 I'm led by when she seems to be ready for bed and it has worked really well..

I'm not looking for advice about our routine. Just wondered if anyone else's baby has a particularly long feed at night. I see it as baby tanking up for a potentially long sleep.

[FurryGiraffe]

DS1 always did his longest feed before bed. I can't remember how long it was at 5 months but in the 30-45 minute range I think. They do vary tremendously though. DS2 is only 4 weeks but never feeds for longer than 20 mins (and that's long for him). Your friends may have very quick feeders, or have a shorter initial stretch of sleep and so 'tank up' less.

Having said that, her last feed does sound pretty long. Is she feeding constantly, or is there a fair amount of snoozing and comfort sucking in there? Nothing wrong if she is and you're happy with it but might explain the difference

[firsttimemum15]

I don't think she comfort suck because when I take her off she Wakes and wants to go back on.

That said I don't know how to tell if feeding turns to comfort sucking. I looks to neck etc and can see it moving x

[Coconut0il]

DS2 had his longest feed of the day before bed. I think it's quiet, no distractions so he just feeds. He does drop off, comfort suck but it probably takes about 40 mins before he goes to sleep properly, he's 10 months.

[Junosmum]

15 minutes of actual feeding, then an hour or more of comfort sucking whilst half asleep. And if I take him off he wakes wants to suckle again, but only to go back to sleep. So I've stopped feeding him to sleep and take him off when he's getting drowsy. It's taking him a while to drop off on his own but the fact he's doing it (eventually and after rocking, sushing, crying) shows he's no longer hungry and was just comfort sucking.

[firsttimemum15]

Like the first poster said I don't mind and it works for us.

Next question though how do I tell if comfort sucking or milk taking?

I get a tingly feeling in my feet which I associated with proper drinking. This generally doesn't stop throughout the time

[SweepTheHalls]

About 10 minutes, 5 months here as well.

[Junosmum]

Gulping/ swallowing is actual feeding, then it slows to a softer suckling and fewer swallows (as he's still getting some milk I guess).

[firsttimemum15]

Yes that's what happens but I still feel tingly although last night strangely when she finally settled down to feed didn't take that long but she was messing about for a long time before feeding. I just left her to it.

[firsttimemum15]

To be honest I get fed up some nights. It seems to be a battle to get her to feed. She's on and off on and off then not interested so I leave her to mess around then it will be the same again until she settles into a feed. When she is on and off she attacks the boob with gusts when she goes on..she does seem hungry but just not that interested. My partner is working in the evenings so I am sat in the bedroom until she decides to feed and eventually go to sleep.

Sleep. That's another thing. We've had a 5 month regression I'm up an down all night but she slept wonderfully from 5 weeks. I know it changes all the time
But at the moment I'm starting to question everything I'm doing and I hate myself for it because I was quite happy before.
Just wish I knew how to do a 10 min feed
Like I say happy if she is comfort sucking as what I've done has been proven to work and both me and partner think if what I'm doing is working or has worked why change it.

[Artandco]

About 15 mins.
Feed 15 mins in living room unrelated to sleep. Then wash/ nappy/ pjs. Story and bed

[bastedyoungturkey]

At that age, all of the night feeds took ffooooorrreeeeevvvvveeerrrrr. She was very efficient at around 3 months and would feed in about 20 mins, then she hit 5 months and just wanted milk every 90 minutes through the night. I was told there's a huge growth and developmental spurt at that age and that I should go with her and feed her on demand through the night and that it would pass.

It did, but I was half dead by the time it did!

[firsttimemum15]

Thank you basted young turkey

It's nice to know I'm not alone. I'm already demand feeding and going with it etc ma

I should know speaking to others is the worst thing I can do as nobody is ever in the same boat.
Day feeds are ok. Last feed has always been a long one. And like you say right now night feeds are taking ages too and I'm up and down like a yo yo

[ZZZZ1111]

My 4.5 month old is sometimes not interested for his bedtime feed and other times takes 30 mins ish.

Comfort sucking is like fluttering and not much swallowing.

Sleep is also a massive challenge for us at the moment (always has been really but we have had better patches) so I feel your pain. Feeds at night are taking longer than they did a month or so ago. Also trying to work out whether he's sucking for comfort or actually hungry.

Have you checked out the Wonder Weeks app? Makes me feel a bit better if I can see what mental leaps he's making that could explain changes in eating and sleeping!

[firsttimemum15]

Yes but it's hit and miss tough weeks when it's supposedly a sunny one and grumpy during sunny weeks so take it with a pinch of salt.

If I took her off during comfort suck I don't think she would sleep and at the mo I can't sacrifice sleep.
Our sleep was great right from 5 weeks.

Thank you

[ZZZZ1111]

Sleep has to be your priority!

[Starspread]

My baby comfort sucks for ages at his bedtime feed; I use it as an opportunity to check email/Facebook/Mumsnet while he dozes off; sometimes I reemerge and hang out with my partner but more often it's so snuggly and nice that I eventually drop off too (we bed share). OP, if what you're doing is still working for you all, don't worry too much about whether or not it's comfort-sucking abd just keep doing it. When it's no longer working for you, then you can try something different.