When does breastfeeding get easier?

[Gape1211a]

My 2nd DD is 12 weeks and breast fed. My question is when does it get easier? I thought it settles down after the 8-12 weeks grow spurt.

My first DD was bottle fed and it seems easy in comparison.

Really struggling

[A1Sharon]

Do you mean that your LO is feeding often?
My last DC was exclusively bf for 6 months, and I bf him for 14 months in total. He fed every 60-90 mins day and night.
Some stretch out and some don't. Its a comfort thing too. However his older siblings were in school so made life easier.

[Coffeeisnecessary]

Well done to you for persisting so long when you are struggling. Breastfeeding can be brilliant- but it can also be really hard. I persisted for 6 months with my first son, but looking back now I wouldn't have for so long- I was miserable for a lot of that time. My second was easier so I carried on for 7 months before moving to bottles, but I was fully prepared to give up sooner, it's difficult as you have an older child so you can't just sit and feed for hours at a time. What are you finding difficult about it? Is it painful or is it more that you can't just hand them over? If it's something solvable then might be worth talking to le Leche league- they are so helpful. But also, its fine to stop whenever you want- you don't win any parenting prizes for carrying on if you don't want to do it!! Do what is best for you.

[CatsCantFlyFast]

On average by about 12 weeks it's "easier" but that's a very general statement. What are you finding difficult at this stage?

[Aliveinwanderland]

What are you finding difficult? Frequency of feeds?

I'm struggling at the minute too. DS is 16 weeks and feeds every 1-2 hours all night. He is a very fussy feeder in the day and pulls off, twists my nipple and clamps down! Often cries during feeds. I'm hoping to see a feeding advisor next week or I'm going to be giving up soon as I just feel we have lost our mojo with it.

[Smashthelookingglass]

No advice i'm afraid but watching with interest. I'm EBF my DS who is 18 weeks and i'm really struggling too.

[d270r0]

It really does get easier. As they get older the become quicker at feeds and sometimes it only takes 5min! Also once they start solids they don't need as much milk. What is it in particular you're finding difficult?

[ScarlettFreestone]

I fed twins so it was a. It different but I found that it suddenly got much easier about 14/15 weeks.

Once we'd cracked it, I reckoned that it was considerably easier than for friends bottle feeding (less stuff to lug around and obviously much cheaper.

You've done brilliantly- it does get easier honestly!

[CatsCantFlyFast]

@aliveinwanderland you're in a big growth spurt (up until 19 weeks - see the wonder weeks app) which will cause all of what you describe

[Trifleorbust]

My DD is 9 weeks and it is a lot easier than the first 4 weeks or so - less pain, easier to predict how long she will go between feeds, more experienced managing leaking, easier to express and the baby knows what she is doing so latches herself on.

What are you finding isn't getting easier?

[acquiescence]

For me it got easier around 3/4 months in. But I was in a lot of pain with all feeds before then. It also got a lot easier once I introduced a bottle at night and could avoid the cluster feeds taking up all the evening. Good luck OP, well done for sticking it out, it's hard work but you have given your baby a good heads up by persisting.

[Olympiathequeen]

Don't know about the growth spurt side of it but it does get easier, eventually. Just grit your teeth and continue because once it's easier it's so much more convenient.

[Aliveinwanderland]

Thanks Notwithout... that may explain some of his recent behaviour!

He has only ever fed for 5 minutes at a time but now in the day I get the feeling he gets bored during feeding and so twists to look round at things. He doesn't like it when the flow slows down so I have to switch sides to get him to stop pulling at me.

[Gape1211a]

Sometimes it is so easy, she latches on and feeds. Other times like now she is fussing on/ off, on/ off. Generally feeds every 3 hours.

She doesn't sleep through the night where as my sister's baby who is only a week older and ff sleeps from 11 to 6.

I think I'm just looking for some advice/ guidance because I've not done it before and everyone tells you different things.

[Gape1211a]

Thank you

[Aliveinwanderland]

Yep my DS is constantly on/off! And every 3 hours is really good for that age! We can do 3 hours in the day but only 1/2 at night.

Is sleeping through the night really important to you? I get annoyed at the frequency of our night feeds but feeding every 3 hours would be manageable. Don't compare your baby to someone else's, especially one that is FF.

[Trifleorbust]

Have you checked whether she has a blocked nose/tried nasal drops? If she is bunged up she will have to keep coming off the breast to breathe through her mouth. Otherwise it might be an oversupply issue where she can't cope with the flow of milk, in which case you could try expressing a little before you expect her to want a feed.

[forfucksakenet]

so many of these problems! On and off and fussy and no sleep. It does get easier. I can't remember exactly when, but you are doing so well!!!

[CurlsandCurves]

It never got better with DS2. He fed every 2.5-3 hours at a push during the day, non stop from about 6pm and every 45 mins to an hour at night.

It was only when I introduced solids at just before 5 mths that it got better. On 3 meals a day within a week he was clearly chuffing starving! He is big for his age (7 but in age 10-11 clothes).

[gluteustothemaximus]

DC1 got easier at around 4-5 months, and then got mastitis. Twice. Had no lansinoh, or support, or advice (or mumsnet) so that's why it was so goddam difficult challenging

DC2 - got easier around 3 months, but then she was much better at latching.

DC3 - Around 3-4 months. Growth spurts were absolute hell though. Never. Left. The. Boob.

Don't think that the BF is what's keeping your LO up at night. First 2 DC's were terrible sleepers! DC3 is an angel - he slept through from 5 weeks at 11 months though he is back to night feeding

Well done, it's hard hard work. Hope it will get easier for you soon, and hope you have lots of support in RL

[Purpleprickles]

Don't be wooed to move to formula because your baby will sleep through the night. Dd refused to bf whereas ds had so I ff her from day 3 because I couldn't take the stress of it all. She still woke every 3 hours for a feed and has only slept through reply from about 10 months. Make the right decision for you and your baby but your sil's baby sleeping well maybe nothing to do with formula. Good luck!

[CurlsandCurves]

@Purpleprickles true dat re bottles mean better sleep. DS2 still needed to learn how to sleep through. A full tummy of milk, formula or food does not mean they will automatically sleep!

[GreenGoblin0]

sometimes at this stage when they are more easily distracted I found it easier to feed in a quiet space with no distractions. a bit harder when you have another child I know.

also all babies are different and wouldn't assume that it's all down to whether BF or FF.

[Gape1211a]

Thank you for all the advice and guidance.

Health visitor came today and DD has dropped a centile. Made me feel like I hadn't been feeding her enough when she really is still fed on demand. Is this something to worry about??

Also DD only poohs every 10-12 days. Is this normal?

[MimiSunshine]

FF doesn't magically make babies sleep through, how they sleep is affected by their hormones. Plenty of FF babies wake in the night and BF ones don't.

Every three hours is good and they'll still want to eat that often when weening, you're just getting to the fussy stage where they're a lot more aware of their surroundings and will be easily distracted especially when feeding.

Ask to be referred (or go private if you can afford it) to a tongue tie specialist, not all TT are visible if they're at the back but can really affect feeding.
Some babies cope fine with it when they're tiny but as they get bigger and need more milk struggle to get the amount they need and so start dropping weight at this point

[Buggeritimgettingup]

Don't worry about the poo thing. They get so much nutrition from best milk there isn't a lot of waste. Keep at it it does get easier amd yes to what pp have said a bottle of formula won't magically make them sleep. Some babies sleep some don't. It's just luck that part.