How long for a feed (help)?

[rpickett]

I really would like some advice, my 5 week old DD is only feeding for 5-10 mins on on breast then fussing coming off and relatching for 10 mins or until I give up and offer the 2nd breast, which she will then take is this right? surely only 5 mins on one breast isnt long enough and she is only going to be getting the foremilk?
please help if you can.

[BollocksToThis]

Is she happy between feeds? If so then just go with it. You don't need to worry about foremilk and hindmilk at all, as long as she's happy and content. It might just be that she's got efficient and likes the fast flow at the start :)

[Mij]

Hi

Firsty, I'd suggest having a browse around an excellent, evidence-based breastfeeding website called kellymom.com, which is a wealth of great info on all things boob-related.

The thing is, there really is a massive range of behaviours that is perfectly normal. There are all sorts of things that could account for the feeding pattern your DD is choosing: you could have fast let-down/fast flow, and actually she's getting a great meal in those 5-10-20 minutes she's on each breast. When she's choosing a very short feed, she might just be thirsty, deliberately avoiding the richer milk.

The thing is to look at the whole picture: Is she content, alert in between feeds? Does she look healthy? Does she appear to be gaining weight within a normal range (with the usual proviso that weight is also just part of the picture)? Is she producing plenty of wet and dirty nappies that looks about right? Is her latch comfortable for you? Does your breast feel drained after a feed or still quite full?

I have come across plenty of babies who are very quick feeders, and plenty who really blooming take their time.

It maybe that short feeds are just normal for her. But again, look at everything related to feeding before you worry, not just the time.

One thing's occured to me though: do you always offer the same breast first? Some babes do seem to find one breast preferable to the other, and fuss more at one than the other. How long does she generally (if there is a generally) stay on the second breast?

[Indith]

Some babies feed very quickly, if she is coming off naturally and wanting to go onto the other breast then coming off that happily when she is done then the chances are everything is normal. The best signs is not how long she feeds for but how she is in herself, is she happy and content after a feed? Does she have plenty of wet nappies? Is she gaining weight? If the answer to any of those is "no" then have a chat to your HV or see if there is a bf support group near you to go along to but otherwise, she sounds pretty normal.

[Mij]

Ha! X-posts there, but it's good to know we're all saying approximately the same thing!

[Indith]

I type way too slowly!

FWIW with my first it really confused me how people would talk about watching entire episodes of their fave box set at night while feeding because my ds only ever fed for 5 mins, 10 at the most!

[Mij]

My two were totally different. DD1 - 45mins each side , DD2, 10mins each side max, even as a newborn.

[rpickett]

I went to breastfeeding support this morning, to find out they didnt run it due to a xmas party so thought I'd ask here, I always swap which breast I start with and she feeds from the 2nd breast for 5-10 mins and falls asleep so she is quite content with how she is feeding and is gaining weight each week.
Thank you for your help, just wanted to make sure I'm doing it right.