Do you give your baby an amount of time each side?

[1978andallthat]

Given ds would stay on noon for three hours each side and given we are topping up after each feed anyway (no lectures please, it is what it is), I want to curtail night feeds a bit. Does anyone give a certain amount of one each boob and if so how much?

[leonardofquirm]

How old is he?

[leonardofquirm]

No I've never timed feeds or amount of time per though, forgot that bit! :)

[1978andallthat]

Boob not noon. Obv.

No I don't give him 3 hours. Not since first couple of nights. But given the chance he would stay on for ever. I give about 30 mins each side but given he has top up after each bf anyway want to know how long he needs before top up.

He is 3 weeks.

[leonardofquirm]

At 3 weeks he is still tiny and working to establish supply.

Are the long feeds mostly starting in the evening? 'cluster feeding' is very common in younger babies and can go on for a while. the easiest thing is to sit and watch TV in the evening and just let them feed on and off.

[WantAnOrange]

Try to just roll with it at this stage, it really doesnt go on for very long, promise! DD's longest feed was 5 hours (yes 5!) She now feeds for 10-15 mins, at 16 weeks. I dont think it matters how often you switch tbh, I just used to switch sides after I burped her. Also if you feed on demand it may reduce the need for top-ups which is handy. The first few weeks really do require that you give all your time to it but then it gets so much easier.

[1978andallthat]

Thank you.

No not wanting to ebf. Mix feeding suits us. Mix fed dd due to extreme weight loss and never found nipple/battle confusion. Mix fed until 18 mo in fact and stopped because 3 mo pg and knackered.

[1978andallthat]

Me too. Know five babies who offered bottle after a few months of ebf refused it. Lots of anguish and heartache for mums returning to work. I will be doing bits of work from three months so actually is good he will take bottle.

[1978andallthat]

In that respect I've been lucky. With dd, and so far with ds, both happy breast or bottle and any teat and any temp.