how often does your 6 week old feed?

[challengedvertically]

Hi all. I'm a long time lurker and this is my first post, I hope someone can help/ advise or share their experience if they've been through similar?

I read in lots of books and see on lots of websites that newborns typically feed 8-12 times a day, which gradually falls over time. My ebf 6 week old seems to be on me all the time so today I logged his feeds in an app. It was a pretty average day and he has already fed 9 times over the past 7 hours alone! Am I doing something wrong, or do some babies feed lots and lots? His weight gain is steady but nothing extraordinary (in fact it was quite slow at the start). Plenty of wet nappies, and the hv and midwife checked his latch at 2 and 3 weeks and were happy with it. This is pretty typical of the past few weeks so I don't think it's a growth spurt. He also won't sleep unless he's on me, so I'm permanently glued to him.
I'm worried about his sleep, because he rarely gets more than an hour between feeds (it's usually only 20-30 mins), and also his development - his awake time is mostly spent feeding, so there doesn't seem to be much 'quiet alert' time where I can read and play. Am I over thinking it all?!
We have to go to a funeral soon, which will be a four hour drive each way. I'm dreading it because I won't be able to feed while we're driving, but it won't be feasible to stop every 10 minutes!! And he doesn't seep in his car seat so I'm envisaging hours of screaming. I don't want to give up and move to formula, when I've made it this far, but I'm kind of losing the will thanks in advance for any advice!

[Coconut0il]

Please don't worry OP. You are doing exactly the right thing and feeding on demand. My DS1 was an every 2/3 hours kind of baby, DS2 was a 'I want to be attached to you all day and night' baby. Up until about 3 months I did nothing but feed, feed, feed. He wouldn't go to anyone else and similar to you he cried in his car seat and pushchair. We co sleep as it was the only way I could get any sleep. I pretty much got comfy on the settee and went with it. At 6 weeks your baby barely knows he is a separate person from you, feeding is for comfort too.
I wish I had some advice for a 4 hour journey but I would've been dreading it too... I would probably just try to stop every hour or if someone can sit in the back the only thing that worked with DS2 was playing some baby sensory videos on YouTube .
It will pass, it does get much easier. DS2 is 10 months now and can go 4/5 hours between feeds. A small part of me misses those first months all cuddled up but it is much easier now to get out and about.
Nothing wrong with formula but every time I felt like giving up I'd think about the sterilising and the making bottles up, the cost and having to get up during the night! Helped me keep going with bf.

[challengedvertically]

Thank you for your reply, that's really reassuring. I'll definitely try sitting in the back of the car with him. I thought that by 6 weeks, I'd have magically turned a corner, like my SIL who says her baby was sleeping through by now (I wonder how she defines that though...). Before he was born, I knew it'd be hard work, but I never thought it'd be this hard. I think a lot of parents aren't very honest about the early weeks!

[Mouthfulofquiz]

My six week old has probably fed 8 times since this morning but the feeds have been quite short. Now he is asleep and will have another few feeds before bed. He has a feed at about 10:00, 02:30, 07:00 and then starts again! He is on me a lot less than my other two were... Mainly because they are being quite demanding at the moment so he has no choice! Poor wee thing!

[FirstTimerAtBeingAMummy]

My 11 week old is the same. Some days she is feeding every hour others she will go 2to 3. I think lots with her is s comfort thing. She's just started sucking her thumb, pretty cute, but its good because she is starting to self sooth. Your not doing anything wrong though :-) your little one just wants to be close to you. I've started introducing one bottle a day at dinner time, just to give me some time to cook me and other half dinner and to allow him some time with her. It's working really well. She will drink 4 ounces at about 6pm then she's content until about 9 when she wants more off me then. Keep going, your doing a fab job.

[Diddlydokey]

Try a dummy if you'd like a rest. It's likely comfort some of the time. Mam ones are often recommended on here.

Swaddling too x

[Coconut0il]

I really think sleeping through is developmental, like crawling or walking. They all do it in their own time. I know it's hard not too but try not to compare, babies are all so different. DS1 was a fairly demanding baby but he was a dream toddler so I'm hoping DS2 will be the same

[challengedvertically]

Thank you everyone, I'll keep persevering. Unfortunately he won't take a dummy and hates swaddling! I'll try to embrace being confined to the sofa for the next few weeks

[Coconut0il]

Sounds just like DS2, bottle/dummy refusal, no swaddling, just wanted to be held and fed! It does seem like it will be forever but it really will pass quickly. I normally prefer to be busy but as I know DS2 is definitely my last I did try to enjoy it as much as I could... watched the full box set of Sherlock and Scandal and just looked at his little face

[TriJo]

My son was the same - didn't really settle until 12 weeks and was going to the boob up to 25 times a day before then. He's still a hungry boy now but it has improved.