Breast feeding every 2 hours

[beansbananas]

My LO is nearly 7 weeks, and is a very hungry baby! She wants to feed every 1 1/2 - 2 hours (sometimes more frequently) throughout the day and night. She is ebf and in fact we are struggling to get her to take a bottle or use a dummy. She only wants my boobs for eating and comforting herself! I wasn't overly worried about the frequency of feeding before as although the cluster feeding in the morning and evening is very demanding, we have seen this improve and reduce a bit. However, waking up every 2 hours in the night is pretty tiring, and it seems like other babies of a similar age are going much longer between feeds, particularly through the night. She is a tall baby so that could explain her hunger, and my milk supply is probably only just keeping up with her demands. Also she does get colicky in the evening, and gets very frustrated when she is trying to feed as a consequence. Not sure if that is connected, but it does seem to prevent her falling asleep in the evening, and I think does wake her up in the night as I hear her whimpering. I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this and what did you do to try and encourage your baby to sleep longer at night and feed less frequently?

[Pertie]

Sounds totally normal to me - everything you've said in your post.

They stretch out their feeds by themselves as the months go by - you don't need to do anything.

Try co-sleeping if you're struggling over night

[mintbiscuit]

Normal ime. Could also be growth spurt. It will settle down.

[Dragonfree]

I wrote a lovely long reply to you about an hour ago and it's not here!!

Bugger....

[Dragonfree]

So here's my second attempt (and I'm wondering where my first reply ended up ).

I feel really sorry for you, waking up so often must be wearing you out!

We did lengthen the time between my LO's feeds through distraction - swinging, bouncing, throwing up in the air, blowing on neck, sucking on little finger (pad side up) and dummies. It was incredibly difficult during the night as all I wanted to do was sleep, but it has paid off.

With regards to colic, mine really suffered in the evening - heartbreaking to watch. We used Infacol and Dentinox, slightly better results with Dentinox.

As for dummy, do try your (clean) little finger, pad side up. My LO spits out a dummy, but will happily suck on a finger for ages (imagine pruned finger....).

[bf1000]

Have you tried co sleeping. I have a sidecar cot with second ( used normal cot but put it same height as bed with only one side on). I boobing baby lying down which I find more restful and I can dose while feeding.older child also co sleeps. But we tried everything else first. As they get older they just ,Attach themselves on and off. Read up on safeco sleeping.

Also frequent waking is normal and healthy for babies. It is only modern time and formula that makes us think otherwise.

It does get easier as they get olderx

[Spam88]

My baby's the same age and feeds as frequently as yours.

[Cuppaqueen]

Could it be that she's not taking full feeds? My son who's very tall (over 99th percentile) could still go 2.5-3 hours between breastfeeds at that age, longer at night. With him I used to feed one side, with pauses to wind him if he got fussy, then a break on my shoulder or chat/ tickle for a few mins then get him to take second breast. If I offered one straight after the other, he'd sometimes refuse because he'd temporarily sated his hunger when in fact he could eat more. A short break in between helped 'reset' him. Maybe your daughter's used to snacking so she stops eating before she's really full.

[howthelightgetsin]

I don't think sounds remotely unusual.

I think this is why our breastfeeding rates are so low ... we've been persuaded some how that babies should feel every 3-4 hours (when this is not the physiological norm for babies) and any more we persuade ourselves that our milk is either not enough or that the baby is extraordinarily hungry and needs hungry baby milk.

As long as they're gaining weight and having plenty of wet nappies, it's normal.

[SoftSheen]

This sounds totally normal. It is very hard work but she will grow out of it, possibly within a few weeks. Co-sleeping may help with the tiredness (make sure you do it safely though).