Distractable 5mo taking most of his feeds at night - argh!

[LittleBottle]

My DS is 20 weeks old and has recently decided that daytime is NOT for feeding any more . He'll latch on for two minutes but then pull off to giggle at me/look around etc. I try to get him to concentrate by feeding him in a quiet, dark room etc. but this doesn't seem to stop him!

If he is sleepy he'll feed properly, but the trouble is that then he falls asleep mid-feed, so still isn't taking enough.

The past few nights he's been feeding every 2-3 hours - proper big feeds, like he should be taking in the day. This morning he wouldn't stay on the boob for longer than 30 secs, so I gave up and expressed 6oz which is in the fridge. Am thinking of giving it to him before he goes to bed tonight, so he gets all the lovely rich milk to keep him going...

I don't mind the night feeds - he's in his cot right next to the bed so it's no trouble. I just think it would be easier for everyone if he took the majority of his milk during daylight hours!

Is there any way I can try to turn this around? Any hints or tips on how to get him to stay latched on for longer than five seconds?!

[ALomonderfulLife]

Hi, When I was feeding DD1 she was very easily distracted at this age.

I recently came across nursing necklaces/beads which are supposed to engage them whilst they are feeding. If I had known about them then I would have bought some. There are loads of sites about. Think they are more popular in the States though. You can get fun brightly coloured ones or some which are more like a normal piece of jewellery. It may be worth a try?

Hope you get it sorted soon

[ALomonderfulLife]

fancy one

fun ones

[Bodkin]

Just to say I soooo know what you mean - it's very frustrating when you know they are getting all their calories at night and just snacking in the day. I doubt one of those necklaces would help my DD - would just give her something else to concentrate on other than my breasts!

The only thing I can suggest is to make sure your DS is really hungry before a daytime feed - my DD feeds ok if I've left a gap of about 3 hours from the start of the last feed. For example, if I start feeding her at 7am, then the next feed wouldn't be until 10am. She is usually making hungry noises by about 9.30, but I can usually distract her by putting some music on and dancing with her to spin out the final 30 mins, and then she'll feed quite well, taking one full side, and after a 20 minute breather, a bit more off the other side. And like you, I have to sneak off to a dark quiet room to feed her!

[LittleBottle]

Oooh, some of the ones on that second link are fab! Thankyou I will definitely look at getting something like that...

Sometimes he just pats/strokes my face, or pokes my nose, and it's so sweet but I wish he could concentrate! Fed him in a quiet room today, and it seemed to do the trick for a while, at least.

Bodkin I will try waiting until he's really hungry tomorrow. I've been doing the opposite, and trying to get him to feed every hour or so as I've been worried about him not taking much, but with hindsight I think that's just made it worse. Hmmm!

[MrsWaggsnapps]

Heavens, this describes DD to a tee. It doesn't help that DS (3 yrs old) jumps up and down beside her reciting songs/poems/Horrid Henry at the top of his voice. If it's not him one of my cats will try and sit on my lap or glare at DD - which she finds highly amusing.

I;ve started being stricter, if she comes off three times then she's obviously got better things to do than feed and I make her wait til shes feeling more hungry.

[Bodkin]

Oh the nose poke - it;s soooo cute isn't it!

Today she has been playing "I will make you laugh mummy, I will" by pulling off and just grinning at me, and even though I'm trying to look away, she gets me every time. Impossible, exasperating but very charming She did finally latch on in the end though, once she had succeeded in getting me giggling at her!