Another growth spurt? Or comfort feeding? Confused.

[arthymum]

My 7 week old boy had a feeding frenzy about ten days ago where he wanted feeding much more frequently. Prior to that he was feeding every three hours and falling asleep after 20 minutes on one side. Now he wants to drain both sides for at least 30 minutes each side at every feed! He's obviously comfort feeding - would feed all day long if I let him. I feel mean taking him off but my nipples are starting to kill me and I have to eat etc every now and then! (BTW he's only like this during the day; at night he feeds and then happily sleeps for four hours)

Is this an extension of the growth spurt? Comfort feeding? Will it stop? Am I being mean/harmful taking him off?

[arthymum]

BTW one of the reasons I ask is that various folk (mother, mil and even OH) are worried that because he sucks so long and grizzles when he can't that my milk isn't 'enough/good enough'. I'm beginning to feel undermined although I think he's doing perfectly fine (gaining weight, pooing, weeing etc.)

[madmouse]

draining two boobs does not sound like comfort feeding to me! More like another growth spurt. They do come every few weeks in the early days.

If it was comfort sucking he would be happy to stay on one side, doze and snack, doze and snack

let him eat as much as he wants ( and you can bear). Ignore unwanted advice. Your mum and mil were given wrong advice in them old days when we were babies and OH might just be swayed by what they say.

My dad tells me that me and bro were only bf for two weeks 'as my mum made watery milk' and we did not thrive. No wonder when women then were told to feed from each boob for a few mins then wait four hours...

what is happening with your nips? if it is just having something wet attached all the time use some vaseline or other cream. look out for thrush (pink itchy nips) and make sure your latch is ok

[RedOnHerBeheadedHead]

it could be a growth spurt - My DS often gets like this, some days he will only have 5 or six feeds, whereas others he will quite happily sit for hours at a time, and when i try to put him down he cries for more.

You are doing a fab job, and providing that you are happy, and he is happy (which he seems very happy). Then forget what other people say. They are probably just trying to be helpful but not in a good way. Your milk is good enough - the best infact! And he will be getting enough - he's just telling your boobies to get some more going!

We all need a bit of time to ourselves, so you are not being mean by taking him off. A few minutes of grizzling won't harm him, as long as he isn't crying inconsolably. Take is as an opportunity to get people to do things fpr you. Sit there and let people wait on you. If they say that your milk isn't good enough, then tell them politely, "thankyou for your concern, but we are happy, if you want to help, you could make me a sandwich...."

Keep going, and well done!

[Mij]

I was going to ask what makes you think it's 'just comfort feeding'? Babies do, frustratingly, change their behaviour every few days/weeks in the early days. Just when you think you know what they do they blardy change it!

It does sound to me, from the very basic info in your OP, that he's hungry, so you're doing the right thing by feeding him! Chances are he'll settle into a new pattern soon. Comfort sucking is very light, often dozey as madmouse said, with very few swallows.

If you can allow your nips to air-dry that might help - it sounds like you could do with a bit of help with his latch if they're getting sore? That's the other thing - babes grow so fast in the first few weeks that their latch can change, particularly as they gain more control over their heads and backs.

Good luck!

[TheProvincialLady]

He definitely sounds hungry and at 7 weeks, be grateful he is filling up during the day and not at night If there is a Baby Cafe or something similar you could pop in and get your latch checked and some advice re your nipples, but I imagine all this will be settled soon.

[arthymum]

Thanks for your messages and support! I wondered if it was comfort feeding as it does slow down and he gets dozy - but then if I gently take him off he gets furious and tries to get back on! I will definitely feed him as often as he wants - we have had an ongoing problem with latch since the start. It had started to get better recently but this spell is making them sore again. I went to a cafe and that did help us improve but now I think I need to just be extra-careful with all this feeding going on! Esp at night when I am dozy myself! I am using Lansinoh and it's pretty bearable at the moment, not too bad.

I think that our bf is going well but it is so confusing when they change what they're doing just when you get used to what they're up to!