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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think he can't be hungry!!

23 replies

Aliveinwanderland · 12/02/2017 23:15

3 month old DS barely ever cries for food in the day time. I feed him as regularly as I can but he will usually go 3 hours between feeds.

At night time he wants it every 90 minutes. He is killing me and surely can't be hungry this often?

I've tried feeding him hourly in the day time but he won't take it.

Why won't he go longer between feeds at night?!

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 13/02/2017 19:20

Are you breastfeeding? Is he using you to settle himself back off to sleep?

SmileEachDay · 13/02/2017 19:23

Normal.

He's tiny. Mine used to cluster feed all evening then still wake up every couple of hours.

Cosleep. It's the only way to retain your sanity.

hides 4 year old in mummy's bed

wtffgs · 13/02/2017 19:26

IIRC I think night time feeds secure your long term supply. It's several years since I did the bf supporter training. It's a bit of a. Inner but the older he gets the quicker he will be able to drink a feed. DD went from 40 mins per feed to under 10! Nap in the day if you can

wtffgs · 13/02/2017 19:28

It's a bit of a. Inner

It's a bit of a bummer!

SEsofty · 13/02/2017 19:30

Rubbish but normal for his age

ollieplimsoles · 13/02/2017 19:32

Totally normal, I dont know how some breastfeeding mums manage without co sleeping, it totally saved our sanity.

Is this an option for you? Where does he sleep now?

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 19:44

I have a cosleeper crib but he usually ends up in with us.

He only feeds for 5 minutes at a time which is the main problem as he doesn't take enough on board to last him.

Everyone says it's normal, and yet every other baby I know (including breastfed ones) can manage a 4/5 hour shift at night!

DH has given him 3 ounces of formula and put him to bed so will see whether that makes him go a little longer. I doubt it will but I need to get him used to some formula as I really struggle to express and I've got a few events coming up where I need to leave him for a few hours.

OP posts:

wetpebbles · 13/02/2017 19:45

I co sleep with 2 month old and she has boobie in her mouth almost all night!

ollieplimsoles · 13/02/2017 19:48

Hmm, well op I totally understand that people saying its normal doesn't really help you, particularly as you have to leave him.
What sort of events are you going to, do you use manual or electric pump to express, and have you thought about combi feeding? (sorry for all the questions but I want to give advice you can use)!

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 19:50

I have an electric pump. I can get a small amount but not much (around 60ml at a time) and so to get enough for a full feed I need to do 2 sessions and I find it hard to find the time.

I've got some kit days at work coming up and a wedding and hen do. Only need to leave him for 3/4 hours but he will need a feed in this time. I do try and use expressed milk where possible as I don't want to use formula just for the sake of it but it is handy for if I haven't been able to express enough.

OP posts:

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 19:54

Wetpebbles how do you make it work? I still have to wake up, position DS right and then be awake while he feeds so I can wind and put him back into the right position in bed.

Currently I move our pillows to one side, have DS in the middle between the pillows so high up in the bed. Then I tuck the duvet under the end of his sleeping bag so he doesn't have it on him. Means he can't access boob without me scooping him in to me first.

OP posts:

dementedpixie · 13/02/2017 19:55

It sounds like he is using you to get back to sleep if he isn't taking a full feed. Have you tried a dummy?

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 19:58

He feeds for longer at night than in the day. Day time feeds are 5 minutes and he is fussy, constantly pulling off, or twisting while latched on causing me pain!

Night time feeds are calm and around 10-15 mins. He falls off at the end and is almost asleep.

He does have a dummy but won't take it instead of a feed if he has woken crying.

He doesn't fall asleep on me in the day at all. He doesn't like cuddles and prefers to fall asleep on his own in his crib so I don't think he is doing it for comfort.

OP posts:

Juveniledelinquent · 13/02/2017 20:01

I BF three DC for nearly a year and never co-slept with them. You don't have to, it's quite possible to feed and put down.

EighthElement · 13/02/2017 20:02

It never ends
I clicked on this wondering if the thread was about an 11 year old boy.

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 20:05

I do feed and put down into the crib, but by 2/3am after feeding so many times it's easier to put down in bed with me as he tends to settle quicker. And DH can help with the sticking the dummy back in routine if he doesn't go straight back to sleep!

OP posts:

sleepy16 · 13/02/2017 20:06

My 13 month old still doesn't manage 4/5 hours at night.
More like 1/3 hours, could he have some reflux?

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 20:07

Yes he is on medication for reflux, but I don't think he is waking in pain. It's his cross/hungry cry not his pain cry.

OP posts:

littledinaco · 13/02/2017 20:12

Totally normal, the amount they take is over 24hours so if he's going 3 hours through the day then he will need to make up for it at night.

Not sure what you can do in the day though to get him to take more and some still wake up frequently at night anyway.

If you can get the hang of feeding lying down, it can be a lifesaver. Once you get used to it, you probably won't even properly wake up and then can fall back to sleep straight away so night wakings don't become such an issue.

Patchouli666 · 13/02/2017 21:15

Your milk won't be as full fat at night so not as filling. However you will have high levels of prolactin which will make baby really sleepy. So they feed, sleep then wake as they are hungry again and the cycle repeats. It's hard. Really really hard. It does get easier at about five months though.

Original poster

Aliveinwanderland · 13/02/2017 21:16

He has just woken up 2 hours after the bottle. However ive cuddled him and put his dummy in and he has settled so will try putting him back down without feeding.

OP posts:

littledinaco · 13/02/2017 21:26

If it were me, I would try and be getting as much milk into him as I could early evening in the hope that he would tank up and then go for a longer stretch later on. It might not work but if he's doing a 2hour+ stretch now plus feeding every 3 hours in the day, it's probably more likely that he's going to want to feed all night.

A lot of babies cluster feed all evening so it might help to keep him on you with boob out so he dozes/feeds until maybe 10/11 when you go to bed. You might have better luck then of a few hour stretch.

StrawberryShortcake32 · 13/02/2017 21:32

Mine was the same. There seems to be both a 3 and 4 month growth spirt. DS did come out of it eventually. My HV suggested to press down with the palm of my hand on the top of the boob which starts the milk let down again. This was handy as my little boy was the same and kept falling asleep in between feeds, starting the milk letdown again allowed him to wake up a little and drink a bit more.

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