comfort feeding

[loopylo]

My DD is now 6 weeks old and is it normal for her to feed almost continuosly from 3pm ish until bed time which can be anywhere between 8.30pm and 4am on a bad night. If I put her down, even if she appears to have finished she will scream so I put her back on the breast. She has done this from the start. I'm getting really nackered. During the day she feeds very frequently every 1-3hrs and if I finally get her to sleep every 2-3hrs at night (sometimes hourly). She has gained weight consistantly roughly an onz a day since week 2. Am I doing something wrong. She is my first baby and from the start every time she cried I put her on my breast.

I feel like all I do all day and night is breast feed.

I was about to go to bed or at least make a start! but saw your post so am doing a quick reply.

Comfort breastfeeding is very common - esp in colic/windy babies, through teething, etc. etc.

It is tiring but is probably also the easiest way of soothing your baby.

My best advice would be to try and lie down while feeding and snooze or rest as much as you can.

If you are really concerned that your baby is just snacking bevcause of the comfort sucking and this is putting too much strain on you, then you could try going out for puschair walks or car rides and then doing a good long feed on your return, but really I'd stay as you are if you can and just make the time as relaxing as possible.

This time will soon be behind you, and it does actually go all to quick in retrospect!

In the evening she will feed for hours then in the morning she will feed for a few minutes and try to go back to sleep. Should I be trying to keep her up more in the day ?

They tend to cluster feed in the early days to get through the night but it is perfectly normal. See the below article from kellymom.

www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

I know it's not much comfort but you aren't doing anything wrong. If you're concerned about your DD learning night from day, try and keep it bright and noisy in the day and dim and quiet in the evenings/night time.

Would you believe me if I said it does get better?

I remember that time from when DS was a little baby. It is normal and you and your DC will get through it okay. As Helen says, it does get better!

Have a look at the Breast and Bottle Feeding section as there are lots of other mums going through similar things. I will give you a link if you need it, but it's on this site too, so should be easy enough to find.

it sounds very familiar. it's totally normal, and it does get easier, i promise. you're doing great.

Thank you. Decided to today to try and go more with the flow. She can sleep when she needs-I was trying to keep her more awake during the day but ended up with a crabby baby and no difference in her sleeping at night. And I will try and not get fustrated at feeding continuosly for hours she is gorgeous and growing every day-she is thriving I need to focus on that.

ps thank you helenlg for the link-I am normal

It's hard isn't it?

I felt in the early days I wasn't doing enough, that he slept too long at certain points and fed too much in other.

Trust me, the sleeping phase passes quickly, soon you'll be joining the rest of us moaning, 'why wont you just have a nap!!'

Oh gosh I remember that time so well. Sounds like the six week growth spurt. All I did was feed at that time I think. Let the housework go to hell, pick up some good novels, and have a coffee table handy with biccies, lots of water, the phone and the tv remotes. Then settle in, read and snack as your DD snacks. I don't know how I'll cope with that phase if I have a second child.

agree with other posters, normal and it will pass. just remember as time passes and your DC grows and is weaned, those hours will seem almost unbearably precious.