Overfeeding/slow feeding newborn confusion - long post, sorry!

[Jezabella]

Hi, this is my first post on Mumsnet. I read the boards throughout my pregnancy so I know there is some excellent advice to be had, and I am hoping someone might have some for me today!

My little girl (1st baby) is 4 ½ weeks old and I am not feeling confident at identifying what she needs. She has always been a slow feeder - she is enthusiastic, and (after the first 10 days or so) has remained reasonably alert/focused while feeding - but her feeds can take ages, sometimes over an hour of actual glugging (she is ebf). In the day she seems often, though not always, ready to feed again an hour later, or sometimes less after the end of the previous marathon! (She does go much longer at night, for which I am grateful.)

In her third week she got quite screamy for extended periods and we wondered if it was the onset of colic. The only thing which quietened her was being put to the breast but if it was only a few minutes after her last feed we sometimes assumed she couldn't still be hungry and so tried to calm her with rocking/sshh-ing etc. with limited success. Then I remembered about Mumsnet, read lots of posts in this forum, and wondered if maybe she really had still been hungry those times, instead of colicky ? I feel dreadful at the thought.

This week I have tried a new approach and basically assumed that whenever she starts bawling or rooting, she must be hungry, even if she has already been feeding for what seems like forever, and have offered the breast. She always takes it, and there have been no further episodes of inconsolable type crying as before.

My question really is, am I possibly feeding her too much (if such a thing is possible), and misreading her cues and thinking she's hungry when it's in fact something else? (I am religious about winding, and checking it's not her nappy, and also I do whisk her out for walks in the sling to help her drop off if I think she might be tired instead etc.)

Can anyone advise, please, and also say if such long feeds and the constant feeding are normal at this stage, or should I be worried? When might the feeds begin to space out and get shorter?

Thanks!

I haven't done it yet, but I know KellyMom says that you cannot over-feed:

www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/newborn-nursing.html

Your baby is normal, Jezabella. It is normal to want the closeness and contact and reassurance of the breast - and it's not all about hunger. This means it is normal to want to come off and on, and on again after a long feed with only a short break, and all the things you are describing that she does. She cannot over-feed - she will adjust her intake accordingly by sucking less strongly or simply chucking back the excess

Please don't think you need to restrict her or that you should not be feeding her in case it's 'something else' - for a baby, many things can be fixed by a feed, it really not about the milk alone.

Ssshing and rocking an unhappy baby on the assumption the baby 'cannot possibly' be hungry is almost always a mistake - but happily one she will forget you made!!

Was going to post about overfeeding being impossible and babies wanting to be close to you - it's their job - but the wonderful Tiktok got her wise words in first and said it better.

Congratulations on your baby and your success so far with bf. She'll space out her feeds as she goes along at her own pace.

It sounds like you are doing great to me! It is not possible to over feed an ebf baby, just as it is not possible to make them feed if they don't want to!

All babies are different but your description sounds very familiar and pretty normal to me! They do feed alot in the early weeks, and this can be virtually non stop if they are going through a growth spurt. Don't worry, it will get easier. They get more efficient at feeding and are able to go longer between feeds. You should notice a difference around three months i think...though someone may correct me on this!

You sound like you are responding really well so try not to worry, the confidence comes with time!

god, every one types quicker than me. Bloody phone. Knew someone would be along soon!

Thank you so much, everyone, for your replies - I feel greatly reassured now that we're doing okay This week, since I have been just going with the frequent/constant feeding cues and spending all the inbetween times just cuddling her and letting her sleep on me, has been so much better, and both she and I are happier, so it must be the right thing!

Really, thank you so much for your advice, it's been very helpful.

Aw, good. Lovely to think of the two of you happily snuggled up. If she likes sleeping on/close to you, a sling might be useful.

Yes, I think you're right, Lastyears, we have one and she does seem to settle in it so I might consider wearing her around the house as well as out for walks!