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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Confused re time between breastfeeds...

5 replies

beancounting · 08/08/2010 15:05

I've been advised by a BF counsellor not to let my 3 week old DD go more than about 3 hours between feeds (during the day). Usually she feeds more frequently than this anyway, but there have been a couple of days when she's had a long nap so it's ended up being a bit longer as I hadn't been waking her up, which I am now doing.

My first question is a bit basic but I thought I should double-check - I've been assuming that when people say "x hrs between feeds", they're counting from the start of one feed to the start of another - is that right? So if she feeds from 2 till 3, I should make sure I offer another feed by 5?

But sometimes DD feeds on and off more or less constantly for ages(she can fuss a lot - I think sometimes it's wind and sometimes the flow seems a bit fast for her - so she can bob on for 5 mins then off for 10 etc) - how do I distinguish between feeds then and know whether/when to wake her up for another feed? the other day I fed her at 6pm, off and on until about 8.30pm, and then offered her another feed at 9ish, which she took quite happily. However, she was then copiously sick about half an hour later - was this too much, should I have waited a bit longer, eg until she seemed hungry?

OP posts:
LibertyGibbet · 08/08/2010 15:11

What are the reasons for you seeing a bfc?

Yes you are right about the time between feeds being from the start of one to the start of another.

proseccogirl · 08/08/2010 15:11

you definitely time the gap between feeds from the START of the previous feed, not the end of it. I am not sure about the trickier question - sorry!

beancounting · 08/08/2010 17:17

Thanks both.

LibertyGibbet, the BF counsellor was at a BF support group that I've been to twice so far, initially because I was struggling with the latch/positioning and my nipples were really feeling it, and then the second time partly to continue to improve on the latch but also because DD has been doing green poos, which I'd read were a result of not getting enough hindmilk so I wanted to know what I could do to make sure she got to it, IYSWIM.

OP posts:
barkfox · 08/08/2010 18:44

beancounting, I can't help, sorry, but just wanted to say, I've a 3 week old DS, and I totally know what you mean about the 'when is a feed a feed'? issue.

All of this '9-12 feeds a day' and 'x hours between feeds' advice gave me the impression that there would be distinct feeds - you know, with a beginning and end...whereas until the last few days, I couldn't really answer the question 'how often does he feed?'

I'll be interested to see what wise words you get here. I've been working with the very simple idea that my DS will ask for a feed when he's hungry, and if he overeats, he'll posset up what he doesn't have room for. I'm reminded of Mr Creosote in the Monty Python film sometimes.

Morloth · 08/08/2010 18:49

I go with the no waking the baby method unless I need to be somewhere. If she is feeding a lot at other times then I reckon it is OK for her to have long periods without.

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