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Infant feeding

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

Snacker-have I done it all wrong.

9 replies

loopylo · 15/12/2010 14:53

my 9 week old dd is a real snacker. She would ideally during the day feed every 20 - 60 minutes just for 5 minnutes at a time. Her weight gain is good-tracking the 25th centile, she does lots of wet nappies and appears to latch well (never been sore) and I leak lots of milk at night so I think my supply is ok.

I'm going to the breast feding support group tomorrow to check my technique.

She also cluster feeds in the evening-feeds for 3-5hrs on and off. At night goes anywhere between 2-4 hrs between feeds-last night bed 8.30pm, feeds 11.30, 3.30 and up at 6.45. Red the baby whisperer bf tips and it sounded like I was doing it all wrong any advise greatly accepted. Was in tears yesterday about it.

OP posts:
blueberrysantabait · 15/12/2010 15:02

Sounds like you are doing it all right to me. She sounds like she is a typical 9wo too. Cluster feeding is very normal - it gets you are reasonable break between feeds in the night. She is growing well, no HV worried, no medical worries it's just a book has put some doubts in your mind about how it 'should' be, All babies are different, they all act and feed differently. You are doing fab and so is she. Put the book away and enjoy her.

MoonUnitAlpha · 15/12/2010 15:02

Baby Whisperer doesn't know anything about breastfeeding! She talks rubbish.

Do you feel things are all wrong - I mean, are you unhappy with how things are going? Your baby is happy and healthy and has lots of quick feeds - so long as you're happy with this I can't see a problem.

tiktok · 15/12/2010 15:04

The Baby Whisperer does not understand breastfeeding.

Your baby's pattern is perfectly normal - there is nothing wrong with it at all. It is how babies are 'designed' to feed, and in fact, in pre-industrial cultures, whose babycare is what we humans have evolved to do for 99.9999 per cent of our existence, babies are observed to feed several times an hour.

This does not match what we expect babies to do, but it's how babies' bodies come out expecting to be fed :)

Now - some babies adjust to 21st century expectations and norms fairly soon, and others take a little longer. Your baby is adjusting - she wakes once only at night as is not feeding on and off in the night as the pre-industrial babies do :)

One option is to accept that this is what your dd is like now, and that it is ok, and she is healthy, and she will change in her own time to feed in a more socially-normal (!) way. Or you can read a book and feel she doesn't come up to what someone who knows Zero about bf and Zero about your baby says and try to change your baby to fit in.

This second option is hard work and could be distressing to both of you - in fact, if you were in tears just reading about it, it's already distressing Shock.

Your technique does not need changing (from what I can see) because your baby is healthy growing and you are not sore.

If you can cope going with the flow, then honestly, this is easier than fighting the flow! Your dd will be able to go longer between feeds in a short time - she is already doing so at night.

Enjoy her :)

coolascucumber · 15/12/2010 15:13

Out of 3 BF babies I had one that would feed every 20 minutes throughout the day (if I let her) for only a short period of time. She was always, and now at 11, small for her age. To this day she eats small meals or snacks throughout the day and gets very grumpy if she hasn't eaten for a while. But doesn't matter too much as she has plenty of energy for climbing, hockey, sailing etc. Only difference for her was that I stopped feeding her earlier than the boys because fitting around her schedule was too awkward in the long run. Think I lasted until about 6 months.

stickersarecurrency · 15/12/2010 16:07

Ah you poor thing. I read then eBayed Baby Whisperer when my first was about that age. Babies were around long before baby gurus showed up, and they survived just fine. Yes, it can be a bit tedious having to sit down and feed so often - as I post this, I'm feeding a 12 week old for the third time since 1pm! - but this is your job for now. It seems impossible but it a few weeks she'll be totally different! Maybe you could think about a sling - wrap slings are very comfortable to wear and I know some people master feeding in them so they can be handsfree!

JoinTheDots · 15/12/2010 16:34

mine was like this! (If we have a full day at home, she still can be actually)

What the others said really - go with the flow - its a phase and it will pass, I and my DD are living proof. You have done nothing wrong.

ConnorTraceptive · 15/12/2010 16:37

DS2 was just like this from day one until he weaned at 1 years old. It's perfectly fine and you aren't doing anything wrong you're just responding to your baby's needs which can only be right!

loopylo · 16/12/2010 09:51

I'm happy with it like it is and she is a very contented little girl-she really hardly ever cries. At night I'm so happy with her she woke up twice last night and fed for 10 minutes then went straight back to sleep I have no problem with getting up to feed her-I actually enjoy it it feels special. So I will ignore the books. Thank you x

OP posts:
Dozeyland · 17/12/2010 10:40

Loopylo - your last comment is how i feel at the mo :)

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