Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

Is 5 hrs between feeds ok?

25 replies

runnermum2 · 17/01/2011 18:50

DD is 11 weeks old. Has just started going about 5 hrs between feeds so she feeds about 5 times in 24 hrs (usually once at night).

Will this cause a problem with supply? She has been growing well up to now but it's just been the last few days that the freq has gone down (from about 6 or 7 feeds in 24 hrs) My boobs feel pretty full each time she feeds at the moment and she usually feeds about 45 mins so is she just taking a bigger feed less freq or should I be encouraging her to feed more often.

All thoughts appreciated.

OP posts:

HappyAsASandboy · 17/01/2011 18:55

I will be watching this thread with interest as I am in the same position with my 13 week old twins. They dropped a night feed about two weeks ago and are now only feeding about 5 times per day.

I also had very full boobs before each of the more spaced feeds (particularly overnight), but that has calmed down now.

I hope someone knowledgable comes along

mnistooaddictive · 17/01/2011 18:59

Dd1 was like this from the start, go with it. As long as she continues putongbon weight it is fine! your supply will soon adjust so unloose that full feeling in your boobs.

thisisyesterday · 17/01/2011 19:00

personally i would be a bit concerned. 5 times in 24 hours really isn't very much

that said, if she (they!) is (are) putting on weight, seem happy and healthy enough and are meeting milestones then there is probably no need to worry

moomaa · 17/01/2011 19:02

My DD was like this from 9 weeks, no night feed from 7-7, 5 big ones in the day time (if it dropped to 4 she would wake up in the night). She was fine, I was fine, took my boobs a while to adapt but did calm down.

HappyAsASandboy · 17/01/2011 19:11

thisisyesterday - would you suggest encouraging an extra feed or two per day? If so, would you make one of these a night feed, or try to fit them into the day?

thisisyesterday · 17/01/2011 19:14

that's what I would do, yes.
if they really aren't interested then just go with it!

poppydog10 · 17/01/2011 19:19

This does sound a little too long between feeds. Ideally, you should be feeding around 8 -12 times in 24 hours minimum.

How is her weight gain? Is she having plenty of wet and dirty nappies? What do you think are the reasons for her going so long between feeds? Is she sleepy? Does she have a dummy?

To encourage her to feed more frequently, keep her close to you, and hold her as much as possible. Its ok to hold her while she is sleeping (contrary to some opinions). This will mean that you will spot her early feeding cues (stirring, sucking hands, rooting, 'chomping' with her mouth, and when she stirs you can latch her on easily.

Original poster

runnermum2 · 17/01/2011 20:17

Her wt gain seems ok. Averaging 5-6 0z per week and following 25th centile well. Only poos 1-2 times per day. used to be lots more but i think it is normal to reduce. Probably 6 or 7 wet nappies. No dummy but she does suck her hands a lot-but not grizzling or crying as if hungry. Everyone says she seems v alert - smiles alot and starting to play with toys but she does sleep for 30-60 mins 3 or 4 times per day

OP posts:

poppydog10 · 17/01/2011 21:14

All the signs sound good. I think you still need to get her to feed more frequently though. Try to add 3 more 'snacks' so she is feeding 8 times, to maintain your milk supply.

thisisyesterday · 17/01/2011 21:25

i think the 8-12 times a day is more for newborn babies, up to around 6 weeks...

at 11 weeks it's ok for her to be taking less, I think it's just unusual (certainly my 3 were feeding a lot more! lol)

do offer more often, but if baby isn't interested then don't push it because you don't want to make it stressful and start making negative connections with feed times

as long as baby is producing plenty of wet nappies, and there is pooing within the range of "normal" for a bf baby, and of course is putting on adequate weight then I think you're ok

poppydog10 · 17/01/2011 22:12

Thisisyesterday - 5 times is still not much, even for a 11 week old baby. to maintain milk supply the baby needs to be feeding a minimum of 8 times in 24 hours.

runningrach · 17/01/2011 22:45

poppydog - I'm not an expert but have observed from my many friends who have babies that many of them settle into a roughly 3-hourly feed once they are past the newborn phase, possibly longer at night, which is what my dd does. To do a minimum of 8 feeds into 24 hours you are saying that a 3month old baby should be fed more often then every 3 hours around the clock. I agree with thisisyesterday i think that is more appropriate for newborns and that once bf is established babies can find their own pattern without disrupting your milk supply.

MumNWLondon · 17/01/2011 23:08

I think 5 hours too long in the day. 2 x 5 hour stretches at night ok though.

What happens if you offer after 3-4 hours? I always offered 3 hourly in the day and all had their longer gap at night time.

At 11 weeks would expect probably at least 6 feeds - either 4 hourly day and night or 3 hourly in the day and less at night.

mumtojohn · 18/01/2011 07:59

'Minimum of 8 times' is not the case for babies beyond the newborn stage (although it is of course fine if a baby feeds this often).

Wisdom from all books, HVs etc is that 3 hourly feeds is about average for this age, but more or less is fine if baby is putting on weight. Agree with milk supply point though...

mnistooaddictive · 18/01/2011 09:55

It may be normal but it is Ok. When I tried feeding DD1 more often (after listening to what I 'should' be doing) her weight gain dropped as she was only ever getting foremilk. I felt like a complete failure because people told me what I 'should' be doing. Surely demand feeding is about feeding your baby when they are hungry which is what you are doing. Poppydog, I never fed either of my children 8 times a day and I never had supply problems, completely the reverse in fact! Please stop scaremongering. People like you almost drove me to the edge. It is not helpful to anyone to claim you MUST feed your baby 8 times a day. It may be true for most but not all! BTW I am sure I have told you this in the past. Thanks so much for dismissing me again.

DD1 slept through from 5 weeks. I was aking her up to feed her but by 10 weeks she went 10 hours at night. My Dh was the same. She is fit and healthy and now 4!

dietcokeandwine · 18/01/2011 14:27

I can cheerfully say that aside from growth spurts (when it was, admittedly, a feeding fest) neither of mine ever fed 8 times in 24 hours

I fed them three hourly during the day, offered a dreamfeed at around 10:30pm then demand fed in the night. This roughly worked out at 6/7 feeds per 24 hours in the early weeks, and dropped to 5 in 24 hours by 8/9 weeks when they started to sleep through till 7am from the dreamfeed. I didn't have supply issues, and they both gained weight beautifully.

Of course there are some babies who will need to feed nearer to the 8 times a day and that will be totally normal and fine for those babies, but for others it's totally normal and fine to drop the number of feeds down, too.

OP bear in mind that your DD is becoming more proficient at feeding, it could well be that she is just taking in what she needs at the feeds she is having. If she was hungry she would soon let you know!

poppydog10 · 18/01/2011 17:34

Mnistoaddictive- not sure how this became all about you. I don't recall you ever telling me anything in the past, and as for " dismissing you again" I didnt do this this time or any other time. I wasn't meaning to scare monger, just drawing on my own knowledge and experience. It appears I was wrong and I stand corrected.

poppydog10 · 18/01/2011 17:38

In addition- surely better to err on the side of caution and offer baby the breast a bit more frequently than to assume everything is ok. Much published info (eg kellymom and la leche league) say 8 times min, and that is what I was going by, and in my training 8 times min was emphasised.

mnistooaddictive · 18/01/2011 18:15

This is clearly not about me but you have to stop saying MUST. This is an issue I feel very strobgly about as you would in my position. I spent hours and hours asking EVERYONE for advice and was made to feel a failure because my child was like the OP. It may be unusual but it is not wrong. As I said above, trying to feed DD more was what stopped her gaining weight as she only ever snacked.

poppydog10 · 18/01/2011 18:29

I am sorry you feel like this MNITA. I didn't mean to cause any offence. I'll try to justify why I said what I said:

Firstly - OP asked whether her dd was feeding enough, this implies she has some concerns, otherwise she wouldn't be on a forum asking for her advice.

I stated that ideally babies should be feeding 8 -12 times per day. Maybe this was the wrong wording and I for this I apologise. However, this well documented feeding frequency. I then went on to ask a few questions to find out a little bit more about her baby and her feeding habits.

I tried to come across quite helpful in my posts, for example suggesting ways that the OP could encourage her dd to feed more often. Nowehere did I say the word 'must' and I don't feel like I was trying to scaremonger at all.

I'm sorry for the long reply, I felt I needed to justify myself as I was only trying to help and I was a bit upset by your post aimed at me. Particuarly the words "people like you..."

pinkyp · 18/01/2011 18:37

Its a shame this post has turned from op asking for advice to bickering of 2 grown woman sigh

Original poster

runnermum2 · 19/01/2011 15:55

I appreciate all your replies. I think the message is that there are no definites and not everything works for all babies.

MNITA - thanks it's good to know that some babies will feed less frequently and still do well.

poppydog - I have tried offering an 'extra' feed these last 2 days if she goes more than 5 hour. Sometimes she'll take it and others she just snacks for 5 mins or less, I think I'll continue to offer extra but not to stress if she isn't fussed.

dietcoke - I think you are right about the proficiency thing. When she asks to feed she really goes for it now with no comfort sucking or messing so suspect she is taking quite a lot more than she used to.

Thank you all for your opinions :)

OP posts:

Acanthus · 19/01/2011 16:00

My first fed 5 times in 24 hours at this age. Grew well, no concerns. My second fed 6 times in 24 hours for a couple of weeks longer, then dropped to 5. Again, grew well, no concerns. They'll let you know if they are hungry, probably by waking earlier in the morning. It's great f they will take a good feed and go longer in between, gives you time for a lfe!

beela · 19/01/2011 16:50

It has been interesting to read this thread because my DS is the same, averaging 5 feeds in 24 hours for the past fortnight, now 14 weeks old.

I try not to let him go longer than 3 hours in the daytime (although he often would) so that he can fit enough calories in, and then he sleeps from 7pm to 5am most nights. If he only fits 4 feeds in during the daytime then he will wake earlier at night and get 6 in the following 24 hours.

He's following his curve on the growth chart perfectly and is a very happy and chilled out baby most of the time, so it obviously works for him.

Mumwithadragontattoo · 19/01/2011 17:14

I too had 2 babies that wouldn't really demand their feeds. I found that generally their weight gain was good if I offered feeds at least 4 hourly; any less than that they didn't gain weight so well. I would suggest offering a feed at 3.5 to 4 hours intervals if not demanded during the day. Mine would usually happily take it even though they hadn't demanded it. You can let them go for longer at night knowing they've had plenty of milk in the day.

Flip