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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

is a 10 minute feed enough?? how do i make him drink more?

56 replies

pogface · 01/12/2005 17:53

My month old ds is quite regular in his feeds every 3 hours, but recently thats been because i ignore his crying and rooting for as long as possible during the day, when he seems to want to feed more often ( i know he can go 6 hours without a problem sometimes so i think the rooting is just looking for comfort). The problem is, he won't feed for more than 5-10 mins and then resolutely refuses to take more and is usually very sleepy. we've tried changing his nappy to wake him up, but this just pisses him off and he will go back on the boob only to chew on it. ive also tried changing breasts even tho im pretty sure he hasnt finishes the first one (a big no-no i know) and he will drink more sometimes but thats probably cos the fore milk is sweeter?
any suggestions?

OP posts:

RacersTheRedNosedReindeer · 03/12/2005 15:34

I agree with a lot that has been said, feeding at this early stage does need to be baby, not time-led. In fact it is still baby led for me but DD is fairly predictable on 3 hourly feeds.
However I do find it handy to note times and duration of feeds. They asked in the hospital for me to write these down and I just continued it at home. This has come in useful over the months as her patterns have changed and I've been able to refer to them when discussing her feeding behaviour with our bfc and just for my own info (to remind myself and DH how much bl@@dy hard work it was in the first few months!)

Twiglett · 03/12/2005 15:42

arrrgghh

I never fed either of mine for longer than 10 minutes ..

maybe that's all they need
maybe your milk comes out very quickly (I used to continue spurting for a while after they unlatched)

just follow what he wants to do .. anything is normal

StarofBethleCam · 03/12/2005 17:04

Definitely let your baby feed as/when he likes. My dd took approx 5 mins at each breast every 2-3 hours at this age and put on 1lb a week.

I liked having a fast feeder.

RacersTheRedNosedReindeer · 03/12/2005 17:11

I bet you did! I spent long periods of time and I'm pretty sure she was feeding most of the time. Now, at nearly 6m she takes about 10mins each side! Still, it's a rest

dottydaisy · 03/12/2005 18:11

personally i can't quitebelieve how SOME of you on this thread have bullied and persecuted this poor woman who quite frankly just wanted some advice! Although i agree with what you are saying, I am a firm believer in its not what you say it's the way that you things! And treat others how you would like to be treated yourself! Bloody KNOW IT ALLS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Twiglett · 03/12/2005 18:15

could you just point out what you term 'bullying' and who you think of as 'know-it-alls' ... pretty please

Socci · 03/12/2005 18:23

Message withdrawn

LIZS · 03/12/2005 18:32

Bit confused by dottydaisy's post too, Twiglett. Pogface hasn't yet responded to advice on this thread so those replying have been left a little in the dark to speculate a little as to her reasoning and how her ds is doing in himself, and have offered their personal experiences. He could be doing fine and taking enough, often enough.

kleist · 03/12/2005 18:52

... just a point ... but this post on here is dottydaisy's only EVER post on MN ...

I can't help but be suspicious when someone begins at thread like this and then never returns to answer any of the responses.

I'm happy to be proved wrong. But I wouldn't personally bother saying anything further until pogface makes her feelings known.

Mimixx · 03/12/2005 21:53

OK, I don't really get some of the posts here. Like most of you, I have read many books, inlcuding Tracy Hogg, and some of her stuff I found useful... pls don't crucify me!!!

My one month old feeds very regularly, and now that I know his 'routine' I can better identify when he's crying because he's hungry or when he is making a fuss for another reason (he doesn't cry much at all, by the way!). He eats every three hours more or less, and four hours at night. I didn't 'train' him that way, he is just very regular and feeds well and for a long time, and has gained loads of weight. I do think that the 'on demand' feeding can cause some mums to get confused about the reason why a baby is crying. Sometimes, my ds just wants a cuddle, not the boob!

PantomimEDAMe · 03/12/2005 22:07

Dottydaisy, I haven't seen anyone being persecuted on this thread. Just people suggesting that when a month-old baby says 'I'm hungry' it's probably a good idea to feed him.

Pogface, not sure why you are ignoring his crying and rooting - maybe you've been given some odd advice? If a month-old baby is crying and rooting he wants milk, and there's no reason not to give him that milk - he's growing extraordinarily fast and only has a very tiny tummy.

As posters have said, some babies are fast feeders. If you want to see if he will feed for longer, you could try tickling his toes or blowing on his face to keep him awake.

HTH

snowfallatxmasmum · 03/12/2005 23:33

just wanted to say how happy i am to see people talk sense and let go of the baby trainers madness.
i never understand what is so bad about 'inconviniencing' the mother for the very short period of time, inrelative lifetime terms, when breastfeedind takes place. what is the point of having children anyway

runs and hides

Harktheheraldcabewillsing · 04/12/2005 00:21

What a Bloody pity that a thread that could potentially be guiding and supportive has become a place of anger and accusation [anger]

Dottydaisy - it seems to me that YOU are the only one who's being antagonistic - and I think bullying by definition is antagonistic!

For what it's worth - I think the contributors to the thread are Know-it-alls... but only because they've all successfully breastfed healthy (and happy by the sound of it) babies! It's a very emotive subject - we all have our own way of responding to our babies cries.

Reading the initial post from Pogface I could only picture the 'crying and rooting' as that of my own baby... My response... Go running to him and lob a boob out!!!

Daisy-person Why???

lunachic · 04/12/2005 02:07

theres no set rules with bf babies somedays they feed all day other days they dont .i am usually in the total pro breastfeeding lobby (the gestapo as someone on here once kindly called us) .however if you are ignoring your babies demands for food are you sure you want to breast feed
i went through a period of delaying ds 1 s feeds but only cause i had very very sore nips

the best breastfeeding advice i was ever given was that there are no set rules if your baby wants /needs feeding then feed it .

lunachic · 04/12/2005 02:11

different feeding patterns occur- when baby is having a growth spurts it will prob feed more often
mine never had any set times or pattern and i never expected them to the best way is to feed on demand
good luck x

sally01603 · 04/12/2005 10:25

My son has been exactly the same and I used to be really worried about it. He's now 4 months and seems to be regulating his feeds all by himself. I'd say go with it and try not to worry.

luciemule · 04/12/2005 10:50

My baby, now 9 months, only fed for about 10 mins at a time every one and a half hours. It was knackering and I was worried he wouldn't be putting on weight but every time he was weighed he'd piled it on. I've recently read and was told by my health visitor that a baby takes nearly all the milk he needs within the first 3-5 mins of feed. However by regularly holding off feeding your daughter, your supply may start to decline so although it's very tiring - keep going and soon she will go longer between feeds. I'm still feeding my 9 month old and I don't feel as though I've got much milk but he's satisfied and putting on weight so I must have enough.

kleist · 04/12/2005 15:25

Yes, but what HAS happened to pogface?

Hywel · 04/12/2005 21:09

My dd is 7 months old and is my first child. I felt that breast feeding has been the hardest (but most rewarding)part of motherhood, purely because of the emotion demands,worrying about everything from weight to wind. My moto was is in doubt feed her!! I was always concerned about whether she was hungry, thirsty, having a growth spurt or just wanted comfort, but my main objective was to have a happy and contented baby. It's still early days in the first month and you are both still learning the technique. My HV put the fear of God in me about timing feeds saying she should have at least 20 mins but my dd never did, she always have about 10-15 mins happily. So I got to the point that I was so obessesed about timing that the enjoyment and bonding time was spoilt. As long as your baby is developing well, putting on weight and is content, assure yourself that you are doing a great job. Forget the time and take your lead from your baby.

TherewasnoMOOMattheINn · 04/12/2005 21:20

this has been a v.interesting thread. I'm actually bottlefeeding but some of the comments on here have made me realise that i think i've been expecting too much of dd who is only 8 weeks. she seems to want a feed every 2and a half to 3 hours and will rarely take more than 4oz. i was getting my knickers in a twist thinking that IF ONLY we could get her to take more, she's go longer between feeds, and I've just thought WHY?! if that's how often she wants to feed then i need to cater to her needs! she's putting on weight really well and is generally very happy and contented. thanks for a bit of perspective

Elf1981 · 04/12/2005 21:34

Pogface posts on the postnatal thread for November that I am on. I've often set up threads for questions I have about my DD and then not had chance to check back for a while.

Harktheheraldcabewillsing · 04/12/2005 23:26

I think it's a well informed thread too Moomin
Apologies for getting hot under the old nursing bra last night... I couldn't quite believe the rude post!

Thanks Elf

blueshoes · 05/12/2005 08:53

Hywel, well said. Throw out the clocks and just go with the flow . Baby knows best what he/she needs and as the mother, you know better than any HV, MIL etc whether baby is content.

Original poster

pogface · 05/12/2005 10:00

Sorry for my absenteeism, DS has had a bad couple of days and I havent' had a chance to check back here. Before I respond I just want to say thank you for all your comments.

OP posts:

Original poster

pogface · 05/12/2005 10:22

I need to clear up a small missapprehension - DS is generally pretty contented, tho i think he has a bit of colic and certainly takes in a lot of air when he's feeding; but the 3 hour pattern was one he set himselef - we noticed it when the hospital asked us to time his feeds. he's like clockwork, and i am feeding on demand. BUT - sometimes he is in pain, i think, and then he roots, but isnt actually hungry - after all, how can a little baby tell the difference between a pain in his tummy/wanting comfort, and hunger? Obviously if he really seems hunger and doesnt respond to comfort in other ways (I have never left him to scream), I will feed him; but generally i can comfort him in other ways; and if i do put him on the boob he just chews it. and i dont think that feels particularly right for me - i find feeding painful enough as it is without him using my nipples as a dummy. I understand people think we should just go with the flow but the baby doesnt always know what it wants or needs anymore than we do, surely? I did look at Gina Ford, as ive said elsewhere, and ive ignored most of it cos i find it way too restrictive and "one size fits all". but what she said about demand feeding seemed right to me.
I also do understand that sometimes he'll have a growth spurt and im really aware of that - the way i'd look out for it would be, he wants to feed more often, and he actually feeds when he feeds. my worry was that he wasnt feeding for long enough, but I do think i probab;y have a fast let down and he is getting quite a lot in a short time - when i express, during my let down it just flows/spurts, i dont really need to pump.
anyway. sorry if i sound defensive; i do appreciate everyone taking the time to reply - its obviously an emotive subject.
P

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