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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

How many BFs should my 5mo be having?

24 replies

CoralRose · 26/10/2011 13:55

He's in no routine whatsoever, and now I've started solids I want to make sure he is still having enough milk. He's also been waking in the night alot and wanting feeding, worried he's not getting enough during the day.

OP posts:
RitaMorgan · 26/10/2011 14:00

I think at 5 months (before solids) mine was having 6 in the day and 2 at night generally. Started solids at about 23 weeks, and by 6 months he's dropped one of the night feeds and one of the day feeds, and then around 8-9 months he dropped the other night feed and a day feed.

If he's waking lots at night to feed, it might be that he is filling up on lower calorie solids in the day and then making up for milk at night. Do you always give milk before food?

MigGril · 26/10/2011 14:02

you should offer milk before solids at this age, as milk should still be his main sources on nutrian. Has he been waking more? How much solids is he having?

To much solids can make them wake more at night for milk, but this depends on how much he's taking. Also starting solids can make them more unseatled and make them wake up more, or it could just be a sleep regeasion.

Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 14:38

Always milk before solids. Doing BLW so he's swallowing very little at the moment. Offering fruit/veg twice a day

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peedieworky · 26/10/2011 15:37

Hi - my DS 5 months (22 weeks) but not started on solids yet. Feed when he wakes around 7ish, then another in the morning (11ish), 2 spread throughout the afternoon (2/5ish) and one before bedtime (7.30pm). Reason I seem so regimented with times is he's a sociable wee chap and early on I found he's go hours without feeding in the daytime, when there's lots to see and do & then cluster feed during the night, so I started offering it about 3 hourly through the day and we've kind of fallen into that pattern.

peedieworky · 26/10/2011 15:38

Should say he always feeds both sides (not sure if that makes any odds but just in case!)

pipoca · 26/10/2011 15:51

My DD is 23 weeks and not yet started solids (hoping to BLW once we start). She has a feed roughly at 10AM, 1.30pm, 5ish, 8ish, then at the mo cos she's been ill (coughs and colds) for weeeeeeeeeks now she's been feeding about every 2 to 3 hours at night, so 11pm ish, 2am, 5am then does a big sleep til bout 10am and I leave her to it cos I'm knackered. been trying to up feeds during the day to stop night waking but think it's sore throat/blocked nose that wakes her, plus the more she feeds the more wind she has and she wakes with that anyway......

moonstorm · 26/10/2011 16:00

There's no 'should'. Go with the flow and your baby will tell you.

KD0706 · 26/10/2011 16:02

At 5 mo my DD had about eleven feeds in a 24 hour period! We also did BLW and she was quite slow on the uptake so she stayed at that level of milk till about 9-10 months.

We had zero routine and just fed on demand. But a routine did fall into place once she was eating more solids.

I think it's maybe one of these 'how long is a piece of string' questions, because with bf you never know how much milk they're taking at each feed, and with BLW it's hard to predict whether they'll eat or play with their solids.

lilham · 26/10/2011 16:19

I'm at 7mo and I think I'm bf as much as KD0706. I don't think DD has dropped any feeds. I'm with her that since I'm bf and BLW, I really don't know how much DD is taking in each.

Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 16:24

Ok, thank you. Just trying to get to the bottom of the night feeds, he slept through from very early on until he was 3mo, now I can be up most of the night with him, was worried he wasn't getting enough in the day, but I offer all the time. He only feeds fir about 5 minutes a time, and possibly has about 4/5 feeds throughout the day

OP posts:
Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 16:25

He seems to only be interested when my boobs are full, as soon as the flow slows down he looses interest

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Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 20:42

Do you think my supply isn't enough?

OP posts:
lilham · 26/10/2011 22:11

Ofc it's enough. You have fed him 5mo already. Supply doesn't dwindle off like this.

Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 22:59

What do you

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Original poster
CoralRose · 26/10/2011 23:00

Think it could be? I wish he would go back to long solid feeds

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KD0706 · 26/10/2011 23:09

Oh coralrose I'm convinced your supply is sufficient.
I was actually going to reply to your earlier post about him only liking full boobs by saying he's being a monkey and just wants the easier feeds. And why not!

Are you having trouble with the number of feeds / night feeds he has? Because if not, just stick with it. It honestly won't last forever and if he just wakes up, takes a feed and goes back off to sleep, IMHO you're as we'll sticking with that (assuming you're not cracking up with the night feeds) than spending ages trying to settle him another way, stretch out his feeds etc.

I think he sounds totally normal. And you sound just like me - a total worry wart!! Smile

growing3rdbump · 26/10/2011 23:14

My 3rd baby is 24 weeks. have breastfed up to now, but have decided to slowly wean on to formula. She has started to have a little breakfast with my older dcs and joined them for dinner today too. I need to follow a routine in order to keep everyone organised!
Our routine, is:
7am milk
8am breakfast
11am milk
3pm milk
5pm food
7pm milk
10pm milk dream feed
1 night feed

KD0706 · 26/10/2011 23:18

Wow growing does your dd go four hours between breastfeeds? I could occasionally get DD to go as long as three hours at night but usually she fed every 2-2.5 hours. I guess all babies are different aren't they?

I'm pg with DC2 and I think I'll put in an order for a baby like yours this time Smile

growing3rdbump · 26/10/2011 23:20

Also the breastfeeding is really quick now and it feels like she isn't getting anything, but she must be getting plenty as she is very content and not hungry at all -he's probably very efficient now and can get what he needs faster.

growing3rdbump · 26/10/2011 23:24

Somehow she does kdo! She's well entertained by the big two. She will have some lunch soon at around 11.30 before her nap. I did get lucky this time - she's been the easiest baby so far!

GreenMonkies · 26/10/2011 23:28

The simple answer is; As much as he wants. You're BLW, so he's not going to be too full of solids, so stick with feeding on demand. There is a growth spurt at about 5 months, it's intense, but it will pass. But if he grumbles, pick him up, if he carries on grizzling, plug his mouth with your boob. It's by far the simplest way. Don't bother counting how often, just go with the flow!

Original poster
CoralRose · 27/10/2011 07:11

Thanks Everyone, this is all very reassuring! He's my third, so you'd think I'd have it sussed by now! My other two were going through the night by now, but I guess there all different, just was worried because he was going through until not so long ago. I do worry that he doesn't get enough in the day, the other two are still little so I really need to concentrate on making sure I'm offering all the time, he's so contented during the day he would go hours without a feed. I don't mind the night time feeds, but we've had a few very bad nights and I'm starting to really struggle, lady night wasn't too bad, he woke at 11.30, then again not long after so I left him on the boob all night, just swapped sides when he gave me a kick!

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Original poster
CoralRose · 27/10/2011 07:12

Sorry for typos, on phone!

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growing3rdbump · 27/10/2011 07:44

Also on phone, so please excuse typos.
My dd was sleeping in the night until 4 am from birth (I was totally amazed as the other two had been terrible sleepers when they were tiny). She has started to be a little monkey at night waking up constantly. She isn't hungry, and I think perhaps it's more about the age as they become more aware of where they want to be etc. she will sleep perfectly on my bed next to me, but wakes up as soon as I put her back to her own bed. Could it be that he's just being a monkey too???!!!

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