Is 5-7 mins enough for a full feed in a 5.5wk old?

[Jellybellyrbest]

Hi there! I'd appreciate your thoughts...my DD is 5.5 wks old. She's windy & unsettled at times, but is bright, alert, smiley & gaining weight well. She was 7lbs15oz at birth & at 5wks weighed 10lbs 9oz. Exclusively BF on demand & allowed to come off the breast herself. Offered more way more often than she takes it...Whats puzzling me is the length of her feeds. She's just finished one & it was 7mins. Some feeds are 9 mins. Some are 17-19 & she goes anything from 1.5-3.5 hours between. Reading back, it all seems fine I guess. Just need a bit of reassurance. Also; aren't feeds considered 3hrly if its 3hrs from the beginning if one to the beginning of the next? Sometimes my LO will start a feed eg at 11.00, have a 5-7min drink. At 13.00 she'll have another wee bit, but at 14.00 she'll be howling & guzzle for 12mins so I presume that's her next feed, 3hrs after the last?

If you are feeding on demand, know the cues, and she is happy, healthy and alert and growing nicely don't worry about it. Some people are guzzlers who eat 3 large meals a day, some people are grazers who prefer little and often. You have a grazer.

There's also a big growth spurt on the horizon which may make you have a wobble if you don't know it's coming. She will suddenly start feeding and feeding and feeding and feeding and you'll think you're milks gone away, it's normal. The best way to get through it is to eat cake.

good luck - sounds like you're doing fine.

As long as she's getting enough wet nappies and is gaining weight, then she'll be getting enough milk. I had the same thing - DD2 has always been a very quick feeder and after the first few weeks she would feed for 5-10 mins max, and only ever one side as she was full after that. DD1 on the other hand would spend a lot longer bf'ing - I think DD2 is just a much more efficient feeder. It sounds like you're doing really well.

Hello! I used to get really worried about the length of time my DS fed for. He would literally be done in 5 minutes and I just kept thinking that he couldn't have had a full feed. Well, he is 5 months now and has steadily put on a stack of weight. I have a fast flow of milk and he latches on barracuda style and then goes for it! The best advice I was given was to watch your baby, not the clock. If weight gain and nappies are good then don't worry, you just have a really efficient LO! Sounds like you are doing brilliantly,

Sounds like you have a grazer.

My dd would be done and dusted in 8 minutes flat. One boob only too. Every baby is different I suppose. It never worried me because she was happy, content, putting weight on etc. Shes nearly 10 months now and still only has small feeds.