When do babies start feeding less frequently?

[PickledLily]

LO is EBF on demand, which in practice means erratic feeding times, but at least every 1.5/2 hours. She's 9 wks old. I just wondering when they start feeding less erratically and less frequently, or don't they? I should add, she's a velcro baby :)

My DD still feeds erratically. She used to feed every hour or so during the day up because she slept all night until about 17wks and now she feeds less during the day and wakes to feed at night instead. The amount of night wakings depends on how distracted she's been in the day when she should be feeding. She's 21wks now so we'll be weaning in a few weeks (sob!).

21 week ds still rarely goes longer than 2 hours between feeds, especially now its warm. Oh, and hes also a velcro baby :)

My velcro baby (and his non velcro twin brother) fed every 2 hours through the day (slept through the night from 3-5 months) until about 8-9 months (timing solids was interesting). It did get v regular by about 10-12 weeks I think (very hazy memory) which helped plan outings. Nights are probably another thread... The feeds got gradually quicker which really helped. By 6 months I think it was about 10 minutes.

I think it's one of those 'how long is a piece of string' questions. My DD1 fed every two ish hours till she was about nine months old.

My DD2 is six weeks corrected and tends to go three hours already. (I'm hoping it lasts!)

That frequency is definitely normal, and could continue for many months yet; but may settle into at least a very predictable pattern. Do you wear her in a sling at all? They're lifesavers for mothers with velcro babies (love the term).

My personal experience, to add to your anecdotal collection, Is that DS has only just been able to last 3 or at a very extreme push 4 hours between milk feeds, and that's only now that he eats a hearty 3 solid meals a day, which fall between milk feeds - he's nearly 9mo, which ties in with what others have said.

My 13wo now feeds every 3 hours during the day and every 4 hours at night. I would have never believed that this was going to happen.

I remember posting when she was a new newborn that she was feeding for up to 12 hours some days more or less continuously. After 5 weeks I gave up with feeding on demand. It just didn't work for us. She would snack and feed all day. Also I swear it contributed to her colicly crying in the evenings, as it means just getting the formilk.

I would try to distract her between feeds to lengthen the gap using the dummy, playing, carrier, walks, anything. I aimed for 2-3 hours between feeds and found that if I was strict with myself then that first 'gap' of the day would be the length of the gaps for the rest of the day (if you understand what I mean).Basically if she lasted 3 hours, then she would be feeding every 3 hours afterwards, if I lasted only 1 hour, she'd be feeding hourly afterwards.

Now she feeds every 3 hours almost bang to the minute...luck or design? God only knows.

It varies. Last month he was down to 4-5 feeds over a 24-hour period and eating lots of solids, and now, at nine months, with a cold and more teeth coming in, my DS is feeding roughly every two hours (though he sleeps 10-12 hours at night).

Oh dear, this doesn't bode well!

I was kind of hoping that there was a magical growth/developmental stage that ironed things out; I guess there is but it's called weaning.

GloucesterGirl, I think you are right, sometimes I can distract her, but not always.

Mombo - I agree, slings are great. We are struggling with them in this heat though, and she's started to play up when i put her in as she smells the milk and goes nuts!

So glad to read I'm not the only one!! My LO is 10 weeks & also loves to be in my arms most of the time & feeds every 2 hours during the day if awake. He can go longer if he has a nap & at night he can go 5 hours so I know he can do it...but during the day by 2 hours 15 mins he's screaming the place down & nothing else will do but a bottle. In a way I don't mind as he's sleeping at night for at least 3 hours, up to 7 even (once - heaven!) but we are very active & go out most days. It makes things awkward e.g when he screams during baby massage & I have to stop & feed him as the timing is so difficult!! I get so embarrassed when the others say they give 5 bottles a day at set times & I feel I have no routine at all! We've always fed on demand, when he was BFing, mixed & bottle feeding. Health visitor told us at 2 weeks we just had to 'make him wait 3-4 hours '! But how?? I can't leave him screaming! Any tips would be appreciated! He takes 3-5 ounces at a time & makes it clear he doesn't want any more, clamping his mouth shut, turning away, dribbling it out, so I don't want to force feed him more! Should he be taking bigger bottle now?? Will this settle with time? Sorry, FTM!

Ds2 21 week old feeds every 1.5 hrs and every 2/3 at night.

Ds1 at 3 months fed every 3hrs during the day and slept all the way through.

I'm still hoping for that moment where ds2 will sleep longer

Congratulations on your little one

Ok so we maybe have it good then lol!

Was getting stressed hearing about all the 'routines' & sleeping through the night! Thanks!