Advice re number of bf feeds in a day for post-newborns etc

[hotmama]

All the stuff I have got is re newborns and I can't find info on number of feeds for post 6 weeks. Kellymom advice re newborns is 8-12 times a day - what about after that?

Dd2 is 7 weeks and is demand fed but likes her sleep - so I do wake her - I'd like to know how many feeds I should be aiming for on average?

Dd2 is happy and healthy and putting on weight so I know she is O.K but would like to know how many feeds is average (if there is such a thing) just a security blanket for me. TIA

bump

Sorry, but I'm not sure how many feeds to be "officially" aiming for at that age. Maybe 6-8?

If dd2 seems happy and well and is gaining weight, then just let her tell you when she needs a feed. Having said that, I wouldn't let her sleep for much more than three hours at a stretch in the daytime without having a feed. I wouldn't wake her at night for milk, but would of course, feed her whenever she did wake up. I used this strategy with dd2 and she slept through the night from 10 weeks. She's 4.5 months now and still loves her sleep (bless!). Must take after her mum...

Tbh you shouldn't really be 'aiming' below the 8-12. All babies differ, of course, but at that age they are still newborns really and have minuscule tummies. I wouldn't necess wake her at night, though - sleep is such a precious thing, not least for you...
I sympathise with the security blanket thing - I wrote down how often ds fed for the first 3 months!

I went to 5 feeds a day at 8wks - 6, 10, 2, 6, 10 roughly. But they were full feeds - 30-40mins.

I would never wake ds for a feed (between 11pm-6am), but fed on demand during the day. Probably fed about two-three hourly during the day so during those 17 hours he would have had between 6-9 feeds.

I just fed him whenever he woke up, or whenever I wanted to go out (so that he'd not be wanting to feed the second we got to Tesco's :o)

Hiya Hotmama,
I'm glad to see you're still bfing that's fab. I hope DD1 isn't jealous of DD2 getting all that attention.
I think they're all different I had to wake up Alf to feed him because of jaundice, but he fed for 40 minutes at a time when he actually attached. I suspect your LO is a lot more efficient than that and is probably getting loads, but quite fast, then off she pops for a sleep.
I found \link{http://www.babycentre.co.uk/refcap/617.html\this}on babycentre I don't know if it's much help, but I'm sure you're both doing well.