Frequent feeds

[catwoman101]

My dd feeds every one and a half to occasionally two hours during the day. She is 9 weeks old. She does much better overnight. This doesn't bother me, and no problems with sore nipples, but everyone I say this to expresses horror.

So, if it doesn't bother me, does it matter? I'm not setting myself up for later problems am I? Also, even if it a problem........how would I try to change it? If she wants to feed then she wants to feed, right?

Any thoughts?

Ebf by the way.

Very normal at this age and is not setting you up for future problems. If it isn't a problem for you then it isn't a problem. Both mine had similar feeding patterns at this age and were ebf too. I prefer more frequent feeds during the day and wider gaps at night too. Sounds like you are doing a great job.

Ta primi, good to hear.

My DS is 20 weeks and still feeds every two hours in the day and sometimes at night he manages a 3 or a 4 hour gap but its usually every two hours then too!

Lots of well meaning but annoying family have expressed horror and have spent months telling me to make him go longer but I've largely ignored them!

In particular one of MIL friends told me he was definitely comfort sucking because he couldn't possibly be feeding that often - how patronising! I think after 5 months of feeding I'd know!

I took great delight in telling her that some mornings he'll feed every hour - she was seething for some reason!

My ebf DS2 is 9 weeks tomorrow and often feeds every teo hours during the day. As you say I am not the least bit bothered as he goes down well and for a big chunk of sleep at night - tonight is a record 9pm to 4am. Tell them that more in during day means less night feeds

Yay, we are normal and other people are unrealistic and rubbish. Congrats 2 buttons on your long spell.

Perfectly normal - both mine did this and so does every other bf baby I know. 'Making them go longer' like it's good for them in some way is classic older-generation advice that gets handed down like gospel. It Is Wrong.

I don't understand why some people think there's something wrong with feeding for comfort anyway...it's part of the function of bf :)

I've read in a couple of sources now that in traditional cultures, who haven't had the western concept of 'eight feeds in 24 hours' drummed into them, babies will feed upwards of 20 times in a 24 hour period.

Sounds a bit like my DS... (that's me yawning)

Yep, normal! And furthermore, I personally don't go without a drink myself for longer than 2hrs during the day so I wouldn't expect my baby to.