Increased feeding in 4 month old

[Hardrockhallelujah]

My 4 month DD is feeding A LOT so much so that I have very sore nipples and am starting to dread feeding her a little. She doesn't go more than 3 hours without a feed even at night so I am pretty exhausted really... What else do you need to know? She is exclusively bf. any tips please? I wanted to carry on until 6 months really. Thanks all!

Ok, if your nipples are ending up sore, it sounds like her latch is a bit off. This can happen pretty easily, as they grow, because their position needs to be fiddled with.

If her latch is a bit off, then she won't be getting as much milk as she could get, with a better latch. Are there any BF groups near you?

Is she sleeping near you, at night? Ideally, in with you? That way, you get more sleep.

Thanks for the reply :) She sleeps in a Moses basket next to me. I do have bf groups around so that's a good idea to go there - didn't occur to me... Don't know if it's relevant but she almost pushes my breast away and sucks at the same time - this is what's hurting as well as the volume of feeding - could that be indicative of a bad latch?

Anyone?

My DS fed so much more at 4 months, I felt like it was all the time! I think it's a classic growth spurt age an a reason a lot of people start weaning because they think that milk isn't enough. If your nipples are sore might be worth checking the latch with someone, but if you've been going ok for 4 months you'd think the latch must be ok wouldn't you.

The pushing the boob away while sucking sounds familiar too! I called up the breastfeeding line about that, I'm sure it was at around 4-5 months too. The lady I spoke to suggested it might be a flow issue (it was mainly on one side) and suggested getting the flow started before latching him on, or squeezing milk into his mouth while he got started.

The good news was it was just a phase, the pulling away stopped after a couple of weeks and the constant feeding slowed although for me between 4-6 months it felt like I was feeding more. I'm now at 9 months and because he's on solids it's down to just 4 times per day mostly.

Hopefully someone who knows more will be along soon...

I have had the same thing with my 4/5 month old. Pushing right into the breast and then pulling out while still sticking. Ouch!! She has also been feeding throughout the day and night, max of 3 hours. like a newborn again. Hoping its just a phase too!

Thanks ladies. I will go to a bf group this week to check the latch just in case but hopefully it will just go away by itself shortly. Glad that it's a reasonably common thing and not just me :)