Breastfeeding on demand - except baby not demanding!

[dailyscoop]

I have a 12 week old baby boy and I'm breastfeeding on demand. Only he doesn't demand very much!

This morning I fed him at 6.30am, 8am and then nothing until 3pm. So that's 7 hours without a feed

I offer more often, but he refuses to latch on and gets upset

He goes to bed at 7 and wakes up once in the night to be fed, around 2 or 3am, so it's not like he's feeding all night either.

I guess he's getting 5 or 6 feeds a day.

He's only been like this recently, for about 2 weeks. Before this he fed more often, around every 3 hours in the day.

He hasn't been weighed for about a month, but I would guess he's around 15lb and he looks chubby, so I'm not concerned about his weight.

My DD was the complete opposite and fed all the time, around every 2 hours thoughout the day and cluster fed in the evening. This is my only other experience of breastfeeding, and as DS is so different I'm wondering if it's normal or if there's something wrong?

My son was like this for a while- midwife said that some babies are just lazy! However, she did say it was important to keep to a regular feeding schedule- sometimes I found myself waking him just to make him feed! I think 7 hours is a bit too long to go without at his age. It was only a phase and he went back to normal regular eating soon after.

I think 7 hours is too long too stoop, but I can't force him to feed more often as he won't latch on. Or he latches on for a few seconds and then gives up! He also gets cross if I keep trying.

DD never said no to a feed, even if it was just for comfort so I find it so odd!

I hope it's just a phase too. I'm worried about my supply.

I hope it's a phase for you as it must be very worrying. Have you tried to take him for a weigh in to see if he's doing ok? Is he still peeing (to make sure he's not dehydrated)?

I'd be worried about that too. Echo the above poster about taking him for a weigh in and some advice maybe.

Could you express some and give it to him in a bottle?

dailyscoop - my daughter can be similar to what you describe. She's very picky about when she'll feed, usually just after a nap but if it's been disturbed or she's upset she won't latch and any attempts to force her really upset her. She went on a full nursing strike for a whole day when she was 12 weeks (now almost 15 wks) which was awful. No advice really, just sympathy as I find it quite stressful sometimes as I know she should need a feed but she just won't take one. Her growth has been slow as well bit she's clearly healthy and a pretty good size. It has been a lot better the past few days and she has fed loads so perhaps it is just a phase.

His weight is fine, he's just grown out of most of his 0-3 month clothes so I'm not worried about it atm. He's going for his 2nd lot of jabs next week so I'll see if I can get him weighed then.

Still getting wet & dirty nappies, I can only assume that when he does feed, he drinks plenty

I can and do express when I get chance, but he fusses with the bottle too.

I wondered whether he gets a bit of tummy ache or wind and that puts him off feeding?

Also I've been very busy in the last week as it's school holidays, and we've been out a lot. He's very distractable when there's lots going on and I'm wondering if he'd prefer to be look around than feeding! Not sure what I can do if that's the case, maybe I need to find a quiet place to feed him?

A whole day nursing strike sounds very scary betterwithcheese I bet you were so worried.

My dd is distractible (15wks) and never feeds well out and about.
We nap nurse together at least once during the day to make sure there's at least one good long feed
However if it was distraction wouldn't he be feeding more at night to compensate? If weight gain and nappies are ok, he seems well, guess it may just be a phase?
Has he had a growth spurt recently?
Dd had a big one around 13 weeks with constant feeding!! You may have that around the corner

My DC2 has a similar feeding pattern to yours, and is only 8 weeks old. However, she's growing well and has lots of wet and dirty nappies so I can only assume she's just a very efficient feeder when she does get around to it!

Yesterday for example she went almost 7hrs during the day without waking for a feed. I was carrying her in a sling the whole time so I know I didn't miss any feeding signals, and she must've been able to smell my milk - I can only conclude she really wasn't hungry for al that time.

DC1 fed 2 hourly for months and months, so I know what you mean about it seeming so odd. I think it must just be the other end of the range of normal behaviour though. This one is far healthier and bigger than her brother was so it clearly works for her!