eratic feeding

[Spod]

my dd is 6 months, for the last few weeks, her feeding is all over the place. shes fully bf. she seems to be only feeding 3 times a day plus feeding during the early hours, when shes in bed with me (when she seems to drink a lot). Is she getting enough milk with so few feeds? some days she will feed more... but only up to 5 feeds or so. i know i should probably restrict her feeds during the early hours by getting her back into her own cot but am too tired! she seems to be able to go longer between feeds during the day than she does at night! whats a normal feeding pattern for 6 month old?

I dont think there is such a thing as a normal feeding pattern - over to the breastfeeding experts I think!

Mine were on formula by then - all I can say is they would have probably been having 4 bottles a day by then plus solids. Is she on solids yet?

Maybe you are more relaxed during the day - maybe thats why she goes longer. Def a good idea if you can bring yourself to get her into her own cot at night at least for some of the time - get her used to getting off to sleep on her own.

Thats all I can offer I'm afraid.

Its so hard to work these things out when you're knackered but good luck!

That doesn't sound wildly out, Spod. Probably just 4/day for my DD, too, at that age (DS did a bit more). As well as I can understand the hormones & physiology of breastfeeding, they get the most milk by feeding early in the am, so I would probably let that feed continue for fear of disrupting the whole breastfeeding relationship, but doubtless someone will say they had no problem doing different.

i'm just starting her on solids... mixed results... shes not over keen! She does start every night in her own cot...8.30pm... then i dream feed her at 11.30 and return her to her cot, but after that is not so predictable...sometimes wakes again at 2.30, sometimes 4.30...at latest... I'm just too tired to put her back into her own cot so i feed her in bed with me till 8ish when i'm forced out of bed because she farts and poos herself so loudly! charming isnt it!

i dont know anything about the physiology of bf.... whys early morning best then?

my dd (same age) doing exactly the same - every 2 hours at night but can go 5 hours or so between feeds during the day...also co-sleeping because I'm too tired to stay awake and put her back into her cot.

I am cutting down bfeeds at the moment as I have to go back to work in a few weeks and over the last 4 days she has been taking some (about 8oz in total) formula during the day..and she's going for longer between feeds at night! I don't suggest giving formula by the way..just whinging that she could have as many breastfeeds as she wanted during the day and she didn't sleep, but give her 3 miniscule feeds of formula and no breastmilk and she's snoring away...babies eh?

Spod - she probably is getting so much milk from you at night and in the early hours that she isn't hungry during the day.

When breastfeeding is being established night feeds are important because prolactin levels are higher at night. That coupled with feeding increases milk supply.
Your breastfeeding is so well established now it is just the effective removal of milk really which keeps it going. The early morning feed is usually a good one when the baby has slept all night and therefore it is a 'big feed'.

You have the option here of trying to change the pattern. Do you lift her for her dream feed at 11.30? If so, leave her to see if she wakens on her own.

You can try not to feed her during the night which will make her more hungry during the day.

You could try offering her more feeds during the day (if she'll take them) to make her less hungry at night.

I personally just fed my babies when they wanted it. They all settled out and I didn't have problems feeding all night. You only need to do something about it if you are unhappy. Sounds as though babe is getting enough milk but not in daytime hours