how long does your 4 month old feed for?

[scottygirl5]

DD2 has suddenly dropped the length of her feeds from 10-15 mins to less than 5 minutes? Is this normal? She is so much more distracted but she is actually gaining weight well, has moved up from on 75th centile to above it. Should I worry or is it developmentally normal to have such short feeds at this age? Have forgotten what DD1 was doing at the same age.

Yeah - normal They get much more efficient with age. Also, the properties of your milk may have changed a bit so she needs different amounts.

It depends! Mine can take 5 min a breast when hungry or 10-15 min when feeling chilled out.

DD is nearly 4 months, and she's done the exact same!

Reassuring, thanks. If you don't mind me asking, how often are you all feeding, day and night?

My DD is relatively small and has drifted down a percentile since birth, so still feeds quite frequently. HV aren't concerned though as she'll be weaning age by the time - even if she falls further- she goes through 2 lines.

I feed her every 2 hours or so by day and she wakes twice in the night (sleeps 10-12 hours a night).

DS (16 weeks) is a greedy little guy and wants to feed hourly. I offer the same breast but he gets really upset so have to swap! He feeds for 5-10 mins max. Far too distracted by his 2.5 yr old sister! If I take him to a quiet room he will suckle for longer and I feel he gets a better feed but that's not often possible with dd around.

At night he sleeps for 12 hours ish, waking twice usually. First time is usually after 8 hours then 2 hours then up.
In comparison to dd it's a shock for me.
She fed like a dream. 10 mins then 2 hours later other breast for 10 mins etc til 3 months then moved to 3 hourly feeds and weaned at 5.5 months and dropped to 3 day breast feeds and 1 night feed (kept that up til she was 11 months old!!)
But she didn't grow the way DS is. He's doubled his weight and then some, into 75th.
And height wise he's grown nearly 20cm and gone from 50th to 99.8 and is wearing 6month baby grows as anything else is too short!!
Babies!!

Every one to two hours Around. The. Clock. His big brother was exactly the same until well over a year old (yes, even when on three large meals a day) so I'm hardened to the sleep deprivation. Mostly.

OP - my 4 month old is the same as yours. I remember it happening the first time around too, but it is still unnerving.

Relieved reading this thread. Ds is nearly 4m and I've been having a few wobbles this week. EBF since birth, never has taken a bottle - tried again tonight (hadn't tried in 3-4 weeks) and again he refused and got upset.

Feeds every hour or 2 hours during the day, sometimes just for 5 mins but sometimes on and off for 15 minutes every 20 minutes. Very bad sleeper during the day. Fussy and not happy if put down. Usually just sleeps in car or buggy whilst walking. Cat naps in my arms with nipple in mouth.

We co-sleep (I've given up trying the cot) and he sleeps v well at night, wakes twice I think, feeds for maybe 2 mins and straight back to sleep.

99% of me loves it. The other 1% is worn out, overwhelmed and wondering why I did this (bf)! I know I'd be gutted if he weaned though.

I have often wondered if I've supply issues or if he's hungry but he's a big buster, piled on a pound each week every week for the first 6 weeks although slowed down now.

Foodie wow! My DD puts on a pound a month! Perfectly healthy though. Just diddy.

I have 2 dd's too squizita and they gained roughly 1lb a month too. They were so petite. Maybe girls gain slower?

I haven't had him weighed since he was 3 months. I think he's long and slimmer now and weightgain slowed right down. It had to, he'd be obese if he gained a pound every single week lol!

Yes I think it must be. I'm quite short and so is dh ... my Dad's family, the women are like dollies so maybe she's a throw back to them? All healthy, sturdy and terrifying little dollies I hasten to add!

Just a thought but could your DD be getting distracted mid-feed? My 4 month old keeps coming off to look around as it's all so fascinating - apparently this is very common at this age. I've sometimes had to retire to a dark room or go Claridges style to cut down on the rubbernecking enough to get a full feed into him!

Just reread op and saw your dd is getting distracted... I read that distracted babies can end up feeding more at night to make up, so they'll get what they need and weight gain will be fine, but it can contribute to the 4 month sleep regression.

Thanks everyone. DD has been waking often at night since 3 months and was feeding fine in the day then. I'm trying to offer it more but given that she's putting on weight like a trooper I'm not too worried, just had wondered if it was developmental. Now the half hourly waking day and night (when she does actually go to sleep), that's something to worry about !

Jess I bought a (cheap) nursing apron for exactly this. It's stupid looking - hangs round your neck - but avoids exposure and distraction.