13 weeks, BF 2hourly-normal?

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Hoping for reassurance!

DS is nearly 14 weeks, exclusively BF and is feeding 2 hourly on demand around the clock, sometimes its even hourly

He's an effective feeder and his weight has been dead on the 25th centile since birth

Everything I hear suggests he should be able to go longer? The nights are a nightmare but iv posted about that before :( my mum thinks im starving him and should start giving him solids but there is no way im doing that

Would love to hear that he's normal and that I should just go with what he demands!

It's normal. Like you, with my first I couldn't believe it was normal, and ended up stopping bf DS1 at 7 weeks as I thought he was starving. With DS2 I was much more prepared for reality, and am still bf at 19 weeks,and intending to continue. It is still doing my head in though. dH gave him a bottle on Xmas day as I needed to cook the lunch, and it was bliss. Having a baby who can be fed quickly by other people is great. Bf does feel a bit like martyrdom at times.

Ps, I've just started him on some fruiting veg purees. It's made him a bit more content in the say (still doing the same number of feeds though), but has made no difference at night.

Totally normal. Both of mine were/are like this. DS1 was one to two hourly around the clock until he was 14 months old (plus three meals and snacks a day, so don't assume weaning will help) at which time I cracked and night weaned him. His last remaining feed lasted for a full hour at four a.m. so that got the heave-ho at 17 months.

DS2 is now 23 weeks and just as voracious. He even uses a dummy, which DS1 never did, so it's not like it's just a comfort suck. Full, gulping, both-sided feeds every one- to two-hourly. I have no sympathy for him when he hurks a bit up again, little piggy

Yep perfectly normal - ds started going longer overnight at about 18-20 weeks I think. I think some babies just have higher metabolism than others and need to feed more frequently. HV advised giving him a formula feed before bed but I wish I hadn't because it made no difference whatsoever and then I found out formula doesn't take much longer to digest. Now he still has a feed at night but goes about 6 hours before he has it.

We've just started solids with ds at 27 weeks and I'm glad I waited.

Don't let anyone force you to do anything you don't want to as it might not make a difference anyway and Make the most of BF - ds started refusing breast over Xmas when he was ill and I really want to carry on.

Totally normal - sorry - especially with all those growth spurts. Hopefully it will be a spurt that settles. Also all the baby rices, purees etc actually have very few calories in them so are never as filling as milk. I found this helpful as a way to bat off those helpful suggestions from my DM and MIL. Have you tried feeding lying down? In the day time I used to do this on our bed (no covers, pillows etc near baby) so I could catch some sleep. Can you attach the cot to your bed - anything and everything to give you maximum sleep. When my dd was 6mth we then coslept so she could help herself. Also I used to make a tray of snacks and take a flask to bed so I could sleep and snack. You're doing a great job xxx

God, don't give him solids.

It's normal. Mine all did 2 hourly feeds to about 6 months. It's knackering, but normal. BM digests fast.

I'd just like to point out that it is not normal for everyone.

I realise this doesn't help you OP, 2 hourly feeds do happen with ebf babies, but for the benefit of those who might read this thread for information when trying to decide to breastfeed - the above posts are not always the case so please don't let that out you off!

My Daughter - my fourth child - was feeding 4 hourly mostly, occasionally 3 hourly for the first 8 weeks. Then from 8 weeks she was sleeping 11pm-7am or 8am without waking or feeding. Only at that point did breastfeeds become 2 hourly. Just through the daytime though.

Having said that my DC1 and DC2 were nightmare 2 hourly feeders around the clock.

I've either got a joy of a fourth child or (more likely I suspect) I am more confident generally and have some experience behind me.

FATE - I don't think anyone is saying that normal = every baby will do it.

It's normal. Everyone is being totally accurate when they say it's normal. It's just not inevitable. There is a spectrum of normal for most things related to babies, and this is well within normal for a three month old EBF baby. Just as if someone came on and said 'my baby feeds every 3.5 hours and sleeps for 9 hours at night' we would say 'lucky you, but yes, that's unusual but normal'

Just to clarify my baby did this during growth spurts - these would last a few days to a week - aside from that overnight she would feed at 11, 1 and 5/6. Also a bottle fed baby will have growth spurts too and will be up just as much. I was not a breastfeeding advocate particularly but I am now - the times I had to express and so had to wash and sterilise bottles was so much work in comparison - and being out with friends or at groups was so much easier - no heat and cooling bottles. We travelled a lot between houses on a weekend and it was so much easier. I'd love another baby and I'd work my arse off to make breastfeeding work. It's hard. And then it's soooo much easier. X

Yep - this is on the normal spectrum.

His weight and growth are normal, so there is no possibility he is starving.

There are prob ways to make night times easier.

It is easier to change expectations and change the way you 'manage' things ( by getting help and support with other things you have to do) than to change the normal needs of a baby of three months :)

Just wanted to add that solids can disrupt sleep too

My DD who is 12 weeks feed every 1.5-2 hours during the day...and at night until VERY recently (don't want to jinx it!). I really struggled with the concept that although she feeds often, she is getting enough, and at so many points I thought about pa cking it in. I even introduced a bottle of formula at bedtime in a vain attempt to increase her sleeping. I have just stopped doing this and she sleeps just as long now without it so will stop the formula.

It's only really now that I'm becoming confident with feeding, and although I'm really pleased I stick at it I totally and sympathise with you. I also hav a DM

Oops sent to quickly...I also have a DM and MIL who think putting her onto formula will solve all problems X

I had a two hourly feeder also!
agree its normal. mine is between 9th and 25th centile.

when he got to 6 months he sometimes went 3 hours. now 7.5 months and on solids to and still only really goes 3 hrs. he can go longer if he is alseep.
he doesnt go longer than 4 hours at night either (sorry!) and usually wakes at least twice in the night.
im considering trying to train him to go longer at night in the next month or so.

Both my DS fed two hourly day and night. I was on my knees at three months so switched to formula each time.....instant improvement, much more sleep.

Totally normal and nothing to do with needing solids. Most breastfed babies to this. My DS was particularly bad from around 12-17 weeks and fed hourly. It will settle down as he gets older.