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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

4 wks old eating nonstop, growth spurt or overtired....and pacifier

2 replies

Ele2013 · 07/02/2015 16:46

my dd has been eating nonstop this week as she got to four weeks (fourth day today). to be specific, she sucks on breast for some time (can be 20 min or much more or less) then falls off and immediately or few minutes later (can be even 15) desperately resumes looking for breast. if I put her down she cries, sticks out tongue, puts hands in her mouth. this can last four hours. when she gets on breast she sucks very strongly but not always too long, then slows down and is drowsy.
While I keep feeding her as she demands in order to keep milk supply and assuming that it is a growth spurt, I am beginning to worry if I read her signs correctly. If she may be overtired (she sleeps less when constantly feeding) instead and needs calming, lulled into sleep.
is she better off with pacifier some times and how to know when? she started spitting out more (she almost didn't do it before) as she is in her eating sprint and I don't want her to gave stomach problems from overheating. Can she be overeating?
milk supply seems fine, she gains weight, grows and my breast milk even gets a bit stuck at times, which so far luckily she sucked out. can she be a poor sucker instead?
thank you very much for the advice!

OP posts:
FATEdestiny · 07/02/2015 16:54

She won't be over eating. But she may well be comfort sucking.

The "Voice of MN" will recommend you just let her feed, feed, feed - up your supply and good for attachment parenting.

But there is nothing wrong with offering a dummy/pacifier for comfort sucking. All four of my children have had pacifiers, three breastfed. The baby will let you know by crying when the pacifier isn't enough and she is hungry. If she sucks on the pacifier and sleeps, then she is just comfort sucking and not hungry.

The pacifier gives you a break and helps your DD sooth herself to sleep independently of you.

Artandco · 07/02/2015 16:58

Personally I would just let her feed. At this stage she is feeding more as Obviously wants more. The more she feeds the next few days, the more you will produce, so she will be able to adapt and take more at once

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