BF baby feeding for long periods

[Nurse15]

3 week old baby and at night she feeds and feeds and feeds - I've just fed her for 1hour 40 mins because she just wouldn't stop. Fed from both sides and burped and now won't settle and appears still hungry. Please tell me it gets better. She is waking ever 1.5 hours to feed and the feed is taking at least an hour so I am totally exhausted.

Congrats on your newborn!

Cluster feeding is normal at this age - especially in the evenings and at night - it's how babies boost your prolactin (the hormone responsible for milk production). I always (safely) co-slept with my two so that they had access to the boob at night and I could doze while they fed.

You should hopefully notice her going longer between feeds soon (with a blip at the 6 week growth spurt!).

We had an insane increase in feeds for a couple of days around the two week mark and the three week mark. It was DS trying to increase my supply. He fed like crazy for 2-3 days; I cried because I thought it was clearly something wrong and I was exhausted; then he just switched back to every 3h feeds and I woke up rested and engorged.

Having said that, I would get your baby's weight checked regularly just to see if she's getting enough. If she's gaining weight well, I hope you manage to relax, get a couple of box sets or a good book, settle on the sofa and find someone to fetch you loads of food and iced water

Aha. I remember those days, my daughter use to do that when she was newborn. It gets better & feeds will soon become shorter and more spaced apart as she gets older.

Congratulations, enjoy the newborn stage while you can

Feed lying down! It's a godsend. Ask at local breastfeeding group about it, they can advise how to do it safely. Congrats on your new baby!

It does get better but the early few weeks there are loads of cluster feeds and growth spurts.

I really didn't want to get in the habit of lying down for fear this would start things off the wrong way- once I got over this and tried it I wish I'd done it earlier. You may not sleep whilst doing this but you'll feel much more rested.

Yep, feeding lying down and dozing is the only way. DS is currently in a pattern of non-stop feeding 10pm-3am ish (I then get a 3hr break for proper sleep) and if I wasn't co-sleeping for the first part of the night I would survive!

Lots of people will tell you this is normal but I don't think it necessarily is. My DS was spending hours and hours feeding, and it turned out he had tongue tie. I suggest you go to a breastfeeding drop-in or find a lactation consultant to do a proper tongue tie assessment with your DD. (Midwives and health visitors aren't trained on tongue tie, and very rarely spot it.) If it's not tongue tie they will still be able to give you help and advice to make feeding as easy as possible.

Yeah very normal!!! I had to co sleep with my youngest coz he did this. I actually think he fed all night in his sleep!!!! It doesn't get better but you get used to it. You have a different kind of light sleep than without a baby. It is much easier than having to make a bottle up in the middle of the night. I loved all the warm cuddles. I only weaned him at night when he turned two.

I agree with name change, my little boy was feeding fir over an hour at a time, would be satisfied for a very short time and then look to feed again. Seems he was only nipple feeding really as although he would match beautifully he slipped back and would then chimp on the nipple. We're being treated for a tongue tie this week and hoping things improve. I would advise to get checked by a proper lactation consultant just to be sure.