Frequent feed habit - draining...

[spots]

I've spent a little while trying to think of the thing that binds together various niggles I'm having with DD (16 weeks) and I think the question for me is this: can a baby love feeding too much? I have been feeding on demand since birth and she's always had a big appetite. Now she's feeding more frequently and I'm not clear on whether she's having an extended growth spurt or is finding a million reasons for feeding. Nights are very bad at the moment and DH thinks I should just always feed her when she wakes, as it's the easiest way to get her back to sleep. But this would mean 5 feeds a night at the current rate. I have actually been doing this, because it's clear that's what she wants, but just wonder how on earth we will ever manage to stop b/feeding because it's starting to become such a HUGE part of every day and night, she's like a 40-a-day smoker! I just fed her for half an hour lying on our sides in the garden, very lovely and relaxed, and thought she'd be happy for ages after that, but no! within the hour, another indication that she wants fed. DH now has her and she is crying. Is this just what it's like breastfeeding a growing baby???

I found that around this time and up to 6 months dd fed less as she seemed to take more. I have read somewhere on mumsnet that bf babies take more around this time hence people think it's time for solids but they then settle down again just on bf.

What about a dummy? Dd didnt need one but maybe yours does!

In a short while she'll become more interested in what's going on and you'll probably find she feeds less.

spots - you have my sympathy.

Ds was just like this. I tried loads of things, in particular trying to space his feeds but nothing really worked.

It could be that she just likes sucking, in which case you could try a dummy (ds wouldn't have one after 6 weeks though). Or it could be that she's a slow feeder. If the latter (like ds) there's not really anything you can do other than give her a bottle (ds wouldn't have one of those either, but in the long run that's a good thing really).

It'll get better when she's on solids!

hercules - ds didn't settle down again and I gave in and gave him solids at 5 and a half months. If I had another baby like that I would give solids at 5 months.

I started my dd on solids at 16wks. Just baby rice for a week at tea time and then after a week she had some at lunch time. this seemed to sate her a bit where she wasn't waking every hour BUT she still won't go all night and she's 7 months old. she still wakes at 3 for a feed.

Babies just love the breast, not necessarily for food but because they love the comfort. Now that is fine if you have the time and are enjoying it too. Try not to offer the breast every time she cries but distract hetr with something else. Even try a dummy if you like. There is no need for 5 feeds a night. Send your DH through to her a couple of times at least. OR take her into bed. Solids is not the answer because I do not believe it is hunger. She just LOVES your boobs.

Could she be relying on the breast to help her fall asleep and thus be cross that after half an hour it's no longer there and she wants to comfort suckle until asleep? Dd1 use to do this and it was exhausting, i ended up setting quite strict feeding times and found that she fed much better and i then tackled the getting to sleep on her own as opposed to using me as comfort and within a few days she was a much happier baby.

spots - my ds has had 9 feeds today, and woke for 2 last night. Normally he has his (tweaked) Gina Ford 5 and sleeps from 8-8. I do think there may be a spurt at this time - with dd we put her on solids but I am not doing that this time. As I have been reminded often here, my breast milk has far more calorific content than carrots, so if it is hunger then breast is most definately best.
Could you bear to try a dummy before offering the breast? It might satisfy her if she is just going through a sucky phase. I did that with dd and she voluntarily gave it up at about 6 months.

spots, my dd feeds frequently too (though not so much during the night). During the day I hold her a lot and I think she just likes to feed because it's there IYSWIM. She often just 'snacks', I think she likes the comfort. She feeds herself to sleep too. Do you find that the gaps between feeds are longer when you're out and about during the day? If so, on those days when you're feeling really drained, maybe it's worth making the effort to take her out somewhere, or (better still) DH taking her out?
Not sure what to suggest re the nights. When dd wakes at night-time I tend to soothe her by feeding her - not sure it is always hunger that wakes her though.

Thanks everyone - I'm just going to have to wait and see what happens when solids come into the picture I think but it's a shame because I don't want to end up resenting breastfeeding. Re. nights - different matter, but she only woke three times last night. DH tried giving her a bottle of water but she hasn't got the hang of bottles and it ended up with all three of us awake (luckily laughing a bit at her grinning face in the dark, all ready for a game.) (which would not make us laugh during the week!)

We will re-try a dummy, but it's the same problem as the bottle really. She just doesn't get it!

it's true, she does just LOVE my boobs...can see kicking the habit is going to be a nightmare at some point.

I suppose it's a question of when you decide to teach them that first fundamental (tragic!) lesson... that they can't always have what they want...

I'm worrying about this myself, spots - dd will have to start going to a childminder during the day when she's 6 months. I plan to bf morning and evening - not sure what's going to happen in between yet.

spots - are you doing a dream feed just before you go to bed - like around 10ish? just wondered if it would help to see her through a bit more. i have started to do this, but to be honest, she is no different. she still wakes an hour or 2 later like she would have done, but my friend swore by this when her ds was a baby. he then went another 5+ hours. i wish. may be worth a try. i am actually thinking about letting dh do one, either on formula or ebm. that way can get a better stretch of sleep. forgot, your dd won't take the bottle.

I think she wants to suck, not necessarily feed. My ds was like this. All babies love to suck but some babies, really, really love to suck. I'd try a dummy. It could save your life!

With the dummy, you could try popping it into her mouth, then immediately gently pulling at it - a lot of babies automatically suck harder to retain it and so 'get' it.

good tip aloha... shall try. HD your dd's feeding habits do sound similar... can understand why the childminder prospect is a concern...

Egypt , the dream feed didn't really work for us either!

If it wasn't for the nights I actually don't think I'd really mind so much. In a way I feel it's so nice to be able to do something so huge for her. But then I think longer term...

Perhaps I am part of the problem!

Spots try the dummy. I found DD would cry when ever I took my breast away and I was also feeding every 2 hrs. Sometimes I would latch her on to stop her crying as nothing else worked.
I knew that DD wasnt actually taking any milk as it was just flutter sucking. I tried a dummy, the best ones I found were angled othodontic ones, the cherry ones she gagged on and the othodontic ones she spat out. It has been a life saver. I thought she would get dependent on it but she hasnt. When she sleeps she spits it out and even though I attempt to put it back in if shes restless she wont even open her mouth for it. My friend wont give her DS a dummy and she feeds him every hour during the day funnily enough now hes found his thumb hes feeding less often, this makes me think that he was sucking for comfort not because hes hungry.

hi i was told that when a baby sleeps its sleep pattern is similar to ours in that they have periods of deep and light sleep. if your baby when in light sleep thinks that each time she wakes she gets fed or just the confort of b/f then she will keep waking. try giving her water when she wakes in the night. Then 'apparantly' she will not be bothered to wake as she is not getting the comfort. my ds is 19weeks and has solids twice a day and a bottle at bedtime the rest of thr time i b/f and he goes 3 hours ish between feeds. good luck