Extremely long BF sessions

[BKflo]

Hi,
I am finding breastfeeding pretty draining and demoralising at the moment as my baby will feed for extremely long periods of time. Today she fed for almost 6 hours with hardly a rest.
This can’t be normal. Is there anything I can check to see if there is something wrong?

[NabooThatsWho]

How old is she? Have you tried giving a dummy?

[makingmiracles]

Hi, how old is your baby? It’s perfectly normal in the early days, it’s to establish supply and is called cluster feeding. It can feel relentless, but although hard at first after 6 weeks it all becomes so much easier and they only tend to cluster feed during growth spurts then.

[BKflo]

She is 10 weeks and will not take a dummy or a bottle.

[ChocolateAddictionIsReal]

How old is she? It sounds like cluster feeding which is totally normal but absolutely exhausting. Baby needs to do this to increase your milk supply especially through growth spurts. Is she having plenty of wet and dirty nappies and gaining weight ok? As baby gets older it will get easier and you are doing an amazing job! x

[ChocolateAddictionIsReal]

Sorry just saw you said 10 weeks. She is coming up to the 12 week growth spurt so this sounds normal x

[BKflo]

Thanks. Interesting about the cluster feeding. I had heard about it but didn’t realise the baby might just do it.

[BKflo]

Useful to know

[ChocolateAddictionIsReal]

Also if you have facebook the 'UK breastfeeding support' group is fantastic- even if you're not in the UK! It certainly helps me keep going when I'm finding it tough

[Poppins2016]

Is your DD actively sucking? If just 'fluttering' or sleeping on the boob, it's ok to take her off without waiting for her to unlatch herself (this was advice that my HV gave me).

Otherwise... It does sound like perfectly normal cluster feeding/growth spurt. It will get much easier soon (cluster feeding usually stops around 3-4 months... my DS was about 12 weeks).

[BKflo]

Thanks all. I look forward to 3 to 4 months. She seems to have had a 10 week growth spurt so far. She’s going to be massive after the 12 week spurt. Eek!

[spugzbunny]

I definitely gets better after around 12 weeks. I started to miss all that time sat watching Netflix with a baby hanging off my boobs! It does get sore though so don't forget you can take paracetamol and nothing wrong with unlatching baby for a break if they'll let you

[chardonm]

It will get so much easier. Hang in there!