How long does your 4 week old feed for/ go between feeds?

[AldiNappies]

Hello, I have a healthy 4 week old DD. She was 50th percentile at birth, lost weight in first week but was a little over her birth weight by day 14. At a recent weigh in she was still in 50th percentile so all good I thought. However it would be good to get some reassurance on amounts and lengths of time between feeds. DD is a bit irregular. Sometimes she feeds every 90mins, other times she can go 4 hours between feeds. Mostly she feeds for between 10 and 16 mins with the odd shorter and occasionally some really long feeds of 30 - 40mins.

How long do other people's babies feed for/ go between feeds at a similar age?

Have had my confidence knocked today. Thought I was doing just fine but now questioning if she should be feeding for longer and have longer gaps between feeds. My DD was 8 days early and all her NCT counterparts were late/ are being formula fed so I don't have a good point of reference.

Any advice gratefully received. Feeling pretty rubbish right now. Thanks in advance!

My baby fed every 90 mins for the first 8 weeks I'm afraid. Tough but he got lovely and fat!

It’s hard to remember exactly but I’m sure my son fed more frequently then (he still breastfeeds more frequently than other 15mo!). But there is no set frequency/length/spacing as long as the baby is having plenty of wet nappies and is putting on weight normally and don’t listen to anyone who says there is

Thanks for the advice. Every baby is different I guess I'll just keep on keeping on!

Sounds perfectly normal to me (2 DDs both BF for over a year each). I definitely wouldn’t be expecting her to go longer between feeds at 1 month. Or even for several more weeks/months!

I found the Kelly Mom website helpful for reassurance on BF - here’s what is says about the early weeks: Kelly Mom

Think the main thing is: is she gaining weight normally? If so, then whatever she’s doing with BF is almost certainly fine!

I’m formula feeding but my 7 month old still feeds every 2 to 2.5 hours and about 4-5 oz and I know that’s really weird! And a bit of a pain but he ho... when I know 12 week olds who have 7 oz every 4 hours I think

I’ve feel like I’ve spent my whole life feeding ... that said he’s doesn’t night feed since 5 months

At least every 2hours, with sometimes more often in hot weather/evening.

They cant tell the time so dont think "oh 2 hours is up" and like us can be thirsty more often sometimes than not.

I dont think I ever go 4 hours without a drink so certainly wouldn't expect/want a baby to.

My baby is 5 weeks (3rd baby) and what you’ve described sounds same as me and my previous too. It’s still unpredictable at this age, sometimes baby will seem to feed for ages, sometimes shorter. Sometimes wants both sides, sometimes just one. Will sleep for long periods or seen to want a few feeds in quick succession.
Sounds like you’re doing great, just go with the flow and it becomes more predictable and routine comes over time

Every baby is very different; my first would go 2 hours and the second was every 45 mins till about 4 months!!! He'd do classic cluster feeding of 4 hours in the evening when around 4-6 weeks too. But sleep a bit longer than my first.

They also spend more time at the breast to build supply. They also breastsleep which is another way to build supply. The first 6 weeks is all about building supply as this is when certain fat cells are laid down (according to kellymom.)

Basically I find a rule of thumb is to offer boob at every squeak. The eh eh eh and twisting of lips searching for nipple and head bumping is a very early sign they're looking for a feed.

I'd recommend finding a local bf peer support group (plus Facebook group) to visit and chat to peer supporters. The north east has a fabulous network if you're anywhere near there.

Thanks all for the reassuring messages. Has helped to put my mind at rest. Luckily for me she is generally an easy baby and she has put on weight well and does have lots of wet and dirty nappies. I think we are ok, just need to keep on keeping on and not worry about other opinions! Thanks again!

formula babies feed veyr differently, so DO NOT compare yours to them.

I have 3 kids
dc2 fed every 3 horus on the dot from birth. You could set a clock by him, and he fed for 15-20 minutes, but by about 6 weeks he had that down to 10 minutes. He dropped his 1 am feed at 4 weeks.

dc2 fed when she liked. Fed for 20 minutes, took a 10 minute break and then fed again for 20 minutes. Fed anythign from every 90 minutes to 4 hours, never really settled into more of a routine than that. At night she woke abotu 1 and then fed wevery single hour until morning.

Dc3 was somewhere in between

Follow your babies lead, check she's putting on weight, and happy and has lots iof wet nappies

If she has plenty of wet nappies and some dirty ones (some bf babies don’t poo very often), she’s gaining weight and is alert when she’s awake then you have no need to worry. You could take her to be weighed more often for a while if it would reassure you? But it sounds S if you’re doing brilliantly.

Yes you cannot compare bf to formula as it's a wholly biological process. Baby sucking releases all sorts of hormones that do all sorts of thing regarding milk release, boosting supply etc. Dr Jack Newman has good resources explaining this on his website and on YouTube and fb. The la leche league, NCT and breastfeeding network plus Kellymom website are all great sources of info. Or just get the 'womanly art of breastfeeding' book.

It sounds like you're doing great! Definitely no clock watching or timing. You'll know when your baby has slept longer or gone longer as you'll be bursting!

Mine still feeds every 90 mins and 1-2 times at night. He’s six months old.

Dd is 14 days old and bf for 6-12 minutes at a time. Sometimes it's every 15-20 mins and sometimes she can go 3 hours. It all depends on the time of day and if she's having a mini growth spurt.

www.emmapickettbreastfeedingsupport.com/twitter-and-blog/the-dangerous-game-of-the-feeding-interval-obsession