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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

2.5 week old constantly breastfeeding

31 replies

FebruaryJuly · 17/06/2021 09:54

Is it normal for 2.5 week old to be feeding constantly (breastfeeding)?

He will stay on me whilst feeding for around 30 minutes, I always wait for him to take himself off and know he is getting plenty of milk because it drips out of his mouth. He does all of the correct sucks and ends with flutter sucks. Once he has come off, as soon as I put him down he wakes up within no more than a few minutes and starts crying and routing again. I will sometimes but rarely get 30 minutes out of him after finishing a feed before he wants to go back on again.

He has slowly been gaining weight but still isn’t back to birth weight, although we are assuming and hoping he will be by the time he is weighed again on Saturday and possibly even already now.

The BF group that I use and have home visits from seem to say this is normal and he is just building my supply up. My midwife, however, seems to think that this isn’t normal and he should be going 2-4 hours between his feeds. She said that he seems to be just snacking and I need to try and prolong the time between his feeds and that I am force feeding him by putting him back on again too soon, which is difficult because nothing will stop him crying apart from going on the breast and feeding. I feel like I am getting mixed advice from the professionals and it’s really overwhelming and I don’t know what to do or if I am doing the right thing for my baby.

OP posts:

LongLiveGoblingKing · 17/06/2021 09:58

No advice because this is my first time breastfeeding but my DC is 3 weeks tomorrow and I am having the exact same issue. Luckily he goes 2-3 hours over night but during the day it can be every hour to constant feeding.
Hoping someone comes along with some wisdom!

Haveyoubrushedyourteeth · 17/06/2021 09:59

I've breastfed all of mine, and this sounds completely normal based on my experiences, especially when it's hot so they're thirsty too.
It's hard going, but I just resigned myself to having days where I literally did nothing but feed. From memory it tended to last a few days of them being glued to me, and then they'd ease off, it continued like that for at least the first 3/4 months.

Geamhradh · 17/06/2021 10:00

Completely normal
Congratulations and snuggle up with your baby and a good box set

Wallabyone · 17/06/2021 10:01

It is very normal, and should settle within a few weeks. My first fed very frequently and lots and lots in the evening particularly. I did carefully introduce a dummy, but you need to keep watching for signs of hunger, especially when it's so hot.

Blossomandbee · 17/06/2021 10:05

You can't force feed a breastfed baby, that's really poor advice you've been given.
Babies don't go by a clock, there's no rule on how many hours he should go between feeds.
It's normal at this age, although it's tiring, he will be building your supply up, plus it is a comfort; he's tiny and new to the world. He could also be thirsty in this hot weather.
As long as he's producing plenty of wet nappies, gaining weight and his poo looks like seedy mustard then he's getting what he needs.

Iso123 · 17/06/2021 10:06

I had very similar with my now 18mo DS, including the speed of weight gain, and my midwife saying feeding should be more spaced, whilst a bf support group I visited saying it was fine. If your DC's latch etc is all fine, then just go with it. I wish I could tell myself at that stage not to stress, as I did worry after talking to my midwife. But my DS just loved the boob and we slowly got into a more settled routine as he grew.

Brenna24 · 17/06/2021 10:09

Completely normal and as your group said, building up your supply. If you look on the la leche league website they have loads of information about exactly that. Your health visitor is very outdated with her advice. They used to say that in the 70s and 80s and a lot of women lost their supply.

My wee girl did it in phases. You won't get much else done, which used to frustrate me sometimes, but I did enjoy ball the excuses for snuggles with her.

otterbaby · 17/06/2021 10:10

Your midwife is wrong and I would recommend using your bf support group for future queries, rather than speak to her. This is completely normal - draining and exhausting yes, but normal! 4 hours between feeds for a 3 week old is bonkers!

You can't force feed a breastfed baby, they will only take as much as they want 🙂

HunkyPunk · 17/06/2021 10:11

My midwife, however, seems to think that this isn’t normal and he should be going 2-4 hours between his feeds. She said that he seems to be just snacking and I need to try and prolong the time between his feeds and that I am force feeding him by putting him back on again too soon

That's appalling 'advice'. Force-feeding indeed! what rubbish.
She might be a very good midwife, but she knows nothing about breast feeding! Listen to everyone saying it's perfectly normal. I always (x3) used to think of it as nature's way of making me relax

Aquamarine1029 · 17/06/2021 10:12

It is 100% normal and your midwife has no idea what she's talking about.

Annehedonia · 17/06/2021 10:13

The pp are probably right in that it's normal etc

May be worth checking for tongue tie. Mine had this and it wasn't picked up at the time so I had a horrible time trying to breast feed.

1940s · 17/06/2021 10:15

The only flag I see here is that baby isn't back to birth weight after 2.5 weeks. The behaviour itself doesn't concern me.

Plenty of wet and dirty nappies?

LlamaGiles · 17/06/2021 10:16

Totally normal, mine was exactly the same. Get some snacks and drinks, settle yourself on the sofa and put on your fave tv. I bet when your baby is next weighed they are over birth weight, mine gained a lot during this phase!

Babyboomtastic · 17/06/2021 10:18

It's really common for them to go a bit crazy with feeding between 2-3 weeks old, it's totally normal.

Llamadog · 17/06/2021 10:21

Hi, I remember this very clearly so it is normal for breast fed babies to feed more often than received wisdom than bottle fed but it’s not ideal that your baby isn’t back to birth weight yet - it has been pretty hot though!! My baby’s latch wasn’t great so it might be worth getting that checked. There are some good vids on line and you could try different position which might work better. I have quite big boobs and remember having to actually squeeze my breast to make it “thinner” so that I could literally poke the nipple into my baby’s mouth to assist the latch.

MrsPatrickDempsey · 17/06/2021 10:24

You have good advice and reassurance from pps - nothing to add there except my horror about the advice from the midwife (as a midwife and HV myself)
There is so much misinformation about breastfeeding. Be led by your baby. Don't forget it's not just about nutrition for him - all of that oxytocin that he gets from being with you is amazing for his neuro development. Enjoy your baby.

BertieBotts · 17/06/2021 10:36

This sounds absolutely fine and normal to me. Your midwife is very old school!

If there are concerns about weight gain then it might be worth having a feed observed by someone who is experienced - your BF support group might have a breastfeeding counsellor or leader or lactation consultant who can do this for you?

But in general this does not sound like a concerning pattern for a 2 week old baby.

Original poster

FebruaryJuly · 17/06/2021 10:42

Thank you everyone, I feel much better after reading your responses! I was feeling like it was going so well until midwife mentioned for e feeding yesterday and that he was feeding to often so I started to doubt myself!

My first born had a tongue tie and struggled to latch for a week in hospital causing low blood sugars and shaking so we put him on formula in the end. Second baby (this little one) has taken to the breast very well and there is no doubt that he is getting lots of milk.

Since posting, he has been sick a fair amount (poured out of his mouth), which he never has done before. Did any of you find this with a breastfed baby?

@1940s he has tonnes of wet nappies throughout each day and night, they started off slow but the last 1-2 weeks they have definitely been more than enough.

He was born at 8lb 1oz
Day 5 - 7lb 5oz
Day 11 - 7lb 9oz
Day 15 - 7lb 13.5oz

Will be weighed again on Saturday which is day 19

OP posts:

1940s · 17/06/2021 11:00

Ok weight trending very well!

Was he c section by any chance?

C section babies infamously weigh 'over' as they've not gone through the canal and retain mucus so I always mistrust their birth weight by a tiny bit!

Original poster

FebruaryJuly · 17/06/2021 11:06

@1940s nope, natural birth. He was born at 40+8 so not sure if that can make any difference xx

OP posts:

1940s · 17/06/2021 11:22

All sounds good to me :)

If his latch is very good and you're pain free you may be able to give yourself a little break by introducing a dummy or even a clean little finger. Babies love to suck for comfort so it can provide short periods of relief for you

User0ne · 17/06/2021 11:37

I'm currently ebf my 3rd DC (and 3rd ebf). What you describe sounds perfectly normal for that age.

Your midwife sounds like she needs training on bf. What she's told you is advice for FF babies and certainly not appropriate for your situation.

Some ebf babies will "sick up" a bit.y dc1 barely did at all, dc2 did loads (was tandem feeding toddler dc1 and probably had too fast a let down). Dc3 is in-between.

Weight gain sounds normal for end. You could try more skin to skin if you're worried. Make sure you're eating and drinking plenty including overnight; they're feeding 24/7 so you need energy 24/7

Original poster

FebruaryJuly · 17/06/2021 12:14

@1940s thank you! We introduced a dummy last week and he often takes it for comfort when cuddled in a breast feeding position for both me and his dad. I think he seems to feel comfortable in that position whilst sucking something even when not hungry, but if we offer dummy and he wants milk, he definitely lets us know about it once he realises he gets no milk from the dummy which is good, as I feel comfortable that I'm not giving him a dummy when he is hungry! When he is satisfied, he will take the dummy and fall asleep, but only if he is close to somebody on our chests. He loves being close, which is much different to his older brother who would happily stay asleep with a dummy whether being held or lying in his crib! I absolutely love holding him when he's asleep though

OP posts:

Original poster

FebruaryJuly · 17/06/2021 12:15

@User0ne he will sometimes splutter and cough as if my milk is coming out too quickly for him, possible why he has started being sick?

OP posts:

CantEnjoySummer · 17/06/2021 13:23

Yes totally normal. Find something to binge watch is my advice.

That's the reason I finished Breaking Bad and my husband didn't. He was at work and I was stuck on the sofa with my boob out.

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