How often do you breastfeed your baby?

[TheBeesKnee]

And how old are they?

My 9 week old is feeding every 1.5-2 hours pretty much around the clock. Sometimes he goes 3 hours.

He went through a phase of sleeping 5-6 hours but that's gone now.

I had a really hard time getting breastfeeding established so I'm reticent to do anything to jeopardize my supply but I'm finding it difficult as time goes on and I wonder if I'm doing anything wrong?

People are telling me that it'll get better without explaining what that means.

I'd just like to know whether this is how it is forever.

That's normal and you're doing just fine. It won't be forever, don't worry.

It's a long time since I was in this situation as my DC are grown, but believe me it does get easier and they start going longer between feeds.

Hang on in there, you're doing great.

Mine did the same and I felt that all I did was feed until about 12 weeks but he did start going a longer at night from about 9 weeks. I sometimes found if he was falling asleep feeding too quickly he wpuld get into a pattern or feeding smaller amounts more often so at night would feed then change him to wake him up again then feed from the other side and this helped break the pattern a bit and he wpuld go longer. It gets much easier I promise and then it's so convenient not having to sort bottles etc. I read something about them hitting a certain weight and then their metabolism changes and they can go longer, 13/14lb I think and I definitely noticed mine go longer after this x

Really well done. If you can stick with it, I think you’ll be glad you did.

It gets easier as the time between feeds stretches out, and it gets massively easier when they can start having solids and water at 6 months old.

Following as my DS is a 6 days old…currently hanging off my chest and is feeding every 1.5 hours if not more! I don’t know where he is putting it! Interested to see what others say.

i hope it improved for you soon.

It does get easier, but my ten month old is still feeding every two hours at night.

Dc2 3 weeks can go 3-4 hours in the day but lucky to get 2 hours at night. It’s not forever I promise but even though I’ve been here before and know this it’s still exhausting and relentless.

Even if your baby was formula fed, they might wake up that often in the night. And then you'd have to prepare a bottle too!

My bf 9 month has 1 feed in the night and a few during the day.

Honestly? Every time they looked for it or cried at that stage. It’s hard but I found that their sleep patterns constantly change. Try to feed as much as you can during the day so they start going that little bit longer at night.

Although I’m still up 2-3 times a night with my 15 month old because I haven’t night weaned.

@Thelazygardener Absolutely normal cluster feeding. Your baby is building your supply. It won’t always be like this but be prepared that there is a growth spurt at 3 weeks and boy will you know about it!

This is exactly what your baby should be doing. It's crazy, isn't it?! Try to rest as much as possible and enjoy this amazing time. Eat well and definitely make sure you're staying hydrated.

I know it feels completely exhausting but honestly it does get better, and soon they will space out their feeding.

I’m just BF my 9 month old. I BF him to sleep at 7pm and he usually wakes just once in the night for a quick feed, then back to sleep until 6ish. I feed on demand, but I’d say I probably feed him about 5/6 times every 24 hours.

@Pollywoddles @Aquamarine1029 Thankyou both! I’m a FTM so all very new so reassuring to hear and good to know it is normal .My little one was born at 37 weeks exactly and is a teeny 5lb 5oz so I just can’t believe how he is able to put it away, newborns must have hollow legs!

Wow, 5-6 times sounds great! I think I'm doing 15-20 feeds per day, there's literally no time for anything else!

He's currently feeding on my left boob after feeding on the right and then throwing up 😭 what a waste!!

DS is 19 so very longtime ago for me. DS would go one longer stretch from 10 weeks ish. I wrote it all down his schedule was something like :
5- 6am feed
Change
Play
8am Feed
8:30am sleep in pram
10am feed
Play (some times baby group)
Change
feed if not settling
11:30am sleep in cot
1pm feed
Change
Play sometimes yoga class
Walk in pram
Sleep
5pm feed (one breast)
6pm Bath
6:30pm sleep in cot for 6pm

He would normally then wake around 2am.

Sorry feed to sleep at 6:30pm. So 7/8 feeds a day with a couple (11am and 5pm) smaller.

At 9 weeks I was still using nipple shields as latch was problematic, I just kept them in my bra because I fed so often.
Now at 17 months on days when DC is with me it could be 15-20 times during the day. Every night between 4-8 times. I've got an extreme snacker but it's still much easier than the early days.

I don’t know how often but definitely doesn’t go three hours at a time.

I have a ten week old and honestly I’d say the best thing I’ve done this time around (second baby) is not count or time any feeds and just purely feed on demand. It makes it less stressful (even though obviously doesn’t actually reduce the amount of time feeding. Enjoy catching up on tv, reading a book, scrolling MN etc during the many many feeds. It will soon pass and before you know it you’ll be having to worry about cleaning up a messy high chair and kitchen floor three times a day.

Sounds like you are doing a brilliant job.