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Infant feeding

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

Baby feeding lots at night, not much in the daytime - is this ok?

6 replies

jumpjockey · 30/04/2009 21:59

honestly, my dd has a new 'issue' every week, sorry to keep enquiring of you all!

She's 20 weeks and exclusively BF. At the moment she's still not sleeping very well, but she does feed a heck of a lot at night. She's in the bed with us after her first waking (anywhere between 11.30 and 2), because it's much easier simply to feed her lying down than sit up and have her wake up fully then be very hard to settle. As a result she's often latching herself on and off all night (I can wake up with her at say 3.30 and deliberately attach her, then wake up again an hour later and she's still there just comfort sucking but probably getting some milk too).

As a separate but probably linked issue, during the day she feeds for very very short times - sucks vigorously for no more than a few minutes at a time then is very distractable and starts looking away and won't go back on. Muslin over the head doesn't help any more, she's now starting to put her hands into her mouth while feeding. She seems to want feeding every 2-3 hours during the day but only for this very short time, it's very hard to get her to feed any longer. I know distractability is quite common at this age, but might she be less bothered about feeding as she's so full after the night?

She's producing plenty of wet and mucky nappies (by heck yes... ) and has put on a lb in the last 3 weeks so I know she's getting enough food, it's just that is it normal to have so much at night, perhaps even in her sleep, and less during the day? I know at some point we're going to have to get things the other way round as I'm not getting as much good sleep as I'd like (though almost certainly more than if I was getting up to feed her in a different room...!). Any opinions from people who know about the relative benefits of day and night feeding? Thanks!

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jumpjockey · 30/04/2009 22:01

blimey, she's actually 21.5 weeks! Where did the time go?!

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StarlightMcKenzie · 30/04/2009 23:18

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jumpjockey · 30/04/2009 23:23

starlight - I remember it was suggested once before. I suppose the odd thing is that it's almost the opposite to that - she's not feeding quickly and efficiently at night but staying on the boob for ages. Whereas during the day she feeds quickly then isn't that bothered any more.

I guess it balances out over 24 hours! she's actually just woken up and DH has gone to see if she's hungry so will have to sign off and catch up later - thanks.

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StarlightMcKenzie · 30/04/2009 23:27

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Alibabaandthe40nappies · 01/05/2009 00:32

Jumpjockey, I started bringing DS upstairs for feeds when he was about that age. We lie down on my bed and he gets in a much longer feed that way. Now that he is just over 9 months his daytime feeds are very quick, more a drink than much else I feel - he only really takes a big feed first thing in the morning and at his 1/2amish wake up.

Not much you can do if she just won't take it, but hopefully if you can persevere for a week or so then gradually she will be taking more calories in during daylight hours!

jumpjockey · 01/05/2009 08:29

she's certainly keen to be looking around at everything during the day.

Ali - that's definitely worth a try when we're at home. Alas I have to confess that when she really really won't nap I often end up lying down and feeding her to sleep (she will do that again at the moment) and if she's really tired it only takes a minute or so to send her over the edge. And then she'll have a proper feed when she wakes up and is a bit calmer.

Will definitely try a quieter place when we're at home, and see what difference it makes. Having her breakfast at the moment

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