How often should a BF baby feed?

[Missmixa]

I have just give birth to my second child, and this time I am determined to breastfeed as sterilising bottles and making them drove me nuts with my first but I don't know if I am overfeeding him? He seems to want a drink all the time and sometimes he just suckles but it's getting me down as I feel he is permenantly attached to my boobs and it's making me feel fed up of breastfeeding and also not want to go out anywhere as it's hard for me to just stop and feed him with my 22month old daughter with me. I'm not one of those mums that can just sit in a coffee bar and breastfeed even though it's the most natural thing in the world I get embarrased. I have tried giving him a dummy, which I really didn't want to do but he's not interested in it anyway, he just seems to settle if he's attached to my breast. Any tips???

a newborn should feed no less than about 8-12 times a day, but it's perfectly normal and ok for him to want more than that.
some babies will feed every hour or so, some will go longer, many will cluster feed in the evenings.
it's important in the early days to follow his cues and feed on demand to ensure that you establish a good supply.

it is tiring, and can make you feel liek it's all you do, but IMO it's worth it in the long-run. having a newborn is hardwork however you feed them and i think sometiems it's easy to blame breastfeeding for general newborn-ness! if you see what I mean.

anyway, what i am saying is stick with it, trust him to know how much he needs, and i am sure it'll settle down over the next few weeks
and remember that you're giving him the best possible start in life, so a big pat on the back! and congratulations too

hey you've made a brilliant start and it will get easier. feeding on demand is very time consuming in the first 3 - 6 weeks so try to think it will get more predictable after that. Yes babys always attached to your boob,. it doesn't feel practical, you feel like your life has gone BUT in a few weeks baby will probably feed every 2/3 hours and in a few more weeks probably every 3/4. Hang in there.

Thanks guys, you really made me want to persevere and not give up.

Missmixa I know exactly how you are feeling.
DD is now 15 weeks and is ebf, however if she had taken formula at 6 weeks I would have happily swapped. I felt trapped in my home and totally exhausted with her feeding from 6pm to 11pm every evening. Gradually the feeding got further appart, DD more experienced latching on easily and feeding quickly, I now even breast feed in public which I didn't think I would ever do (DD took ages to latch with me waving my boob around and then she would "slurp" noisily).
Please stick with it if you can as it does get better and easier, you will be glad you did. Like you say no bottle to steralise and no formula costs. Good Luck.

I remember feeling exactly the same, Missmixa - but it really does get better!