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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

How long at each feed?

14 replies

amyboo · 07/04/2010 17:59

Hi. I'm currently bf my 9 day old son. He's a big baby (10lb at birth). I'm finding that he feeds a lot - seems to be every 3 hours during the day for about 1 hour each time, and about every 4 hours at night.

I was just wondering if it's normal for each feed to take around 1 hour? I literally sometimes end up taking him off my breast, as he seems to be just comfort sucking. Other times he'll let go, fall asleep, and then as soon as I put him down he'll start crying for more milk and searching with his mouth.

I guess I'm just after some advice, as I'm finding it quite hard going and stressful. I don't think there's any problem with flow or latch... Also, any tips for getting him to settle in the evenings after a feed? Should I really just feed him till he stops - even if that takes 1 hour? Obviously, at night I'm finding this a bit much, when we're both tired....

OP posts:

poppy34 · 07/04/2010 18:03

I feel your pain as was shocked at feedig dd ( sounds very similar as was an hour or more a
time and every 3. - 4 hours). It does get easier but found making a virtue of a necessity (watching DVDs, listening to radio podcasts or audiobooks) made it
more bearable.

Have you thought about expressing a bottle just so dp or someone could do a feed and give you a breAk? That saved my sanity.

It does get better- fwiw feeding seemed
better after a month and by three months was in something that was almost a routine but am sure you will Get to somethig that works for you.

StealthPolarBear · 07/04/2010 18:05

I'm afraid that sounds normal - every 3 hours is good for a tiny baby. It is hard when the feeds last so long.
I have to admit with DS we used a dummy from quite early on, though it;s not recommended. DD didn't comfort suck (as much) so it wasn't an issue. If you're setting yourself up for a feedathon make sure you have the drink and TV remote.
As long as he has wet and dirty nappies and seems healthy, then I don't think there;s a problem

poppy34 · 07/04/2010 18:06

And also re evening dd was constantly hungry then so used to feed almost on the hour from about 6-11 although that did seem to lead to her going longer St night. Also I though dh mad for introducing bath and bed routine early as she wasn't settling in
evenings but this did seem to help in longer term to get her sleeping longer at night and eventually through.

BertieBotts · 07/04/2010 18:12

It is really hard in the early days. If you can just focus on that you do this hard work now, it's all helping to get your milk supply established etc, and in a few weeks it will all click into place and become easier.

turkeyboots · 07/04/2010 18:14

My DD always fed for at least an hour each time. Get settled in front of the telly with food and drink and enjoy the peace. It will get better!

ruddynorah · 07/04/2010 18:18

yes normal. they are supposed to be rather attached to you in the early days. i found a sling a god send. other than that, get a feeding cushion so at least your arms are free while you feed so you can eat, change channel, read, whatever

Morloth · 07/04/2010 18:28

Sounds normal to me (or at least I hope it is). DS2 has fed at least every 2hrs through the day since day one. Often for around 45mins-1hr. He is just napping now and I am expecting him to wake up around 7ish and be attached pretty much solidly until around 10ish.

He is 12 days old now - also a big boy - 9lbs only dropped a little and is back up now.

SMacK · 07/04/2010 18:37

Do you offer more than one breast with each feed? Swapping breasts and back again can sometimes speed things up a little.

Original poster

amyboo · 08/04/2010 09:23

Wow - so nice to know that I'm not alone! In the small hours of the morning, it's easy to think that you're doing something wrong... I'm still having trouble settling him sometimes after a feed - last night was a particular shocker - but hopefully that will get better. I have to remind myself that we're only 10 days into this, and it WILL get easier!

Thanks so much for all your comments and advice.

OP posts:

Suchanamateur · 08/04/2010 10:43

I'm having very similar issues although my LO (nearly 4 weeks) is feeding pretty much two hourly (sometimes less like last night). He actively feeds for about 5 minutes then slows down loads before either falling asleep, getting frustrating and pulling at my breast and coming off or just what I assume is comfort sucking for well over an hour. I've tried switching. whenever he comes off the boob he seems unsatisfied and makes hungry cues - he is also very difficult to settle to sleep (I can barely get him to nap at all in the day). I know I've got plenty of milk (it makes itself known everywhere..) and I'd try to express to see if he took it better from a bottle, but that would mean him being asleep - which isn't very often. People have said he's having a growth spurt but he has always been like this. I'm finding it very disheartening and upsetting that I can't seem to satisfy him. He is doing plenty of wet and dirty nappies so everyone says its fine. But it doesn't feel it at all. I've seen a lactation consultant and been to bf support groups. They seem to think my latch is fine so I don't know what to do. I'm so close to giving up and am struggling to battle on. It is also playing havoc with what feels like quite significant anxiety.

Neeko · 12/04/2010 10:48

Hi. I was having similar problems with my two-week old daughter and we have just started her on Infacol which seems to be really helping. Might be worth a go?

theboobmeister · 12/04/2010 11:38

Of course you are not alone amyboo! Very normal baby behaviour. My DD used to feed for an hour and a half at a time, every 2 - 3 hours!

At this stage they are trying to increase your milk supply to match their needs, and its the suckling (especially at night, I'm afraid) which achieves that. The more you can go with it, the quicker your supply will get up to speed and the easier feeding will become. Lots of us inadvertently interfere with this process in the early days by trying to stick to a routine, restricting the length of feeds or fobbing them off with a dummy ...

Careful with swapping over too much during a feed - that way you can end up giving too much foremilk and not enough hindmilk, so they're not as satisfied. It's best to only offer the second boob if they have finished on the first.

Suchanamateur (love the nickname btw!) - have a look at this - sound familiar?

Suchanamateur · 20/04/2010 10:31

thanks theboobmeister (loving yours too). One lactation consultant suggested forceful letdown, and another slow letdown (the crying is him frustrated). Hard to know what to think. Some of those signs look familiar although he seems to feed well at the first let down which I can feel. Its only after that that he goes nuts.

lovingmy2 · 20/04/2010 11:29

In the early weeks this was pretty much the norm for me and DD but she is 5 months old now and feeding is much more efficient. Never for more than 10 minutes and not as often. Hope this helps x

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