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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

Feeding every 2 hours - please tell me I'm not alone

21 replies

PDog · 09/04/2010 10:27

Having real problems with daytime sleep at the moment so bought a couple of books to help. Picked one up this morning and now feel totally shite.

My DD is 4mo and feeds (BF) every 2 hours during the day and for an hour/an hour and a half before bed (but then sleeps for 6-7 hours).

Book says that if baby wants to eat every two hours at this age it may be due to improper latch on or milk supply and that I should have stopped cluster feeding at 8 weeks.

I do feel that feeding this often is having an effect on her daytime sleep (or lack thereof) because by the time she has dropped off it is nearly time for her next feed.

I know all babies are different and not "text book" but now feel like a totally crap mum who is feeding when DD is not hungry and trying to make her go to sleep when she is not tired .

Anyone else in the same boat?

OP posts:

confusedfirsttimemum · 09/04/2010 10:32

What book is that? Just remember, your baby has not read the books!

DD fed every two hours until six months, when she started on solids. Over the next 2-3 months her feeds spaced out considerably, and now, aged one, she feeds morning and night.

You will get loads of people on MN who say a variation of the above!

arolf · 09/04/2010 10:33

DS was like this at 4 months, but through the night too... he has never managed 6-7 hour sleeps. he's 6 months old now...

FioFio · 09/04/2010 10:35

This reply has been deleted

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tabbycat7 · 09/04/2010 10:45

DS3 is 4 mo anh he does the same. This morning I have so far fed him at 5, 7, 9 andw 10.30. Sometimes I think just wants a drink or a snack. He sleeps quite well a night too and can go for a longer strtch. If baby's happy, don't worry!

tabbycat7 · 09/04/2010 10:49

I try to feed him before I put him down for a nap too, even if it's only been an hour since he last fed, to try to get him to sleep for longer. Sometimes it works!

Besom · 09/04/2010 10:56

Throw the book away!

Dd always fed every two hours until I started weaning her at 6 months. She only did very short feeds as well (3-5 minutes) but I never had any problems with her weight or any problems with supply.

Day time sleep is tricky and we didn't really solve this with dd until she was 7 or 8 months. Before this she used to have her naps in a wrap around sling and this would encourage her to sleep a bit longer.

Morloth · 09/04/2010 11:28

Chuck the book.

jemjabella · 09/04/2010 14:39

Book sounds crap. My little'un is 5 months & still feeds 2 hourly - sometimes more often if she's bored or she needs a nap.

MamaChris · 09/04/2010 14:43

I think ds fed hourly at this age, and through the night too. It sounds as though you and your dd are doing fantastically well without the book. Bin it.

ShowOfHands · 09/04/2010 14:56

Yup, my dd fed 2hrly day and night until 7 months when the night feeds at least started to space out.

jaabaar · 09/04/2010 14:58

I really think that all the opinions (on feeding boxes, midwifes, docotors, nursers, relatives etc etc etc) are only adding worry.

My daughter I was supposed to feed every 3 hours day and nite! The day I came home from hospital she went to bed at 10 and woke up at 7. I panicked!!!! My God didnt feed the baby, I let it starve etc etc. She was feeding 4 times during the day. I even went to the doctor who finally told me this:

Why do you care about every midwife, nurse etc opinion? If the baby is happy and healthy and puts on weight then let them eat when they are hungry!

I relaxed and all became MUCH easier!

ThatCaramelSweetness · 09/04/2010 15:00

Chuck the book, it's nonsense. If she's happy, then she's fine. ds is the same. No, worse. he's a wee bugger at night, but has gorgeous fat legs and is happy as a clam.

Original poster

PDog · 09/04/2010 18:04

I love MN , feel loads better now thanks.

Don't know why I bought the stupid shite book in the first place (moment of madness obv). Don't like to speak ill of the dead but Baby Whisperer solves all your problems, more like Baby Whisper makes mums feel like shite!

DD is happy and has lovely rolls of fat all over so will trust this in future and not read any more crap.

OP posts:

Besom · 09/04/2010 19:01

I was wondering if it was that particular book!

I had the same experience with it.

Adamsmam · 10/04/2010 21:11

My ds is exactly the same during the day. He feeds for two hours at bed time and has slept ten hours the last few nights! Write your own book cos that's the one your babe is reading! Well done still feeding. It's not an easy task! Xxx

hellymelly · 10/04/2010 21:14

My baby was just like that ,as was her sister,but dd2 also woke up a lot at night.Sounds as though your baby is feeding about right,just that the long night sleep means she has to feed fairly frequently during the day to make up her quota! Honestly if you are feeding on demand then your baby will be doing what she needs to do,ignore books,take your lead from your baba,she know what she needs.

RubyBuckleberry · 10/04/2010 21:16

my ds the same (6mo now)! just started packing away solids and is going a bit longer! sleeping four hours in a row woo hoo!

KKKKaty · 10/04/2010 21:18

My DS has just turned 6 months and has been feeding every two hours during the day, and every three hours at night. I have just started weaning and can feel that he's getting a little less hungry for milk now during the day, but he's still on 3 hourly feeds during the night (if not more, but that's another story). So count yourself as fortunate, and ignore the book. I worried when I first read that book about my DS's feeding, but on the basis that he's happy and fat, what difference does it make how often he feeds.

RubyBuckleberry · 10/04/2010 21:24

if there is one way o stress out about your baby its readinga sleep manual.

dream babies is an excellent book that puts it all in perspective!

NonnoMum · 10/04/2010 21:25

If it helps you feel better, PDog, I think your baby sounds pretty settled!!! (Not being competitive but...)
My baby would feed every two hours or so, then feed for a whole 2 hours at night (yes, it is true, disbelieving HV) and then would only sleep for three hours at a time (and hardly at all in the day)
Once he got to six months (weaning) and now he is nearly crawling (getting physically worn out) things have gotten a lot better.
You just have to remind yourself that it won't last forever and it will get better.
And this was my third DC so it wasn't as though the household isn't in a routine or anything.
Just keep feeding the good stuff, you are doing great..
Oh, and now the weather is better and it is easier to get some fresh air, daytime naps might improve with a walk in the pram??

RubyBuckleberry · 10/04/2010 21:29

my mum said about the crawling too - wearing them out...

and i fed before naps to top him up (cardinal sin i know ) and he took a two hour nap in the morning maybe half the time... (lots of 45 minute ones though)! sometimes he wakes up hungry but if i feed him quickly enough he'll go back down!

solids is making a BIG difference, particularly avocado on toast and fish pie !

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