Hungry or bored?

[LaTristesse]

My 12 wk old EBF DS spends practically all day feeding (he's fed on demand, and demands quite often!)
Is he really this hungry or will a baby eat because they're bored (like I have been known to do )?

My eldest son did this. He seemed to feed all day. I think alot of it he wasn't actually feeding but it was comforting to him. He never had a dummy - my boob was his dummy. Your DS is still very little and he will let up in time. Enjoy it while you can - my DS is now 17.

Babies will feed for comfort or from boredom, not just hunger.

The other thing is that the first milk they get (the fore milk) is thirst quenching, but does not fill you up the way the richer hind milk does.

Spacing the feeds a bit more will mean he is hungrier, takes more of the hind milk and is fuller for longer. A virtuous circle, once you get past his first annoyance at not being fed immediately on demand.

If he is crying and you are not sure if it is food it helps to pass him to someone else for a while, like DH/DP/ friend, because they will not smell of breast milk, so will be better able to distract him.

However, feeding patterns will change just before/ during a growth spurt.

Hope that helps.