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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Do you feed both sides during the night?

18 replies

sheeplikessleep · 18/06/2010 08:08

My 14 week old DS2 is gaining weight well and EBF. He feeds every 2 - 3 hours during the day (sometimes more as comfort feeds to get him to sleep).

Anyway, during the night, DS2 falls asleep on first breast after feeding. I take him off, upright and wind for a few minutes before offering second side, and he sleepily latches on.

I'm wondering if I'm making extra work for myself - do you always offer both sides during the night? DS2 tends to wake every 3 hours (but can go for a 4-5 hour stretch for first part of night). My thinking is that the more milk I get into him, maybe he won't wake quite as quickly? But I'm starting to think this might be twaddle.

Any thoughts?

Thanks

OP posts:
MamaChris · 18/06/2010 08:55

I used to feed one side during the night (and try and remember to alternate sides next feed). ds was never a good sleeper, but didn't improve when I tried feeding both sides or "dream-feeding". He just had a short sleep cycle and didn't know how else to get back to sleep.

Not sure if that's helpful - but if your 14 week old is sleeping for 3 hours at a time, I'd say that's very good. Maybe just try doing one side tonight and see if it changes anything?

Original poster
sheeplikessleep · 18/06/2010 09:05

thanks mamachris. yeah, i'll try and see if anything changes. do you think 3 hours between feeds is good (i.e. sleeping for 2 - 2.5 hours at a time) for the night time?

i was hoping he'd be doing 4 or 5 hours between feeds at night now, but then ds1 was a good sleeper, so maybe i have high expectations

thanks for posting

OP posts:
MamaChris · 18/06/2010 13:49

I'm that he's doing 2 hours at a time! ds rarely went more than 40 minutes (till about 9 months). So sorry, I can't help with that!

Original poster
sheeplikessleep · 18/06/2010 13:57

blimey, i'd be climbing the walls if he slept only 40 minutes! feels like i'm on planet ga ga from 14 weeks of 2-3 hours sleep max at a time. hope he is sleeping better for you now

OP posts:
MamaChris · 19/06/2010 07:48

Yes, sleeps through now. It's fantastic But with twins on the way, I suspect there may be more sleep deprivation on the way... How did it work out one sided last night?

jemjabella · 19/06/2010 09:12

I only ever do one side at night

Lauracassius · 19/06/2010 10:33

I started doing one side at night then it continued into the day!
Now one boob is empty and one full, been like that for months now. This is ok isn't it???

He is 9 months now, and is always on th 90 something centile so I figured one is enough.

Pingpong · 19/06/2010 10:37

I only ever feed from one side and I'm feeding a big girl (15w)

runnybottom · 19/06/2010 10:45

I only use one at all times (Amazonian stylee!) and am feeding a 9 month old. Whatever works for you.

Original poster
sheeplikessleep · 20/06/2010 10:58

one sided worked well last couple of nights, so i'll continue with it.

congrats mamachris - all the best with your twins, exciting! sure you're due some good sleepers now

OP posts:
helenwombat · 21/06/2010 05:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Pingpong · 21/06/2010 09:20

yes I meant I only do one side day or night too!
What does Amazonian stylee mean ?
I find that if I sit up at night and do a feed she takes more than if lying down so first night feed I usually do that and pop her back in the moses basket but second feed I struggle with (in terms of tiredness) so feed lying down, it's probably more of a comfort thing and we both seem to nod off.

AngelDog · 21/06/2010 20:29

I usually just feed on 1 side at night unless DS fails to go back to sleep, in which case I give him the second. He is 24 weeks. During the day I always offer the second side. He sometimes takes it, sometimes not. Sleep after feeding has been as little as 1 hour, or as much as 9/10 hours so I don't think it makes much difference.

Does he need winding? I found that around 13/14 weeks DS would settle & sleep happily even if not burped. It meant I was up for a couple of minutes less, and also meant that feeding him lying down was an option, as I didn't have to worry about staying awake to put him down.

sweetkitty · 21/06/2010 20:33

No never have unless they aren't settling.
I don't even wind unless they aren't sleeping.

Original poster
sheeplikessleep · 21/06/2010 20:37

thanks so much for posting. i've been feeding just one side and he's sleeping exactly the same (or not sleeping!).

i'm off to bed now, as he was feeding every 1-2 hours last night

OP posts:
Original poster
sheeplikessleep · 21/06/2010 20:38

just to add he was waking more frequently last night, as i've got a very chesty cough, which was waking him. the night before, he slept the same, so i don't think offering just one side has made any difference.

OP posts:
AngelDog · 21/06/2010 21:57

Oh, it's so frustrating when you can't help waking them with coughs etc. DS was a nightmare to settle in the first 3 months, and I had a cold once a month for the first three months. None since, though (nearly 6 months).

Sending sleepy dust for tonight.

TheOldestCat · 21/06/2010 22:39

I tend to just feed from one side too - also tried both, hoping it would make DS sleep longer. But it doesn't seem to make much difference!

Hope you get more sleep tonight.

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