HOw long do you Bf for? Does LO come off when full?

[Fifilottie]

Just out of curiousity would like to know other's experiences. My 17 week old rarely comes off the breast when she is full, she just keeps comfort sucking so I just take her off and offer the other breast and the same pattern occurs. I hope she is full as she is gaining weight well. I will often let her feed anything from 40 minutes to an hour. i think this seems quite long.

40m - 1 hour perfectly normal. If you're confident each breast is empty before you offer the other one you'll avoid problems like mastitis, and if your DD is gaining weight, plenty of wet and dirty nappies and settling well, then she is filling herself up and happy. Her stomach is still tiny and breastmilk is absorbed very quickly so regular and/or long feeds are normal.

Congratulations!

Thank you for posting this, my 10week old does the same and I was getting slightly peed off hearing about the other NCT babies that same age or younger only take 20 mins!

My DD seems to be able to feed quickly when she wants to, other times it can be 40mins+.

Now my boobs/milk production has settled down and my boobs don't feel so full, I am finding it hard to be sure whether the breasts is fully empty or not before switching.

As DD doesn't come off of her own accord, she will just continue and continue (if the mood takes her) and will often spit up lots - which I presume is because she's taken too much?

My DD does this too and have been taking it as worrying sign of never being full so am very glad to read about other people!

DS2 does the same, i'd rather it was this way, I pull him off after 45 mins if I need to go somewhere. At least I have loads of milk. DS1 only ever fed for 10 mins max, wouldn't feed unless it came out quickly and i never had much milk.

My DS rarely feeds for more than 5 mins at a time, he's 13 weeks. He's happy and gaining weight and won't go on again when he comes off. I think (hope) that I have a fast flow because when I express I can get 4oz in about 5 mins and I'm hoping that he's just as efficient.

Mine (6 mths DS) is definately one of the 'feed forever and then puke the excess' variety. He really would go on all day, possett a bit and then go for it all over again if i let him- greedy boy!!! Dont assume it is a sign of never being full DialMforMother -it is a sign of liking it just a bit too much!!!

My DD is 13 weeks. She varies, the first feed of the day is long - at least 45 minutes (30 on one side, 15 on the other). During the day its usually only about 10 minutes per side. Then towards the end of the day long feeds again, because she's tired and wants the comfort I think. I'm pretty sure she's just sucking and not actually taking anything for most of it.

This is so reassuring. I always got told let them come off on their own but I really think my DD would just choose to spend her whole day and night stuck to me forever if she could

My LO also has a her longest feed in the morning (sick dailu after this feed) and tends to be sick a lot after feeds when I don't take her off for a long time...it just twigged that this must be cos she really has had too much. Always presumed this but was not sure...

Maybe some women can let down milk quickly in a short period of time and others not. Going by my expressing, my milk comes and goes...on a bad day it takes me twenty mintues to get an ounze and a half. On a good day can get 2 in the less amount of time.....oh oh very jealous of women like fiveweeksandcounting. Guess it depends on the baby from the start though!

Cheers all, keep them coming x

14 week DS2 has never let go himself, he will just happily sit there for hours and hours and hours.

If I can I let him but eventually I have to get up.

Thanks so much for this thread! Will find something else to panic about!