12 week old baby breastfeeding for hours

[TerryRose]

Hiya I am a FTM and my LO is 12 weeks old . The breastfeeding journey was hard at the very beginning in regards to sore nipples and cluster feeding but I was told she has a good latch and she never has any issues with her latch and I've been lucky as never had any mastitis or anything .

My issues are however that she only sleeps if she is fed to sleep so then she also falls asleep when I fed her so it takes ages but if I try and wake her then I'm afraid she won't get to sleep at all.

Most feeding sessions last 45 mins to an hour and a half and she feeds every two hours or so sometimes even less . I know babies go through cluster feeding and leaps etc but I feel like at 12 weeks she should be a more efficient feeder maybe or am I wrong? Could it possibly be tongue tie or is she just a slow feeder.

I don't mind the long feeds as I am used to it now but I just want to make sure that there isn't anything wrong .

Congratulations on your little one. Yes it's normal. She's probably going through a growth spurt or could be teething but this should be over soon. Wishing you strength and joy and

Breastfed babies around this age do nothing but feed and sleep. They're only awake for a couple of hours at a time, and probably want to nurse most of that. Not necessarily because they are hungry, but because you are the best thing ever. As long as weight is progressing nicely and you have no other concerns it sounds like you're doing super.

This is totally normal, baby this age is likely to still be feeling very regularly ant it's also normal and natural for them to feed to sleep. My DD is nearly 1 and feeds to sleep!

If it were tongue tie, she would not be able to feed for that longue without getting distressed.

I have fed 3 kids. Baby 1 was exactly like this. In hindsight I think I was used as a comforter. He didn't sleep that well - I never cracked proper naps (I was quite anti routine preferring to be driven by him.....and also I was quite keen to do lots so when he may have slept I was bundling him into the car to get to baby groups etc). By baby 3 I had worked out the milk is taken much more quickly. And by having more routine it suited me and baby better. Baby 3 couldn't feed for hours because I had to do school run or pre-school run etc. He slept more than any of the others.

You could try unlatching after 30 mins, pop baby straight in the buggy and go for a walk.....if baby is tired they will probably sleep....then you will know they were using you for Comfort. My first child would have screamed if this happened.....so I think there was.more going on with him either gas or reflux or allergy (which I've since found run in the family and would explain his terrible poos) - and I should have explored more.

Only other thing to say is it will pass. So enjoy your box sets if you are happy to just sit there. Before you know it they will be a 5foot 10inch 13 year old!!

for you. When they are having a growth spurt they feed LOADS to make your breasts produce more milk - we called it “putting in his order”. So he would suckle for ages for a few days, then seem to become more efficient (because I was making enough milk for him), then after a couple of weeks he’d be putting in another order! It drive me crazy, but in the end I would just try to load up with snacks and TV shows and crack on… good luck!

I've just looked it up and 12 weeks is leap 3, with one of the signs including feeding more or longer.

If it takes 40 mins of active sucking I'd say your baby is a slow feeder and that's fine. If the sucks have become butterfly dream sucks after 15 minutes I would stop the feed and try gentle rocking, a quiet pram walk with white noise on your phone, a dummy etc if you want a break.

If my baby is hungry she'll wake up and not be distractible if that makes sense. If she actually is just tired but is full she'll nod off again after the initial hey hang on where is my lovely boob protest.

But mostly I just let her feed to sleep. It's only if I need the loo etc I have to disturb her.

All this is based on having a good latch for sure. Good luck

Probably not popular advice but you can tell when they've finished feeding snd just comfort sucking. I used a dummy for DS , he had it for a year or so, great in the car and to settle himself. Nothing wrong with them. If baby is still hungry they won't settle so will soon let you know. I think it makes them feed better when they do need to. If not this time will pass but you need to look after yourself too

It's normal - for me the time you're referring to when everything calms down a bit didn't really happen until around 5 months (maybe slightly at 4 months) so there's still a bit of time to hang in there.

Probably not popular advice but you can tell when they've finished feeding snd just comfort sucking

I could never tell this from sensation.....I never felt 'let down' or any other sensation. I tried a dummy but my son would never take it. And boy did we try....spat out every time!

@Quitelikeacatslife my public health nurse told me to try a soother as well , my baby definitely comfort feeds ! I tried lots of different ones and she won't take one unfortunately 🙈🤣 thanks for the advice

Thanks for all the replies !!! Really appreciate it. It does sound like a leap for sure and once I know it's normal and not indicating tongue tie or a bad latch then that is very reassuring.