Baby Nursing Homepage

Question: 2 1/2 week old baby nurses for over an hour at each feeding?

(Posted by: Danielle B on 2008-06-03 07:38:25)

I'm having the hardest time with breastfeeding. My son Luke nurses for an hour or more at each feeding until he is full long enough to go 2- 3 hours until the next one. He takes breaks every 10- 15 minutes and usually I change him about 1/ 2 way through if he is getting sleepy. I have plenty of milk and I keep him on the same breast for most of the feeding so he gets the hindmilk. Anyone else have this happen, and if so when do things start to get easier? I'm so tired! Any light at the end of the tunnel would be great.

Posted by: mystic_eye_cda on 2008-06-03, 07:49:17

As a rule it gets easier at 6 weeks, and then again at three months. Have you been working with a lactation consultant. While what you describe is normal for some babies it also doesn't hurt to make sure that he is nursing as well as he is able. todaysparent.com/ article.jsp?content= 1266685 Lactation consultant Diane Wiessinger of Ithaca, New York, agrees. “I once led a meeting where I told the mothers — all experienced breastfeeding mothers — that we were going to write the real baby book, one that told new mothers what they needed to know,� she recalls. “One woman said, ‘New mothers need to know that newborns will nurse every hour.’ Another mother spoke up and said, ‘Yeah, and the feedings will last an hour.’ Everyone laughed, and I think that laughter meant that this is a common experience. Babies don’t really nurse all the time, but it can sure feel that way — especially at first.� She points out that in the beginning, nursing a baby requires intense concentration on the mother’s part. “You’re pinned to your seat. You have to get the position right, and the latch right, and you feel like you can barely move while you’re nursing.� That improves with time, though. “You learn how to read a magazine lying next to you on the couch while you’re nursing, even if you have trouble turning the pages. Then you can hold a book with one hand. Then, later, you can walk around with baby still attached.� Wiessinger believes that counting and timing feedings may only make a nursing mother feel more stressed about what she thinks she needs to accomplish during the day. The reality, however, might actually be quite different since, as Wiessinger points out, frequent feedings tend to be short and easy to fit around other activities. Anthropologist Kathy Dettwyler from Texas A &M University says that nursing a lot is typical of babies around the world. She cites a study done in 2000 that looked at the feeding behaviour of infants aged three to four months in three different communities: families from Washington, DC, the Ba’Aka hunter-gatherers and the Ngandu farmers, both of the Central African Republic. They found that the Ba’Aka babies nursed 4.02 times per hour, the Ngandu babies nursed 2.01 times per hour and the American babies nursed 1.6 times per hour. Certainly the American babies nursed less often than the two African groups, but they nursed more frequently than many new parents expect. ------------ More good articles: Straight Talk About Real Babies Defining New-mom Expectations breastfeed.com/ articles/ newborn-and-infant-months/ straight-talk-about-real-babies-2694/ So I Nursed Him Every 45 Minutes By Elizabeth N. Baldwin, Esq. llli.org/ / NB/ Law45com.html "He Can't Be Hungry. He Just Ate! " normalfed.com/ Continuing/ hungry.html La Leche League FREE in person breastfeeding support and meetings International: llli.org/ webindex.html USA: 1-877-4-LaLeche IBLCE - International Board of Lactation Consultants Examiners Listings iblce.org/

Posted by: Carrie M on 2008-06-03, 07:43:13

Im sorry to hear you are having a hard time breastfeeding. All babies are different when it comes to when they eat and for how long. some babies eat really fast, and others dont. my son alwasy ate so fast that i thought he wasnt getting enough , but my mom siad that i would take well over an hour at each feeding. as long as your baby is having plenty of wet diapers throughout the day, he/ she is doijng fine, just a slow eater. hope this helped, and congrats on your little one:-)

Posted by: Pippin on 2008-06-03, 07:44:37

This is very normal. Young babies nurse long and often because they need a lot of milk to grow, because your breasts need the stimulation to make milk, and because nursing is a pleasant experience for them. (Warm sweet milk, suckling, being in mama's arms, hearing her heartbeat -- what's not to like?) It WILL get better. I can't tell you for sure when, but it will. In the meantime, try to change the way you think of it. Breatfeeding isn't work -- it's an opportunity to relax with your baby, put your feet up, and get lots of rest. Take baby to bed with you and nurse as he needs to. Between feedings, snooze, or listen to music, or watch tv, or whatever you find most relaxing.

Posted by: C N on 2008-06-03, 07:46:19

Yes it does get better. It goes in spurts! I have JUST gotten my 10 week old to sleep after 8 yes 8 hours of almost continuous nursing but it is worth it. She will go about 2 weeks of nursing every 1.5-2 hours daytime and 3-4 hours at night, up to 30 minutes usually up to 10 though. I have found when I take her out (sit with her at her fathers work) she will go 4 hours during the day as well, I think alot of it is comfort nursing ((fine by me... most of the time LOL)) but every 2-3 weeks (4, 6, NOW) she goes 2-3 days of nursing constantly. I believe tonight has been the " "worst " " ever! They say the first three months they feed the most, after that it pretty much settles down! good luck! I am willing to do anything now to avoid switching to formula! not a drop yet!! (((*at 6 weeks once she nursed for a entire TWO HOURS, I watched a whole movie before she came off the breast. LOL but as a bonus, after the 2-3 days of increased feeding I have learned that she generally has about 2 days where she sleeps sleeps sleeps... I am hoping I get that here soon!!!)))

Posted by: vodkagurl74 on 2008-06-03, 07:50:26

I was told by the midwifes when my daughter was born that this would probably continue until the baby was about 6 weeks old and then it gets much easier. At that point I decided to bottle feed as I was worn out after about 6 days never mind 6 weeks!

Posted by: Lynette S on 2008-06-03, 07:52:29

My son used to feed for long periods and very frequently some days were worse than others it is when they are boosting the milk supply. i know it just seems some days like you are just a feeding machine but it does get easier after a few weeks keep up the good work there isnt many people who bother to breast feed there children these days

Posted by: Katie on 2008-06-03, 08:03:26

Keep it up!! i used to nurse for over an hour each feeding..and my two week old daughter only nurses for about 30 minutes..my lactation consultant told me that things will get easier around 6 weeks and then again at 3 months!! good luck & congrats on your baby boy!!!

Posted by: SCB on 2008-06-03, 08:05:59

He is probably going through a growth spurt. He will go through many of these in the first six months but don't worry each one is short lived and only lasts about a week or so. I know you don't feel like it now but you are lucky. Most babies his age will nurse for an hour and then 30 to 60 minutes later will nurse for another hour. An average feeding will last at least 45 minutes to an hour and the time in between will be determined by you childs needs. Best of luck.

Posted by: Beth'sMommy on 2008-06-03, 20:29:41

Oh yeh, thats normal. Luke is just going through his growth spurt. Bethany did the same thing, trust me, those hour long feedings don't last. These days, i can feed my baby in 15 minutes, using both boobies. He's just growing himself. he'll get other growth spurts too. your body will adjust, and your baby will find his own little feeding schedule. laying down to feed him certainly helped me (especially my sore back), or just watching a show, with the volume turned low kept me occupied during those long feedings. just keep drinking plenty of water, and if you like, you should pump some of that extra milk while it's there. in a couple months you'll think its all gone, it'll just adjust to the baby's feeding routine, and you won't feel as full. so pump now. and freeze it, it'll come in handy when you need to hit that spa or go shopping or a movie night.