Making BF feeds longer to reduce frequency?

[Lucy]

Hi

Olivia seems to always falls asleep on my boob after perhaps only 5 or so minutes of feeding. I try to wake her by changing nappy, moving her, blowing on her face etc - sometimes it works and she feeds for a while longer but then falls asleep again. This means she feeds really frequently - does anyone know how I can increase the time she spends feeding?

Also, I keep meaning to ask this as the BF clinic and will write it on my hand so I remember - she does some gulps where her jaw is opening really wide then closing but other times her eyes are closed and its tiny wee nibbles with mostly her lower jaw/tongue almost shaking - is she still feeding during this? I get asked if she's swallowing but I honestly can't tell. She always has her eyes closed when she does this.

Thanks

Lucy

 

[beanie]

When Seren starts feeding she gulps at first when she is gettiong all the foremilk as it tends to rush out. However when she is getting the hind milk she has to work harder so she will nibble then pause for a bit, then nibble. I can sometimes hear her swallow but not always, if I think she is just doing it for comfirt I might take her off but I can't always tell.

As for the frequencies from my experience as baby gets older the frequency increases, and they take a shorter amount of time to feed as they are more efficient at getting the milk. Have no tips sorry, you already do what I would have suggested, but perhaps this just might be the way Lucy feeds? Not much help sorry xxx

 

[Lucy]

Hi ya you have helped -now I know the small shaking stuff still Olivia feeding, I really wasn't sure.

Cheers hun

Lucy x

 

[beanie]

but perhaps this just might be the way Lucy feeds? Not much help sorry xxx

Of course I meant Olivia hahaha, am too tired. Was obviously just to test you, which you did not pick up on *slinks away all embarressed*

 

[Lucy]

LOL - it's ok hun, I didn't even notice!! Olivia woke so many times last night I stopped looking to see what time it was!

Lucy x

 

[Urchin]

Brody also feeds little and often
It's weird Mason used to feed for 30 mins, but Brody has 5-10 mins, then a gap of maybe 30 mins, then another 5-10 mins

As he gets older they are settling down into a bit more of a pattern, and the only real issue I have now is he has got used to feeding a lot in the night, ...now he wants me as a dummy not really cos he's hungry.

 

[Lucy]

Hi Urchin

How do you manage with Brody's short feeds and doing other things during the day? I sometimes have to give Olivia a dummy to get out of the house if we have an appointment or something that we have to be somewhere for a certain time etc and I hate doing it - I often worry that she'll think that my boob has become empty when she has to suck on the dummy until I can get to the place we're going and then I can feed her.

She usually sleeps in the car seat if she's not too hungry (other times she just scream, scream,screams until I pull over and feed her) so maybe if I go on long drives then stop and feed then go on another long drive and stop and feed she'll feed for longer as she'll be really hungry? Hmm might have to try something soon

Lucy

 

[Urchin]

If I need to go out I will offer a feed before I leave, whether he seems to need one or not. That usually works, otherwise I will just have to feed him when I'm out. Luckily if I'm out I'm only really at shops or people's houses so I just feed wherever I am.

 

[*saulino*]

HI

Kiara eats for only 5-10 min as well but eats every 2-3 hours and every 3-5 when sleeping but am not worried as she is 12 pounds 13 ounces now still gaining weight .
Katrina

 

[Rosieroo]

other times her eyes are closed and its tiny wee nibbles with mostly her lower jaw/tongue almost shaking - is she still feeding during this?

Ella does this, it tickles! I often wondered if she was still getting anything or not.

I saw a girl down at my clinic who expresses all of her feeds as her baby kept falling asleep on the boob - so she bottle feeds him. I don't think I could do that for all Ella's feeds!

 

[Lucy]

Hi everyone

Ah well I spose Olivia is part of the little and often gang! Most days she doesn't go 2 hours inbetween feeds unless she's sleeping in the sling or car etc. It's usually typical that the times I need to go somewhere she settles down for a good chomping session!

She gained 15 oz last wk so I know she's getting enough now (very strange tho as the wk before she didn't seem to eat less but only gained 4 oz). However the scales weren't the same ones that she's usually weighed on so I keep telling myself not to panic if it appears that she's lost weight next wk (if the other scales were too generous).

Lucy

 

[Urchin]

Hi everyone

Ah well I spose Olivia is part of the little and often gang! Most days she doesn't go 2 hours inbetween feeds unless she's sleeping in the sling or car etc. It's usually typical that the times I need to go somewhere she settles down for a good chomping session!

She gained 15 oz last wk so I know she's getting enough now (very strange tho as the wk before she didn't seem to eat less but only gained 4 oz). However the scales weren't the same ones that she's usually weighed on so I keep telling myself not to panic if it appears that she's lost weight next wk (if the other scales were too generous).

Lucy

Brody had only put on 4oz in a fortnight last time I got him weighed. He's fine in himself though so I'm not worried