B/f questions!
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Category: Have A Baby?
Forum Name: First baby? Second or more?
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Topic: B/f questions!
Posted By: peachy
Subject: B/f questions!
Date Posted: 18 February 2008 at 9:35pm
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O.k, Lauren is 4 months this week and currently b/feeds every two hours and has done for about the last 6 weeks or so but sleeps through at night from 8pm till around 6am with no feeds at all. Sometimes she can stretch to 3 hourly between feeds but its a big ask and I have to use the dummy to stretch her out. Feeding every 2 hours doesn't really bother me at all, but its hard to get anything done. She is a guzzler and I have loads and loads of milk, her feeds only take about 5mins, they always have, so I know she is getting a heck of a lot at each feed, so its not that she's underfed or anything!
Now for my questions!! How long will this go on for feeding every 2 hours? When will she start dropping a feed or two and going for 3 or more hours between? Do I need to introduce solids to get her to stretch the feeds longer? I know switching to forumla you can get around 4 hours between feeds, is this my other only option? I am the last in my coffee group still b/f, all the others have switched to formula and are getting atleast 3 hours between feeds!! I feel like I have a baby permanently attached to my boob!! TIA for any replies ladies and sorry for the long winded essay  ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Replies:
Posted By: cuppatea
Date Posted: 18 February 2008 at 9:52pm
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Ok firstly when I changed to formula at 14 weeks Spencer still fed 2 hourly (that wasn't my reason for changing but thought it might be a nice side effect). Plunket said that once a breastfed baby always a breastfed baby (i.e they will take less formula at the same frequency as b/f).
Spencer only goes 3 hours between feeds now and he is on 3 meals a day, when I first introduced solids he stretched out the one feed, so would have lunch and then go longer before the next bottle but the others stayed shorter. Just to let you know at my antenatal group everyone is still b/f except me, and my baby still feeds the most frequently. It is normal for them to feed 2-4 hourly. I say go with the flow for now, introduce solids when she seems ready and be really happy that you have a baby that sleeps through the night and is still getting that fantastic breastmilk from her mummy. ------------- 
 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 18 February 2008 at 9:53pm
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Hi Peachy, this BF lark is a constant world of confusion isnt it. Tom has always sat happily around the 3hrly mark (even now with alternating formula) but some of my antenatal friends have babies that did the 2hourly feed thing for quite a while and I think it started to stretch out when they began solids....so there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Thats amazing that you are the only one still BFing. In mine we are all hitting the 6 month mark and in the last month a few of us BFers have started introducing formula. I think we have only one that is still only boob but her baby has cut back alot as he is TOTALLY into his solids. |
Posted By: fattartsrock
Date Posted: 18 February 2008 at 10:16pm
How long will this go on for feeding every 2 hours? Babies got through a big growth spurt at around 3 months and it can go on for a while. She will gradually round it out, but first up, and no offence intended here, are oyu misreading her cues? You may think she is hungry and she isn't but will takew it cos its nice and you are offering! Do I need to introduce solids to get her to stretch the feeds longer? No. If you are positve you aren't misreading her cues and she's not bored or tired, you could try makingher wait a bit linger, say 15 mins, then do that for 4 days then strtch it out to half an hour, and so on, so she slowly becomes a clock fed baby instead of demand. I know switching to forumla you can get around 4 hours between feeds, is this my other only option? NO!!!! that is a myth. All babies have different needs and cues. Could stillb e the grwoth spurt. See a lactaton consultant or ask your plunket nurse! I am the last in my coffee group still b/f, all the others have switched to formula and are getting atleast 3 hours between feeds!! I feel like I have a baby permanently attached to my boob!! DON'T feel bad cos you are still b/fing, feel proud that you are doing the best thing you can do for your baby. Ask plunket or ring your hospital and talk to their lactation cinsultant or la leche. And remember, all babies are different! Well done you are doing a FAB job. ------------- The Honest Un PC Parent of 2, usually stuck in the naughty corner! :P |
peachy wrote:Posted By: Bizzy
Date Posted: 18 February 2008 at 10:44pm
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all babies are different, she may prefer to stretch it out or just drop a feed. i wouldnt introduce solids as that will prob make no difference to how much milk she wants/needs. maybe you could offer her a bit more after a feed and burp and maybe a nappy change to see if you can fill her up a bit extra... ------------- http://www.myfitnesspal.com/weight-loss-ticker"> 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 7:34am
The others have given you good answers but to this question I want to say this is such a myth! Daniel switched from BF to FF at 3 months (his choice, not mine). And he was 2 hourly fed during the day on formula until around 5 months, then I got sick of it and stretched him out. Formula won't stretch out her feeds. |
Posted By: Mama2two
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 7:51am
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I b/fed Sam until she was over 8 months and she was always 2 hourly. I have managed to drag out the formula feeds but honestly I think that has more to do with her age and the fact that solids come first than it stretching out her feeds just because it is formula. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 8:01am
Off topic but I just noticed a sneaky little ticker...CONGRATS cuppatea!!!!
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Posted By: porcelina
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 8:10am
Ruby is being weaned as my milk supply has gone splat but right up til I increased the formula she was 2 hourly, my milk didn't seem to last her too long. So you're not the only one!  I too would think that solids would fill up her tum as they wouldn't be so quick to digest.-------------   
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 8:33am
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Yes I saw that too Cuppatea....congrats!!!
Thanks for your replies ladies. No offence taken fattartsrock. I tell ya this b/f can do my brain in sometimes! I can normally tell her tired/bored whingy cry to a hungry cry, but to tell the truth I just started offering it 2 hourly as thats what she was demanding for so long, so I kind of got in the habit. She has become very spilly lately so maybe she is over eating because its nice and comfy on Mummy! Hmmmmmmmm man I though b/f was so natural and easy, I do find it easy now, but that was after 6 weeks of shear hell at the beginning. I can see why people give up so easily, but I am a determined and stubborn person, it will not get the better of me 
I am kind of in a catch 22, do I try and stretch her and have her wake at night for feeds, or continue doing the 2 hourly thing until she drops a feed herself I would prefer her obviously to still sleep through, gives me a nice break and a decent sleep!------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 9:02am
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Do you feed both sides? Maybe you could feed her as normal, then put her down for 5-10 minutes, then offer her a top up (either other side if one side feeding or first side if both side feeding)and see if you can stretch her that way. Even so i would only look to stretch her 15 minutes at a time.
basically at the moment bubs is consuming enough calories during the day to get through the night. By increasing the time between feeds, you may mess with the sleeping through, and I guess it is up to you to decide which is most important. i am amazed that you are the last to be bfing at this age. I know that some see people moving to formula at 6 months (because that is when the advertising hits), but wow, at 3 months in my coffee groups the people on formula were on it and the people on bf wre bf and one was mixed feeding, as all ahd been from birth or the first couple of weeks. -------------  
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Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 9:17am
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Peachy, you may have seen my reent entries on the Oct thread. I have been bfeeding Eva 2 hourly and she has become more spilly and refluxy. I tend to go by the clock ratrher than waiting for her hunger signs. Anyway, I rung plunketline about the reflux and the nurse said that at 4 months, I can be spreading her feeds out more, even up to 4-5 hourly! She said to use distraction techniques and try and gradually stretch them out. I did 3 hourly yesterday with no problems at all, so will stick with that for the time being. ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
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Posted By: sparkle
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 9:35am
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Cooper is 6 months and I still feed him between 2-3 hourly. He's just started solids, so not sure how this will affect his BFs.
And I'm so jealous that Lauren sleeps thru! Cooper has only ever done 4 nights :( Lately the longest he's gone at night between feeds is 4 hours! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: 3boys
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 10:29am
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Hye Peachy - you are doing fab don't worry. My babe is 6 months and feeds more often than two hourly sometimes and he still wakes at night.
I would wait till the six month mark for solids if you can. It is hard to get things done, but I love it cause its an excuse to sit down and snuggle. Congrats cuppatea!!!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: The_Stuarts
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 1:25pm
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Hey peachy. I just wanted to reiterate what the others have said - it sounds like you're doing a great job. If you're still happy breast feeding then keep it up.
I'd put off solid too unless you're certain your little one's still hungry after feeds. We started Michaela on solids at 4 months for various reasons but found it didn't actually make any difference to her feeding times. ------------- http://lilypie.com">   http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 2:53pm
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Thanks for your advice ladies, its very much appreciated. I normally only give Lauren one side at a feed as that is all I thought she needed, she seemed satisfied. I actually never thought to offer both sides I must have severe baby brain!!
Today I have offered her one side then a short break of 10 mins then offered the otherside and she has taken it. I will give this a go for a few days and see if there is any change or increase in legnth between feeds. Guess its trial and error! I think I have also only just relised that she may have reflux. She is a happy chucker though, so I thought she was just spilly, but it seems it may be more severe than that. Am looking to relux now too and she has alot of the symptoms that are on the Crying over spilt milk website so am going to try a dairy free diet for myself to see if that helps her at all. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Rachael21
Date Posted: 19 February 2008 at 8:52pm
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Just another thought whats your day routine like? Are you feeding her to sleep and then feeding her when she wakes? Does she sleep much during the day?
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Posted By: The_Stuarts
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 8:12am
Hey Peachy. I was just rereading this thread and saw this. I was feeding Michaela regularly (just about every hour, I swear we were attached nipple to mouth) until she was about 8 weeks old and a friend of mine said that she was feeding 3 hourly at min sometimes 4-6 hourly so I decided to start stretching out her feeds to 3 hourly and also stopped letting her sleep at the breast. She fell into this routine really quickly but would feed 20 minutes one side then spill then take another 20 minutes on the other side. I got worried becuase the spills where yellow so I rang plunketline who told me that she was throwing up the cream of my milk because she was taking too much. The sneaky little sod had decided that if she had to feed to stay at my breast she would and then she'd throw up to make room for the other side. I have always been pro demand feeding but found that at about 10 weeks I had to change to routine feed and limit her time at the breast (or I might go insane) to my great surprise at the time she didn't mind changing her feeding habits and I managed to get a lot more done in the day and started enjoying her more. Someone else suggested it and I second the idea of contacting to Le Leche league (they have a good website you can use). Also do you have any idea how much milk she is taking when she feeds (an inaccurate way to find out is the express one side while she feeds on the other) ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 8:20am
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Day routine is up an hour then sleep an hour, she cannot go longer than an hour up at a time and doesn't sleep longer than an hour during the day time, whereas nights she sleeps the whole way through.
I have never fed her to sleep, didn't want to ever get myself into that habit. She goes to bed awake and goes straight to sleep with the help of a dummy. I actually got into the habit offering it 2 hourly over summer as I didn't want her to go thisrty, maybe now I created the 2 hourly habit for myself?? Yesterday she feed at 6am and then did not feed again until 10:15am, then from then on it was pretty much 2 hourly again. We'll keep trying to stretch it out I think. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: The_Stuarts
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 8:54am
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How was the spilling after the 6am feed? Did any of the websites help?
I'll say it again I think you're doing a fab job. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: nikkitheknitter
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 9:55am
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Sorry, I didn't read the last few posts but I'll offer up some advice that you can take or leave anyway!
I found Hannah would get herself full of wind during a feed and then would be crying to be fed again about an hour past the last feed
My midwife suggested (this was in the early days) that I burp her about 2 minutes into her feed and then again at about 5 minutes. This meant that she was able to get rid of some of the gas and get a proper feed. She was then able to stretch out to 3 hours between feeds. I also wonder how you are counting it...? (Just curious) as I always counted from the beginning of one feed to the beginning of the next. Even if I was feeding Hannah for about an hour! 
Hopefully you are getting sorted now. You sound like you are doing a great job!!! Well done 
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Posted By: miss
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 10:05am
With this, perhaps feed her earlier than that as if she goes for longer than 3 hours she may then need to feed more regularly to make it up? -------------
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Posted By: busymum
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 8:47pm
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I wouldn't worry about it too much, if she's going all night thru already then she has a lot to make up for during the day! Feeding two sides per feed will be good and I suspect doing that and her just getting a wee bit older will really help the feeds go to 3 hourly. Sounds like you guys are doing well! -------------  |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 20 February 2008 at 9:28pm
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Thanks for your comments they have helped me alot, I am trialling several different things you ladies have recommended, so I will give it a couple of weeks and see how she goes.
I am going to continue b/f until atleast 6 months as that was my original goal, and if its going well, I may even continue to maybe 9 or 12 months. I just wish b/f was more natural and easier!! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: The_Stuarts
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 8:17am
It does get easier! I remember sitting on my bed during the first 2 months bawling my eyes out because I couldn't understand what I was doing wrong and why my baby was always attached meaning I could never do anything else other than sit and feed. Remember although it is natural it's something neither of you have done before and it can take awhile to learn new things. Once we got our routine sorted (which in the end I had to dictate) I started really enjoying being a domestic goddess and I continued breastfeeding until 15 months. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 8:41am
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Peachy, hopefully things are sorting themselves out for you but I remember going through a phase when I thought tom was feeding too often and I noticed on days when I stretched him out a little (usually we would be out an dI would lose track of time) he seemed to feed better, spill less and then sleep better. I vowed to stretch him out to 3-4 hourly. I must have forgotten that soon after but even now I notice Tom is better stretched out a little. He currently feedsevery 3-4 hours ( I never go longer than 4hours except at night).
It will get better....and I'd be voting for the sleeping at night....if you are wanting to try something different, try it on a friday or sat so if she has a bad night DH can deal with it - better get some EBM ready then
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Posted By: The_Stuarts
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 8:45am
I like the way you think nzpiper. I second this suggestion. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 21 February 2008 at 8:49am
| at the very least I found it is better to have a bad night when two parents can be onboard than when you think you need to deal with it all yourself. and on the weekend you can sleep while DH watches Lauren and you can tag team parent |