Breastfeeding

Never Stops Eating

So I know the recommended nursing time is 15-20 minutes... However. MY baby has never pulled off the nipple, except inadvertently when she falls asleep. Sometimes, she falls asleep and STILL won't let it go. I believe I've got my latching issue resolved -- no more painful latch. I worked with a LC a couple of weeks ago, and bf'ing improved to where I'm pretty sure I know what I'm doing... but I'm not convinced she is emptying my breasts and I don't know why. She is definitely eating. I had lop-sided boobs this afternoon after a feed.
I let her nurse for an HOUR on one side tonight, and she didn't finish? She was suckling pretty much the whole time. She spit up a bit of undigested milk onto me after I made her come off. But within a few minutes she was crying again. If I put her to the breast--she will eat. She has never rejected the breast.
I'm so confused. I guess I'll call the LC again tomorrow and fill her in, ask for advice. This baby won't let me put her down. I  even used the bathroom while holding her today. It's getting that bad.
It just seems like all the information about breast feeding times is 15-20 mins. That seems like it would be advising moms for babies who won't eat that long? If I took her off at 15-20 mins, she's just going to cry until I put her back on.
I feel like I'm breast feeding nearly all day every day. I wish I were exaggerating. I can hardly get anything else done. 

Anyone else been there? Advice? Help?

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Baby GIRL born June 12

Re: Never Stops Eating

  • I can't see how old your lo is, but we went through the same thing. I felt like he had no off switch! It does pass though, and before you know it nursing sessions are over by time you get yourself really comfortable. I miss snuggling in for the long haul and watching movies while DH brought me food. Now I have no excuse to not be getting shit done ;)
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  • I see your baby girl was born June 12? So she's about 5 weeks old? The constant nursing seems pretty normal to me. The first month was a exhausting struggle for me and I felt like I was always sitting in the glider in her nursery. We didn't get any kind of rhythm until she was 2 months old, and even now there are still struggles.
    Baby Birthday Ticker TickerMe: 40  H: 38

    ***TW***

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    1 LC, girl 5 years old

    TTC #2 Summer 2017

    BFP 1/5/2018, MC (D & E) 2/23/2018

    TTCAL May 2018

    BFP 9/20/2018, MC (D & E) 11/16/2018 :'(

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  • My DD is a longer nurser and always has been. In the beginning I let her nurse 40 minutes and then I'd pull her off because I figured it was comfort nursing if she was nursing that long. Somewhere around 3-4 months she started getting distracted which made it even harder to tell when she was done. Even now I never really know when she's done so I pull her off around 20 minutes. DD isn't a fussy baby so she doesn't put up much of a fuss when I pull her off.

    The advice I got is all over the charts. Some say let baby decide when done while others say they get most of what they need in first 10 minutes. If your baby is around 5-6 weeks your DD may be going through 6 week fussies which can last from 2 days to 2 weeks. My DD is a calm baby with the exception of the 6 week fussies. She cried whenever I pulled her off the breast and I thought it was because she wasn't getting enough. In retrospect I realized that it was the fussies and she wasn't getting enough naps. Good luck! 

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    TTC since April 2011. DH Dx MFI in February 2012. BFP #1: 7.16.12. MMC dx: 8.22.12, D&C 8.28.12, TTC Again November 2012. DH Varicocele repair November 2012; Repeat SA showed "dramatic" improvement February 2013 (awesome!)
    BFP #2: 3.26.13, EDC: 12.7.13. Anya born December 9th, 2013!
  • that's an awesome website. It actually makes me wonder if my baby is getting enough milk with her latch. I've always thought her latch was correct and she always seems satisfied. My Pedi told me at her 1 month appt that I could start to cut her off at 20 minutes for each side (she used to take an hour total) and I was following her instructions. I wouldn't cut her off if she were actively drinking but if she's just hanging out and snoozing, I'd delatch her when time was up.

    There's a video on that site that shows what happens if only the nipple is latched instead of the areola. The only time I've seen a stream come from my breast is when I'm pumping.

    Baby Birthday Ticker TickerMe: 40  H: 38

    ***TW***

    ****trigger warning****


    1 LC, girl 5 years old

    TTC #2 Summer 2017

    BFP 1/5/2018, MC (D & E) 2/23/2018

    TTCAL May 2018

    BFP 9/20/2018, MC (D & E) 11/16/2018 :'(

  • I agree it sounds like she might be comfort sucking during some of that time, but it is also pretty normal in the early weeks to just nurse, nurse, nurse. It was a big shock to me too that I was literally nursing all. day. long! And that I couldn't put him down. I'd nurse him forever then figure he was done eating and try to lay him down, and he'd wake right up! It took me awhile to realize he was snoozing and suckling much of that time. I don't have any advice except to get water and snacks close at hand, try to snooze too if you can, or just keep a book and tv remote handy! GL!
  • Looks like I have a nibbler! Thank you for the website
    image  image
    Baby GIRL born June 12
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