Need help for comfort nurser- also posted on 0-6 board

montanabanana

I am so lost as to what to do about this. Our son just wants to comfort nurse so much. He is already very big for his age so, he is definetly getting enough food. For him to fall asleep, he has to nurse. He can't be awake and happy for that long of a time without nursing. It's hard to go places if he's awake because when he's awake, he ends up wanting to just nurse and nurse. Any time he starts to get tired, he also just wants to nurse.

I love nursing him and I'm thankful that he's a healthy boy but, I can't live my life with him just attached to me all the time. Also, he won't take a pacifier & I've tried a few different kinds. It seems like all I do is nurse. When we go to church or someones home and he's awake, I just end up nursing almost the entire time. What can I do about this? I can't just let him cry!

marrymemylove

He's SIX weeks old. If you were not nursing roughly round the clock I'd think you were very odd.?

Sure he's comfort nursing so what? That's what babies do. ?

montanabanana

I guess I just find it embarrassing that all he wants to do is nurse and he's such a big boy already. He was 10lbs 9oz at his 3 week appt! When I'm around other moms and babies, it seems like their babies nurse and then they're content. But, my little guy just wants to keep on going and going...... and then take a break and then nurse more. I just hope it's not a really bad habit that we're developing.

jptimestwo

DS did the same exact thing.  As long as I was home with him (until he was 4 months old) he basically nursed every 1.5 to 2 hours.  When he was real little, like your LO he would nurse every 30 min in the evenings (cluster feeding).  DS is now 10.5 months old, and I can hardley get him to stay still long enough to get a "real" feeding. 

If your DS wants to nurse, let him.  Enjoy that you have the opportunity to do something for him that NOONE else in the world can.  I know it is trying at times, I went through it, but looking back a few months, those minutes watching him take comfort in me is one of the absolute best parts of being a mom!

 

meganet22

Are you sure he's comfort nursing? Babies at this age can eat every 1 1/2-2 hours.  My dd will only give me longer stretches when she sleeps. 

However, I did find that for the first few weeks of life she was having difficulty falling to sleep on her own so I thought she was always hungry.  Now that I can get her down for naps and read her sleepy cues better I am not feeding her as often.

 A book I found helpful was The Happiest Baby on the Block.  It gives lots of ways of calming baby that don't involve nursing. If I know I just fed dd and that she most likely isn't hungry I go through some of these before I give up and feed her.

 Babies can be difficult to take out in public so if you are trying to go out for long stretches right now you will probably end up nursing him while you are out. You could also try introducing a bottle to you son.  This will give you a break.  SOmetimes it's not the baby that's eating too much is that you need a break from nursing, which is ok. 

Stacyc625

umm hello. he is six weeks old. That is what they do. you should be lucky that your baby latches and eats well. you CAN live your life- however its as a breastfeeding mom right now.

you can't do anything about it- nor should you. you need to feed your baby.

jennymariee

jptimestwo:

DS did the same exact thing.  As long as I was home with him (until he was 4 months old) he basically nursed every 1.5 to 2 hours.  When he was real little, like your LO he would nurse every 30 min in the evenings (cluster feeding).  DS is now 10.5 months old, and I can hardley get him to stay still long enough to get a "real" feeding. 

If your DS wants to nurse, let him.  Enjoy that you have the opportunity to do something for him that NOONE else in the world can.  I know it is trying at times, I went through it, but looking back a few months, those minutes watching him take comfort in me is one of the absolute best parts of being a mom!

 

I totally agree... My DD was exactly the same way in the beginning and at nearly 10 months old its a totally different world. It seems all consuming in the beginning but it gets better. Your LO might also be going through a growth spurt and the constant nursing will help increase your milk supply to meet his upcoming needs

otc

I don't know what your expectations are, but babies his age nurse all the time.  They have breaks of about 1-2 hours from the START of a feeding to the START of the next on.  In fact I for the first 3 months of my HUGE sons live I made sure he ate every 3 hours from START to START during the day and then let him sleep longer during the night.  He STTN at 9 weeks inconsistently.  He should not be awake for hours without eating.  He can't fall asleep with a empty belly. 

Nurse him, put him in the car seat when he falls asleep and go run your errands.  Make sure you time it right, you probably have about 1-2 hours until he wants to eat again. 

 Breastfeeding is hard work, if requires dedication and lots of time.  He is normal and his behaviour if normal.  My child never took a pacifier.

 I got really good at being in public and nursing with a cover up.  I shopped while nursing.  Holding him in my arms and ringing out at Target.  YOU do what you can to give him this precious gift:)

It's normal.  He's normal.  You are also normal to feel a little bothered by the amount of time he wants from you.  It gets better and you'll feel so good that you made it through all this.    

montanabanana

Thanks for the responses. Maybe I was a little vague. I know very well that babies his age need to nurse all the time. From birth, I have always made sure that he eats every 3 hours or less during the day. That is not a problem with me at all. Every 1-3 hours is fine! What I mean by comfort nursing, is nursing almost straight for hours on end when he is obviously not hungry. He will nurse himself to sleep, then pull off and snooze for a minute and then wake up when my breast isn't in his mouth. It's hard when you're not a home and your baby is obviously over-tired but, wants to just sleep using your breast as his pillow.

I think nursing is a HUGE gift and I am so thankful I EBF. I am blessed that I have plenty of milk for him and that he latches well. I was just saying that it's hard when he wants my breast next to him at all times. The frequent feedings don't bother me though and yes, I know that is normal.

trinny

I'm a very new mom, but I know what you are talking about-- my baby was constantly on my boob before my milk came in and it is exhausting.  I know she was hungry and needed it, but I was worried I was going to be up 12-5 am straight for months. After my milk came in, she regulated and now feeds 1-3 hours, which is totally doable.

I posted about it and a lot of people said this is how some babies nurse-- not the typical "feed, wake up, sleep, etc."

Have you tried wearing him?  Maybe being near your chest, warmth, and smell would be enough to comfort him?  And if he still needed to suck, maybe you could introduce a pacifier when he's next to you? 

 

Dobie_Mama

There's a reason this period of time is called the 4th trimester.  Your baby is used to be with you, IN you, constantly.  He NEEDS that contact.  Its totally normal for him to want to nurse constantly (even if just for comfort), sleep on you, not be put down, etc.  I honestly think I lived with DD attached to my boob for the first three months of her life.

I know it can be stressful but try to enjoy this time.  Before you know it, you'll have a toddler who can't be bothered to snuggle with you because he/she is too busy learning about the world.  Just take this time to bond.