5 wk old - decreased appetite or a more efficient nurser

chubbs22

My 5 week old just doesn't want to feed as much. He used to be on a very regular 2 hr schedule w/30 min at least feedings. Now, I can't predict when he'll be hungry and he often only feeds for around 15 minutes. 

Should I be concerned? If I try to feed him, he will sometimes latch but not be very interested and then will just start crying if I try to keep getting him to eat. If I pull him off, he's perfectly fine and not fussy. Could it be that he's just become a more efficient nurser in the past week? While his sessions used to be 30 mins long. they are now average 15 minutes. It seems kind of young for him to become more efficient, but he still has a great number of wet/messy diapers. 

 

Anyone else experience this around 5/6 weeks? 

jb2rn

if he has adequate pee and poop i would not be concerned. when does he get weighed again?

my son has only ever nursed 5 to 10 minutes on each side.

Marion&Kit

Like a pp said, the best way to know is monitoring his diapers.

That being said, DD went from nursing sessions taking upwards of 45 minutes to currently only nursing about 5 min/side (though I don't remember when that transition happened). She does the same thing when she's done - she gets cranky while latched, and often spits up when burped if she had too much to eat.

I wouldn't worry.

chubbs22

Thanks ladies the spitting up thing and nursing for much shorter times is exactly what's happening. Then he just gets annoyed if I try to feed him more!! He gets weighed again next month, but according to the bathroom scale (my weight w/him - my weight) he has awesome weight gain. I guess I won't worry.

 

Thanks so much... 

tetedefromage

Mine went from eating 25-30 mins to 7-12 mins now.  It's made me a bit anxious too!

chubbs22

tetedefromage:

Mine went from eating 25-30 mins to 7-12 mins now.  It's made me a bit anxious too!

 

Maybe it's the age....my DH thinks he's just figuring out that there are other cool things to do (like grab my hair ) 

jenkh2012

I so needed this post right now. I have been concerned because DD only nurses for 5 sometimes 10 minutes on one side only per feeding. I have an abundant supply and an overactive letdown so sometimes I think I'm drowning her with milk. She certainly seems to be getting lots at each feeding. Some women say their babies nurse for 20- 30 minutes and that has never been the case here. I was beginning to think I was the only one with a quick eater!