Can we talk about nursing habits?

pearblossom

Since DD would still nurse all day every day if I let her, I have no frame of reference for what is normal. LO nurses for maybe 2 minutes a side before he is biting and squirming to get down. He has skipped feedings three times now because he just fights it until I give up. Is this a nursing strike or is this normal? Am I trying to feed him too much? How often do you nurse and for how long?

joolz17

G started doing that about a month ago. It would take 45 minutes to get him to eat for a total of 6-8 minutes. I had to be home because the city didn't need to see my boobs for an hour while I tried to nurse. It was untenable. 

I decided that he was weaning, and we transitioned. I tried to keep nursing him in the morning, pumping during naps etc., realized breastfeeding was MY goal, not his goal, and we are done. I feel some guilt about it but he's perfectly happy. 

aliciaroset

It's really hard to get DD to eat, but it has been getting better. I think what you're going through is normal. they're eating faster, eating less in amount and less often. If I really know she needs to eat (it's been 3-4 hours) then I take her into our bedroom where we all sleep, turn the lights out, and lay in bed with her. It usually works. Our sessions are still very short but I'm sure she's getting plenty. 

blu-eyedwife

LBB's daytime nursing sessions are pretty quick - I think he's just an efficient eater since he doesn't eat all that often (which I guess is relative since he eats every 3-4 hours).  His late night/early morning nursing sessions are usually a bit longer - like 10 minutes a side, but he's going longer between feedings then.

memo9

DD nurses a lot, but very sporadically.  She can go as long as 4 hours and as frequent as every hour.  I think we are abnormal though. 

pearblossom

joolz17:

G started doing that about a month ago. It would take 45 minutes to get him to eat for a total of 6-8 minutes. I had to be home because the city didn't need to see my boobs for an hour while I tried to nurse. It was untenable. 

I decided that he was weaning, and we transitioned. I tried to keep nursing him in the morning, pumping during naps etc., realized breastfeeding was MY goal, not his goal, and we are done. I feel some guilt about it but he's perfectly happy. 

This has been in the back of my mind...but the kid hates formula. I mean, I haven't tried more than two brands but you would think we are trying to kill him. I know it is my hangup, but I also feel weird about weaning him when DD is not even fully weaned. 

He has been having some serious night waking issues so I have no idea if he is eating enough, or if it is developmental or what. You would think after 2.5 years of parenting I would have some idea what I'm doing, but I am lost!

Soon2BMrsN

blu-eyedwife:

LBB's daytime nursing sessions are pretty quick - I think he's just an efficient eater since he doesn't eat all that often (which I guess is relative since he eats every 3-4 hours).  His late night/early morning nursing sessions are usually a bit longer - like 10 minutes a side, but he's going longer between feedings then.

ditto all of this

FB4life

Normal. Babies don't usually wean at this age. 

missyishere

I would say DD is squirmy a lot, but I've been letting her nurse while she is sitting up, and that has seemed to help keep her latched longer.  I think they associate lying down with sleeping, and they don't want to sleep all the time.  I don't know if you have tried sitting baby upright to nurse?  As far as length of time, I would say it takes about 10 minutes, give or take a few minutes, to eat both sides.  Trust me when I say my baby gets plenty to nurse.  I have also been pumping again lately to ensure we keep supply up.  I am hellbent on not using formula.