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Nursing for hours at a time??

GuillermaGuillerma member
in Babies: 0 - 3 Months
Quick question - my LO is one week old and we've been having some trouble with BF'ing. We had an LC to our house two days ago and have been off and running since then. All day today, though, she has been nursing for an hour and half to two hours straight - latching well and swallowing nearly whole time - with small breaks, and then she will start up again. Is this normal?? When she's finally done she seems satisfied. I thought a BF'ing session was only supposed to last 20-30 minutes if they were getting enough. When I was pumping I was getting 6-7oz at a time, so I know my supply is fine, and I can hear her sucking and swallowing well. Is this what is referred to as cluster feeding? I thought that was normal BF'ing sessions only closer together than normal. This seems to be one LONG session.
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Re: Nursing for hours at a time??

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    TikatTikat
    Do you feel the milk letting down? I know when I pumped for my first it was hard for me to let milk down for the baby...if she increases her sucking pattern and milk flows fast you can probably take her off the breast after 30 minutes...given that you had some trouble getting her to latch though I would enjoy this newfound bond for a couple more days and let her practice this new skill...
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    GuillermaGuillerma member
    I haven't ever been able to feel it letting down really- when  I pump I can see when it happens, but I can never feel it. I can hear it as she is sucking though and it seems like a good amount? When I tried taking her off after 30 minutes she just acted like she was absolutely starving- rooting and screaming and sucking on her hands - until I put her back on.
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    etoyamaetoyama member
    imageGuillerma:
    I haven't ever been able to feel it letting down really- when  I pump I can see when it happens, but I can never feel it. I can hear it as she is sucking though and it seems like a good amount? When I tried taking her off after 30 minutes she just acted like she was absolutely starving- rooting and screaming and sucking on her hands - until I put her back on.
    I know it's inconvenient at first, but you really can't overfeed a breastfed baby. Your DD is just getting the hang of things and establishing your supply. You'll reap the rewards of all that nursing in the weeks and months to come. Keep up the good work, momma!
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    gusoffgusoff
    Sounds like cluster feeding.... :)
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    Annie984Annie984 member

    I know this isn't my board, but I just wanted to tell you that, yes, this can be very normal.  Little babies love to nurse.  It's what they do best.  It's the best thing for both of you if you just spend a few days sitting with your feet up, nursing the days away.  You just had a baby a week ago.  I'm convinced this is part of nature's way of making sure you're not doing too much.  The long nursing sessions will help to build your supply and contract your uterus down to normal size.

     You're doing great!

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    SMJ1106SMJ1106

    I went through this, too.  I was extremely sore at the time since I am already super sensitive but the constant nursing made it constantly hurt!  It did get better!  I was always thinking that maybe I wasn't producing enough milk and she wasn't satisfied and I thought about giving up so many times.  I am glad I stuck with it.  Sometimes babies suck for comfort, too.  So it could be cluster feeding or comfort sucking.  It will get better.

    Somebody wrote on here that things started to get better for them when they started viewing nursing as "their job" not "the problem".  I took on this mindset and it has helped.  I still feel like I nurse a ton... but I am finally enjoying it.  It took a while to get to that point for me!

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