BF mamas- a question

Casperdy · April 2012

When LO is nursing, how do you "end" a nursing session? Does LO remove him/herself? Does LO fall asleep? Do you take LO off? Something else?

mrs.gee · April 2012

The vast majority of the time I unlatch LO when he zonks out and starts comfort sucking, which is when he sort of just gnaws at the boob and is no longer swallowing. Before I do that though, I try to stroke his head and do a few breast compressions to see if he's just taking a cat nap or will start sucking again with a little more milk as inspiration. I then try to burp him and if he's rooting around after the burp, we relatch. PS: I find when he falls asleep at the boob it's almost never a lasting sleep.

kel716 · April 2012

I do what I can to not unlatch DD. When I have tried to unlatch her, she clamps down and it hurts like H.E.L.L.

That said, like pp said, if she is zonked and comfort sucking I unlatch her... but I usually do this by shifting slightly and she shifts off. Sometimes she becomes alert and I put her back on.

countrygrl5533 · April 2012

She spends 10-15 minutes per side depending on time of day (she has been sleeping for 6 hour stretches at night so that first feeding she eats a lot). When we start getting close to 10 minutes I pay closer attention. When she stops for longer than a couple seconds, I try to move. If she goes back to sucking, I let her go. If she only does that comfort sucking, I break the latch. If it is the first side, I burp her then put her on the other side. Sometimes she falls asleep and that is when the comfort sucking starts.

Most the time I just pull away and she sort of falls off. Sometimes I have to use my finger to break the latch.

Rowenarg · April 2012

My LO usually pulls off when she's done. Even when she falls asleep she still pulls off. Sometimes she stays on and does the comfort sucking and I just let her do it as long as I'm not trying to get to an appt. or need to do something else. There have been a few times when I have unlatched her but usually I nurse until she pulls off hoping that its helping my milk supply.

Mrs_MBed · April 2012

The boys usually detach themselves. I only detach them if I need to get up or they've slid onto my nipple (improper latch) and it hurts. Other than that, I leave them on. Its the only time I get off my feet - we're moving in 5 wks so I'm packing & cleaning all day.

eta: Plus leaving them attached helps with my supply.

joyfullyfound · April 2012

I can just tell the difference between her really eating and her just messing around down there, so I end it when she starts doing that

kmhunt11 · April 2012

mrs.gee:
The vast majority of the time I unlatch LO when he zonks out and starts comfort sucking, which is when he sort of just gnaws at the boob and is no longer swallowing. Before I do that though, I try to stroke his head and do a few breast compressions to see if he's just taking a cat nap or will start sucking again with a little more milk as inspiration. I then try to burp him and if he's rooting around after the burp, we relatch. PS: I find when he falls asleep at the boob it's almost never a lasting sleep.

This. I usually count 15 breaths and if she doesn't suck or swallow I pop her off. If she's not done she lets me know and I put her back on.

Steffie17 · April 2012

I do baby-led feeding. So, she will latch and unlatch at the end of the session. If she starts to fall asleep, I tickle her feet, under the chin, or even squeeze my breast to start the flow again. She will start eating again. She does eventually remove herself and sleep. Sometimes she's done. Other times, we go to the other side. She's truly done when her entire body goes limp. We call it "milk drunk". Then she won't really wake or be bothered by a diaper change and a swaddle and she will either become alert a bit or drift back off to sleep.

This is what was recommended to me: watch the baby, not the clock. A full feeding is about 45 minutes with diaper change, feed, burping, waking, feed, burping, diaper change. My LC said feeding can be from 15 to 45 minutes depending on the child. I also have a strong let down and a bit of an over production right now, so we're trying new ways to get her to not be flooded with milk and improving her shallow latch (ouch!).

BOTB2011 · April 2012

LO usually falls asleep. But on the off chance he is still awake, I unlatch him.

sunnyday016 · April 2012

He usually unlatches himself.

Sparks in training! · April 2012

for us...all of the above! If LO is taking to many breaks= off

If LO falls asleep= off and once in a blue moon...he will stop on his own. Generally, i think DS would use me as a pacifier if he could!

I use an app for my iphone- Baby Connect and it has a timer. So i will usually let him nurse for about 20 mins. and i try to switch off so that both sides get relief!

Want a personalized experience?

BF mamas- a question

Re: BF mamas- a question

Choose Another Board

Search Boards