Babies: 0 - 3 Months

How to tell if LO is hungry vs wants comfort suck

DS is 6.5w and I thought I finally figured out how to read his cues.  However, the last 2 days, DS is constantly fussy - crying, sucking his hands, and thrusting his tongue.  Normally I take this as hunger cues, but DS is now doing it constantly, even <1hr after he eats (I EBF).  He doesn't like paci, so we have been offering him our pinkie and he sucks on them and will fall asleep.  But as soon as I take my pinkie out, he wakes up and cries again.

Yesterday I was nursing him every 2 -2.5 hrs during the day.  But DH thinks DS is still hungry and says I should nurse him whenever he's sucking his hands, so today he is nursing like every 60-90 minutes!  But when he nurses, he basically just eats a few minutes, then falls asleep and comfort sucks.  If I unlatch him, we wakes up and goes frantic/cries, until I put my nipple back in his mouth and he falls back asleep.   

Any tips/thoughts/suggestions for me?  I don't want him to go hungry but I don't want him to just comfort suck on my nipple all day long.  He is pretty big for his age - >11lb at 6w and my LC recently diagnosed me with overactive letdown/oversupply so I have been offering him just 1 side per feeding. 

TTC since 10/2008  RE consult 6/2010 Dx:Unexplaied IF

Failed multiple cycles of Clomid+TI and Clomid+IUI

3/2011 inj+IUI #1 BFP. 4/2011 missed m/c. 

Fall 2011 inj+IUI #2&3 BFN

Jan/Feb 2012 IVF#1 BFP 2/23  EDD 10/31/2012 ~~~ Halloween ~~~

Our IVF miracle, Baby Boy M, arrived on 11/8/2012!
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Re: How to tell if LO is hungry vs wants comfort suck

  • My DS does the same thing and is 6 weeks and 12 lbs. I just let him suck. It's hard sometimes to be attached to your baby all day long but it makes him feel secure and this phase won't last long. Just block feed so do your left side for a few feeds and then your right. 
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  • It sounds like the 6 week growth spurt. Let him nurse all he wants because this will help establish your milk supply for the coming months. It won't last very long even though it feels like forever! This is very typical 6 week old ebf behavior. I just lived through it myself!
  • It may be a growth spurt.  Which seems like it happens again at  9 wks which I'm going through now.  
    Surprise BFP after 5 yrs of TTC
  • C is six weeks also and has been eating non-stop today, I was just wondering about this myself

  • imagekateraid:
    My DS does the same thing and is 6 weeks and 12 lbs. I just let him suck. It's hard sometimes to be attached to your baby all day long but it makes him feel secure and this phase won't last long. Just block feed so do your left side for a few feeds and then your right. 

    this...it could also be the six months gs.  Plus all that comfort sucking is good for your supply.   

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  • If he's just using you to fall asleep, why not offer a pacifier? It'll help your nipples and allow him to fall asleep somewhere other than on your boob! :) Sorry, just saw that he doesn't like pacis...I would continue to try different brands, as some babies are picky. Good luck!

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    TTC #2 since July 2014
    BFP 9/27/14
    MMC discovered 10/27/14, D&C 11/4/14
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