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October 2015 Moms
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Length of nursing session

MrsN092714MrsN092714 member
in October 2015 Moms
Just curious how long each session of BF takes you. My little boy most often takes between 20-30 min per side and is usually still rooting afterwards. I can't take much more, in a battle between feeding and letting my cracked nipples heal. Thankfully we have corrected the latch and things seem to not hurt so much. We can usually calm the rooting with a soother but. Sometimes it takes a top up with formula to calm him. I have heard that sometimes something clicks and suddenly feedings speed up. Just curious how long it takes your LO to feed, if it's changed and when?. Also, any tricks for sore nips?
Married:09/27/14 
Baby N-Born:10/29/15
Our Angel: EDD: 05/11/17. MC at 6 weeks
Baby #2- EDD: 07/18/17

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Re: Length of nursing session

  • cbolton19cbolton19 member
    My little one nurses forever. Usually 40-60 minutes. And she has been cluster feeding recently too. I feel like all I do is nurse. I barely have time to pump to get some for the freezer.
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  • BingjBingj member
    My LO is feeding about 15 min per side right now. The last couple days he's been cluster feeding and my nipples are sore too. I can tell when he is just comfort sucking. It turns to almost a little nibbling feeling. That's when I'll unlatch him. Lanolin, Soothies, letting your nipples be open to air as much as possible can all help. This is my third child. I promise it gets better!!!
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  • jmelodijmelodi member
    My babe fed for a good 20 mins on each side when she was a newborn. she is 3 weeks now and feeds for roughly 5-10mins per side. Sometimes she takes herself off, or I'll unlatch her if I notice she is only sucking for comfort and not swallowing. I was worried that she wasn't getting enough but at her doctor apt today she is over 10lbs and doc seemed very pleased with her growth.
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  • am&nam&n member
    Oh wow! My baby eats for about 10 minutes off one side every two hours. I am a little worried but she has between 8/10 diapers a day and is up a pound at almost three weeks.
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  • midge519midge519 member
    Mine depends. He's been eating mainly every hour during the day for two days and it varies from 5-35 minutes each side. Sometimes he'll switch sides and then go back to the first again. If he keeps rooting I just put him back on to the next side
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  • tracij12tracij12 member
    Always so interesting to see the variance in these types of threads. Really hits home how different every baby is. My LO feeds anywhere from 10-20 mins on one side and eats every 3-4 hours.
    Married DH 08.28.10
    Pregnancy #1: BFP 04.10.11 EDD 12.23.11 DD1 Born 12.4.11
     Pregnancy #2: BFP 5.12.14 MC 5.20.14 @ 5wk4d
    Pregnancy #3: BFP 11.1.14 EDD 7.5.15 MC 11.13.14 @ 6wk4d
    Pregnancy #4: BFP 1.31.15 EDD 10.5.15 DD2 Born 9.23.15
     
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  • altow1310altow1310 member
    edited November 2015
    Agree with PP about seeing the variance on these types of threads. I will say my little man used to nurse for about 30-40 mins every two hours, but it seems like lately he only needs 10-15 mins. After that he seems to just be comfort sucking, so I'll take him off and provide a pacifier if he seems irritated. That usually calms him and helps him fall asleep at night. I'm glad others are saying their babies eat for roughly the same amount of time. I was a little concerned with the switch from feedings taking a while to suddenly speeding up, but it sounds like it just depends on the baby and this could be normal as baby and his digestive system mature. He's still having plenty of wet diapers and has never had weight issues.
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  • yassminemb2015yassminemb2015 member
    When did the switchl happen? My baby nurses one breast at each feed, as i read that he should be completely finished with the first one before switching. And he can stay up to an hour depending on the flow of milk, but no less than 45 min, he is mostly sucking during that time and swallowing whenver milk comes in. I wonder how long this will last. As it takes way longed if je is sleepy and can last foe hours.on and off.
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  • nimmunogirlnimmunogirl member
    My little one is a month old and has been feeding for 10 minutes. I used to let her stay on the breast for over 30 minutes but I think she was just sucking for comfort. I'm still uncomfortable unlatching her and worry she will go hungry, but I guess if she was still hungry she wouldn't lay there satisfied with the pacifier, right?
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  • mandala1107mandala1107 member
    My DD used to nurse for about 20-30 minutes a side when she was a newborn, around a month she became more efficient and eventually got down to 10 minutes a side. My son, he is just 2 weeks old and we typically do 15-25 minutes on a side, but not always both sides. He used to take a lot longer but has sped up the last few days. He feeds almost every 2 hours on the dot since I track it with an app on my phone. At night, he nurses about 20 minutes on both sides and then sleeps for 3-5 hours, which I think he is filling up for the long sleep. As far as your nipples go, definitely correct the latch every time it is off, even just a little bit. Using your pinky finger to break the latch has been helpful to me vs any other finger, but my little guy has a darn good latch and it is difficult. Slather on the lanolin and I wear a soft sleep nursing bra or just a soft tank top instead of a regular nursing bra. Air is good and you can also use breast milk on your nipples as it will help as well.
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  • kfry22kfry22 member
    My guy is 4 days old. He eats every 1.5 hours to 3 hours depending on what he wants. The length varies between 10 minutes and 30 minutes. I was terrified that he was not getting enough to eat. When he was born he weighed 8lbs 12oz. We had our first appointment this morning and he is weighing 8lbs 13oz. So I'm assuming our breastfeeding sessions are long enough.
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  • nianicho777nianicho777 member
    edited November 2015
    My LO nurses 7 minutes total every 2-3 hour session. I was super worried when this started happening about 3 weeks ago when he was 2 weeks old. The LC checked him out and said that my milk flowed fast and that he was getting about 1.5 ounces in 2-3 minutes so that he was getting the right amount. So please don't worry if your child isn't nursing as long as others, everyone is different.

    Edited to add the first few days he nursed 60-90 minutes around the clock so I feel blessed at this transition lmao
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  • altow1310altow1310 member
    @yassminemb2015 the switch happened for us around three weeks. I think my milk is both producing and flowing faster now, so that is probably why. I can tell I'm producing quickly because my breasts feel full much quicker than they used to between nursing sessions, and I know it's flowing faster because sometimes when little man unlatches it keeps coming out and squirts him in the face. Haha! Poor thing. He gets so mad. Also, sometimes I think it comes out too fast for him and causes him to choke a little while eating. Not choke necessarily, but more like what adults do when we say sometignf "went down the wrong pipe." He'll pull himself off and cough a couple times (while milk squirts him). Lol! So happy with the switch! Makes feedings much much easier!
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  • wack0032wack0032 member
    Every baby ( and mom) are different. I have an overactive letdown, so baby gets the milk really fast. Almost too fast. I'm in the same boat where it is squirting like a firehose into her face if she unlatches. Feeds for about 10 min total every 2-4 hours. Not on a regular schedule yet.
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  • jmelodijmelodi member
    My baby is 3 weeks and has just recently started to nurse for 10 minutes total (4 on one side, 6 mins on the other) sometimes she will only take 1 side.
    I'm worried that she won't be getting my hindmilk if she finishes that quickly? I'm tracking diapers and seems to be good so far today. Any advice/opinions?
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  • jah64jah64 member
    I was told that the speed of letdown can vary between women. You may have a really fast letdown so baby actually is getting hindmilk and filling up quickly. Has she been weighed lately to make sure she is gaining like she should be? My little one was only nursing around 10-12 minutes but gained 9 ounces in a week so doctor said the short nursing time is more than okay.
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  • lmetters88lmetters88 member
    Mine eats for 5 minutes on one side every 2-3 hours and she is 4 weeks old. It's because I have an over supply, forceful let down and she is a very efficient sucker!
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