Breastfeeding every 1 to 2 hours? Is this normal for a 3 and a half week old Baby?

Lisa - posted on 05/21/2009

just to add on to all the other comments...i think you should be really proud of yourself for sticking with it. well done. my first was the same and at 1 point was putting on nearly 1lb a week!! she was a small baby (just 4lb 3oz) but she soon caught up!

Belindar - posted on 05/20/2009

hmm in my opinion you are teaching your baby to snack by feeding them less than 2 hourly (apart from cluster feeding which I belive can be done hourly for a say 3-4 hour period). It is actually quite rare for mum's to not have good quality milk, having said that an unfinished breast replenishes more inefficiently than an empty breast so your baby may well be constantly getting foremilk most feeds rather than getting through to your thick fatty hind milk due to not having enough time to replen. Make sure you are reading cues properly and baby is actually hungry rather than comin g out of a sleep cycle (every 30-45 mins or so).
You are doing an awesome job, good luck!

Elizabeth - posted on 05/20/2009

that sounds normal compared with my own experience.

Wendy - posted on 05/20/2009

I haven't read other comment but:



How many diapers is your baby having?



What color is baby's stools?



Is you baby gulping?

Maria - posted on 05/20/2009

Maybe your baby is going though a growth sprout and needs more food! Babies dont aways grow at the same rate, at some points they grow very fast and then slow down again. My baby was similar. I remember feeding him every 1.5-2 hours at some point, and it was very tiring, i thought i was doing something wrong, but the doctor said it was totally normal! Patience and love for your baby is the key to surviving hard times!

Anneke - posted on 05/20/2009

I read you can feed up to 20 times for that age. I do recall William was the same.

Jacklynn - posted on 05/20/2009

I would say very normal. Follow your baby's cues. I would recommend checking out the La Leche League online.

Lindsey - posted on 05/19/2009

You have the quality. You have the perfect milk for your daughter! My son nursed like that at first. I just went with it. With my first I was very rigid with scheduling him at every 3 hours and only then. This time around I just kind of went with the cues of the baby and he was nursing that often...I think it's just letting your body know to produce milk. I think at about 8 weeks old he started going 2 1/2 hours between feedings. kellymom.com has GREAT resources for breast feeding questions too. I want to stress that YOU HAVE THE QUALITY in your milk! Your body was made to produce what your daughter needs! It's perfect! IT IS NORMAL that she's eating like that. She's growing and still so new!

Caroline - posted on 05/19/2009

Hes 3 months btw

Caroline - posted on 05/19/2009

I am still a milk machine at 3 months. Interestingly, he has no set pattern or routine - except maybe at night when we feed twice between 12 and 8pm, thats the longest time. Cluster feeds in the morning every between 30 - 90 mins break, and then he drinks 5oz of expressed when we go out in the afternoon. Actually in the afternoon I think he gets so distracted by things and forgets about feeding and then becomes a starvin marvin guzzling me down. Don't you just hate it though when people comment "You're feeding him again" arrggghhhhh and you just fed him, and 10 mins later someone says "I think your baby needs feeding" btw I let him feed when he wants to now, I tried feeding him to a pattern and he either screamed with hunger or spewed up too full.

Kristen - posted on 05/19/2009

You are not alone! My 2mo old has been doing this since day one. I keep telling her I'm going to just super glue her to me! I have asked the pediatrician and he said it's completely normal. Apparently they "cluster" feed to build your milk supply up to their needs. But it can be very exhausting & I have wondered the same thing if the quality of ,ilk is there. I would say as long as your baby is gaining weight (like mine is, overnight it seems!) then everything should be fine

Natalie - posted on 05/19/2009

abbies ? meant babies !

Natalie - posted on 05/19/2009

breastfeed abbies tend to fall asleep early on in a feed, but they need to stay a bit awak to hit the hind milk (the fatt stuff that keeps them full up ) tips for gettig them to take more are gently running a finger up your baby's spine ( like a tickle) rubbing clockwise on their palms, and tickling under their chin.

also you know babies is nearly finished with a feed because majority of babies do a flutter thingy, basically they do a little chin wobbly thing towards the end ...

hope this helps

Kristine - posted on 05/14/2009

My baby is 3 months old now and she was eating as often as yours is at 3 weeks. Your baby is totally normal for eating this much. My Dr. told me that babies go through a growth spurt around 3 weeks-ish ans will need to eat more during this time.

Jaime - posted on 05/14/2009

Quoting Lucy:

the few hours before bed she nurses every 20-30 minutes to stock up to go longer through the night.

This is very interesting and the first time in which I have heard this - interesting because in fact that is what my little guy does now that I think about it. In fact I thought he is just getting crabby at that time in night and wanting the boob for comfort. I give it to him, but I bet that is what he is doing is stock piling as you call it.

Sarah - posted on 05/14/2009

My son fed at 2 hour intervals for months as a newborn. That was 2 hours from the start of the last feed. My doctors told me it was perfectly normal. He is now 8 months and feeds at 3-4 hour intervals! He does generally sleep through the night about 10-12 hours without feeds. He started that within the last month.

Jennifer - posted on 05/14/2009

when my daughter was that age she would eat that often too!
I think your supply is fine, her eating that often your body supplies!! These boobs of ours are amazing. Don't doubt yourself!

Lucy - posted on 05/14/2009

My little girl is 5weeks old and exactly the same. I feed on demand every 1 to 2 hours, the few hours before bed she nurses every 20-30 minutes to stock up to go longer through the night. Keep up the good work!

Tamara - posted on 05/13/2009

Oh absolutely. She's probably doing what's called "cluster feeding." This is perfectly normal for her to do. I'd bookmark http://www.kellymom.com because it is a well researched fountain of information on breastfeeding, sleep, etc.

Krystelle - posted on 05/13/2009

Yes, I'd say its normal. My daughter did the same thing. I thought I'd go crazy from all the feedings but eventually she got better and could go for longer periods of time.

Julie - posted on 05/13/2009

Thank you so much to all the Mums for your help. Your advice certainly makes me feel a thousand times better. Yes, baby Katie usually falls asleep on the boob and wakes often for more. I am definately going to keep breastfeeding though. I am enjoying feeding her. Gee, you'd think me a Mum of 9 now that I would know these things. I never kept it up for more than 2 weeks with the others. I will keep you posted about how we're going. Thanks again.. Julie.

Andrea - posted on 05/13/2009

This is normal & your milk is fine! It seemed like both my kids nursed all the time for a while & then they started to stretch it out. She has a tiny tummy & needs to eat often. She will start to go longer before you know it!

Natalie - posted on 05/13/2009

this sounds normal to me, breast feed babies tend to need more more often, tip also let your baby somteimes suckle on you till they are done, they are putting in an order to tell your body to make more, this way you should be able to keep u with your baby's demands

Arwen - posted on 05/13/2009

My daughter did the exact same thing. I thought there was something wrong with me at first. She would nurse for almost 40 minutes, then I would be feeding her less than an hour and a half later. My sister-in-law once commented on it. "You're feeding her again?" She had rapid let down, and had to pump everything so her kid's feedings were nice and short. That comment made me feel so bad back then, like I wasn't doing something right.

You're doing very well, and don't worry. Your baby's belly will be able to hold more soon. Just hang in there.

Jasmine - posted on 05/13/2009

My daughter was the same at that age, I think some babies are just very hungry! lol

Ariane - posted on 05/13/2009

The Australian Breastfeeding Association explained to me that we all have different storage capacities and hence feed our babies at different times. i fed my son every two hours for the first 3-4 months. keep up the good work. we are now every 4 hours. it will change.

Sarah - posted on 05/13/2009

Sounds normal, and as you seem to have good supply once she gets as much as she wants it'll level off I reckon. Best advice I was ever given was to keep going through what ever as eventually things level out and if you enjoy bf then it all sounds normal x

Wendy - posted on 05/13/2009

Yes! Mine did that for the first 8 weeks and then again for about a week during every growth spurt...he grew 19 cm in his first 4 months! : ) One long growth spurt! : )

Jennifer - posted on 05/13/2009

That was the norm for me at that point. Just get comfy and keep a glass of water and a magazine nearby!

Emma - posted on 05/13/2009

very normal at that age, keep up the good work.

Fiona - posted on 05/13/2009

Totally normal if my most recent addition is anything to go by. He is 3.5 weeks old and it feels like he is constantly feeding. He will then settle at some point during the day for a couple of hours and is doing well at night, settling around 10pm and only getting me up once in the night but then when he wakes in the morning it's a case of feeding and changing nappies for 2-3 hours before he settles again. Stick at it. I have found with all of mine that around 8-12 weeks things just fall into place and you can't remember why you were worrying about breastfeeding!

Crystal - posted on 05/13/2009

it is very very normal! My son still cluster feeds every so often and hes 7 months ...lol ... if your concerned .. .try expressing some milk before feeding ... The first milk baby gets from feeding more so hydrates than it does nourish. The latter milk is what fills them up and encourages growth and all that important stuff. My son still wakes up 2-4 times for feeding in the night ... but thats because breast milk is fully digested in three hours. After letting her get the latter ... if possible give her the stuff you expressed. I tried this with my little one because i had the same concerns. Turns out all was fine!

Kellie - posted on 05/13/2009

Good for you for breastfeeding! Breastfeeding is not for wimps - you are a strong woman!! Every 1-2 hours is normal for such a young baby. In addition, she may be going through a growth spurt, in which she will seem like she's nursing constantly - in part to keep her full and in part to increase your milk supply. Your milk IS GOOD- don't let anyone tell you otherwise! It may seem like she's always hungry, but sometimes she may just be thirsty, or want a 'snack', or just want the comfort of being close to you. Keep nursing to keep your supply up, it is a supply & demand process. Once you start supplementing with formula, your supply WILL decrease. Nurse every 1-2 hours, and your supply stays sufficient and your baby will be nourished. (My baby nursed every 2 hours until she was 3 or 4 months old, but all babies and mommies are different) If you have any more questions re: breastfeeding, please ask! I have a lot of knowledge!

Kerry - posted on 05/13/2009

Hi Julie, my daughter is 13 months now and still doesn't sleep that well,she also would feed every 2 hrs or less,she still wakes twice during the night for a feed,i think all babies are diff,my 2 eldest slept through the night from an early age,i also feed up to about 2 years and no doubt will with my little one. Your bub is stll very young,does she fall asleep while having a feed,because if she does she is waking up hungry from not having a full tummy,as time goes by she will have bigger feeds and it will be easier on you during the day while feeding continuous at night as she is. My baby hates powder milk but has a milo with cows milk in the morn when i have my cuppa. don't forget the growth spurt.

Emma - posted on 05/13/2009

is your child falling asleep while they are feeding and not getting enough?? you may need to keep them awake to feed for a longer time period, thus they will feed less often when my bub was 3weeks she feed every 2hours but only for about three days (growth spurt)