Do you comfort nurse?

Anna Marie - posted on 09/24/2010

A youngster - especially one as young as yours - has NEEDS. Most of those needs can be met through the comfort of mama. I have always comfort nursed my two boys, and can't imagine doing anything else. If they need me, and I can make it better by nursing them, you can be sure that I am going to give them whatever comfort I can! I definitely think you are doing the best thing to meet all the needs of your little one. Meeting his needs - since he's so little, he can't tell you exactly what they are - is exactly what you are supposed to do to create a happy, healthy and independent child.
Keep up the good work!

Michelle - posted on 09/24/2010

i dont think you can overfeed them. i felt like i breastfed my daughter constantly, even if it was for comfort reasons. Just because u may have feed your son 20 minutes ago< you cant gage how much a breastfed baby actually gets (we dont have gages installed in us lol). good luck and just dont give up breastfeeding. your son will eventually grow out of needing to feed frequently.

Mandy - posted on 09/24/2010

Can't really say anything different from the other moms who have already posted. I absolutely will nurse her to soothe her if nothing else does the trick even if she is not obviously hungry. It seems like sometimes she ends up getting too much and spitting it up but I'd rather clean up milk than listen to my baby cry. For such a short time in their lives we are able to ease all their suffering by just nursing them; we should relish these times!
I also don't see anything wrong with getting baby used to taking a paci as long as it is not altering eating. Seriously, what about car rides when you can't get your nipple in baby's mouth? I hate hearing her cry.

Marcy - posted on 09/24/2010

I am a big fan of comfort feeds, hunger feeds, and any other time my kiddo wanted to nurse. You aren't alone in the comment department, We have all heard it before...and the same one liners also. I think there are two school of thought here in regards to nursing...some of us mommies just nurse without a schedule, rhyme or reason. If the baby is showing signs that they need to nurse, we just let them. There are other mommies that nurse on a schedule. I don't think there is a right or wrong to any of it as long as it works for your family. its a tough call but I really wouldn't try and make a decision just go with what feels right..trust me you will know when it doesn't.

Emily - posted on 09/24/2010

Im almost certain you can't overfeed a breastfed baby. Personally I think that nursing for comfort is great. It helps you and your baby bond. If baby is happy then you are happy. The more you nurse the more milk you produce so when your baby goes through a growth spurt you can keep up with your babies needs. I nursed my baby in the early months all the time, it seemed like every hour day and night. She hardly nurses at all now in the day (she's coming up for 8 months) but she still likes her mummy cuddles quite often through the night. I give her some expressed milk in a beaker with her meals as she is very easily distracted when I try to nurse her during the day. I could never get her to take a dummy and I still try every now and then now, but she really isn't interested. She sometimes puts her thumb in now which is fine with me. There is no real wrong or right. You would not be wrong for introducing a dummy at all. If your baby takes it and still feeds well off you then that would be great. Maybe try offering one straight after a feed so that baby isn't having dummy instead of a feed. Good luck and it sounds to me like you know what you are doing and the feeding all the time thing really doesn't last forever.

Teresa - posted on 09/24/2010

My girls were only nursed for food and nursed on a schedule. It worked for us.



My son was nursed on demand and due to his reflux he comfort nursed a LOT. It worked for us. He did gain quickly as a young infant, but at 2.5 years old is only around 27 pounds now. :)

Lise - posted on 09/24/2010

#1. I bf her any time she wants/needs it.

Catherine - posted on 09/24/2010

My son was also a very fussy/colicky baby, and I comfort nursed him all the time. It works, and now that he's older he does not need comfort nursing nearly as much as he used to. People made comments to me about it also, but I just ignored them, and I think everything turned out for the best. If you think a pacifier will work, go for it; my son refused to use one, otherwise I would have. You know your baby and what's best for him, don't let anyone else try to tell you that you're wrong.

The way I see it, if Mother Nature had not intended infants to be comfort-nursed, she wouldn't have made nursing comforting.

Sandie - posted on 09/24/2010

i think as mum, you know what's best for your baby, if your son calms and is feeling secure and happy at the breast then let him stay there if youre happy to do that, if you want to give him a dummy/pacifier then go for it, whichever you feel is best. personally i always had my little one on the breast, for food, comfort, to go to sleep, everything, and everyone told me i would never get him off or never get him into his own bed, he's 16months now and sleeps in his own room, gets himself off to sleep, comforts himself etc and has for a long time, but still needs a bit of comfort from the breast sometimes so he gets it. people offer advice with the best intentions but they dont know what will happen, you are with your child all the time and know him more than they do, go with your gut, and remember what you choose now doesnt mean it has to be set in stone, you can try different things until everything falls into place one day, good luck!

Minnie - posted on 09/24/2010

It's hard to go with your instincts when others tell you to do something else. Mothers have always comfort nursed their babies. Infants in traditional cultures who are given unrestricted access to the breast typically nurse about four times an hour.



One way to tend to your baby's sucking needs and not be tied to the couch is to carry him in a soft carrier- a sling, wrap or mei tai, and learn to nurse in that.



Near-constant nursing can be tiring but it is normal and good- non-nutritive suckling provides your baby with stability and equilibrium, regulates his breathing and heartrate, and provides the immunities he needs. It is also a form of communication between him and you. At your breast is where your baby first learns to be socially interactive. He learns how to be and to love through comfort nursing.

Andi - posted on 09/24/2010

I always nursed, and still do nurse, my daughter when she needed comforting. Call me lazy, but that is the easiest way to calm her and dry her tears. There is absolutely nothing wrong with what you are doing. Do not let others comments get to you. I think that is the hardest thing for a nursing mother. People always want to stick their noses, and comments, where they don't belong. No one has any say in how you parent but you. And don't worry about overfeeding. You truly cannot overfeed a breastfed baby. They have different modes of suckling, active (or nutritional) suckling and inactive (or comfort) suckling. The only time they are actually drwing milk is when they are actively suckling. The only time you worry about overfeeding is with the bottle because the baby cannot control the flow the same way he can at the breast.