I have been exclusively breastfeeding my 3 month old since birth. He nurses almost every 2 hours except for at night he will go for a 3-4 hour stretch and then its still every 2 hours. When will he begin to go longer between feedings?
at 6 months when solids are introduced. it's worth the time :)
I'd say about 6 months... but that is for a few reasons. The baby would have had 2 growth spurts by then AND they are becoming more aware and active in their environment. This is the time when they can get very distracted - which lessens nursing temporarily - until about 9-10 months when they relax and go back to a more stable nursing 'schedule'.
When he weans? haha Sorry, but my girls nursed every 2 hours around the clock until they started solids at 6 months. And even then, it was maybe 2.5-3 hours.
Good for you and your son for breastfeeding!!
I'm probably jinxing myself but... My 5 week old is sleeping 4-4.5 hour stretches at night and the other night she went 2am to 7am. I'm trying to eat lots of protein rich foods (not just meat, but also from dairy and legumes/beans). Protein is suppose to help you sleep longer... On days that I eat lots of carbs, she tends to sleep in more 2-3 hour periods. Not sure if this maybe coincidental but you could try to boost your protein and see if that helps.
I never breastfed past 4 months, and the whole time, it was every 2 hour feedings. Could you pump and let Daddy or someone else feed him sometimes so you get somewhat of a break?
Im pregnant, Im not sure how long I will actually breastfeed, but Im hoping to pump for the whole year to avoid formula. Formula just scares me these days.
During the day it could be awhile. He might start sleeping a bit longer at night but he also might not lol. It's very hard to predict. Both of my kids were ebf and my son started sleeping 10-13 hour stretches at 7 months once I helped him learn how to sleep but my daughter was very hit or miss until I weaned her at 20 months. She'd have some nights she slept great and other nights she'd wake to nurse. Ok with me since that's part of the wonderful breastfeeding deal. The most important thing to remember is that breastfed babies need to be fed on-demand for the first year of life.
Keep in mind every 2 hours is perfectly within normal for a bf baby.
But you can help him by starting a bedtime routine. This will help him learn what to expect and what is expected at nap and nighttime. I used a combo of things I learned in Dr. Sears BAby Sleep Book and The Baby Whisperer.
Yikes!
You poor thing.
My 10 week old will go for about 3 hours during the day then sometimes 5-7 hours at night. She's a gem.
They are meant to settle into a longer pattern around 6-8 weeks, however, all babies are different!
Is your supply good? If you're not drinking enough fluids, he'll need to feed more frequently to get what he needs. Does he come off the breast at the end of the feed? Does he seem cranky to suggest that he's not full enough?
If that is the case, then I'm sure all you'd need to do is drink heaps of fluid (doesn't even have to be water) and your body will start making enough milk to keep up with this demand. I doubt you'd even need to express between feeds, his frequent feeding should get you started.
Best of luck. Don't give up :)
Is he screaming crying at 2 hours or is he just starting to fuss a little? If he's just starting fuss a little, see if you can distract him with a toy or a new environment for 15 minutes or so, stretching it out for as long as he'll let you. I'm not saying to make him wait until he's screaming, sometimes we get conditioned to feeding babies at the first whimper instead of waiting to see if they're really sending hunger cues or hit making noise. He might still need to eat every 2 hours, but between 3-4 months, babies can typically wait at least 3, sometimes 4 hours. Good luck!
It will change as he goes through growth spurts...but the every two hours is really not unusual. My grandson is a "grazer"....he might nurse every 45 minutes to an hour for a while...then go for several hours without nursing. There is no "norm"...each child is different.
Keep up your fluid intake...and remember...the more he nurses...the more you will produce...supply and demand !!!
well all babies are different some will sleep through the night at a very young age.....others will wake every 2 to 3 hours until they are a year. Your baby sounds like a normal breastfed baby. My first daughter ate every 2 hours during the day but by 3 months she only woke twice a night to eat. At 12 and 6. And that was her routine until I weaned her at 12 months. My second baby nursed every 2 to 3 hours round the clock. All day and all night. Yes I never got a good nights sleep until I weaned her at 14 months! I don't know how I did that. But if he likes baby food you can start him on that at 6 months and that might help him to go longer between feedings. My kids never liked any baby food so I never got that break. But just keep it up you are doing a great thing in breast feeding.
My little girl, who is now 5mths, used to do the same thing. I did discover that if I fed her on one side until she stopped and then switched her to the other side (even if she fell asleep while nursing, which is common), she would resume feeding... wish I would have tried it sooner (started this closer to 4mths I think) . Since then she only feeds every 3 hours or so during the day and goes a full 4-5 hours, sometimes 6, at night... Unless she is going through a growth spurt, is overwhelmed, or wanting to nap/sleep, she stays pretty consistent. It really does get better. Hang in there.
I feel you! My 8 week old babe is still nursing every 2 hours all day and at night every 3 hours... Thanks everyone for the great advice! I am praying for more sleep SOON too!
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I feel you! My 8 week old babe is still nursing every 2 hours all day and at night every 3 hours... Thanks everyone for the great advice! I am praying for more sleep SOON too!
I think every baby is different. How much does your son weigh? That makes a difference in how long they can go between feedings.
My little one was sleeping 8 hours a night from about 6 weeks on. I know that is not normal. But she was a good weight by that point. Even when she went through a growth spurt she was only up once. I would echo the mom who recommended nursing on both sides, even if they start to look sleepy. Get a full belly before bedtime.
