Frequent Nurser

Don't worry it will be better in time. My first son was like that and he had colic really bad. I thought I was going to go crazy without sleep. And boys tend to eat more then girls don't know why. Just love him and sing to him.

All babies are different. The best thing to do is to keep doing what you're doing already and just "go with the flow". His schedule (feeding and sleeping) will change often and that is perfectly normal. It is really tough sometimes, but it gets better and better with time, you'll see ;)
Hang in there!!

Congratulations on your first. I have a 17 month old son and still nurse just about 1 time a day now. My son was the same way. He was a frequent eater. As he got older though, he would nurse longer each time and sleep longer at naps. It gets easier, don't worry. He was a big boy and once he started walking, lost the weight fast. By that time he was eating some baby food and nursing a little less.
Definately use your lanolin cream or ointment on your breast if they are sore. I also was working for a while and would pump for bottles. That might help in giving you a break too. Especially if you want him to bond more with Daddy or Grandma or Pop. I hope this helps some. Good luck.

Just another pat on the back to let you know you are absolutely doing the right thing by not imposing a schedule, especially so young. My daughter didn't nurse quite as much as your son, but she did nurse a lot. It can get hard, especially if they're teething or something and want even more, and you may feel "stuck" sometimes. Just know that it doesn't last forever, and the well-adjusted, secure, happy kid you get at the end of it all will be well worth it! If he gets to be around 6 months or so and is still nursing a lot and you want to try a schedule then, I think that would be fine, especially since he'll likely be eating solids by then. But for right now, you're establishing your milk supply -- you won't have any problems "drying up"! and also doing something even more important: establishing trust with your son. He knows that when he's hungry you are there for him. Nothing more important than that. Keep up the great work, and be sure to grab some time to yourself when you can and maybe take a nap with him during the day if you need it.

Hi I just thought I'd mention that a schedule or some regular order to baby's day does not have to mean your baby will be screaming. I have a seven month old who is a big nurser and she's doing really well on the schedule I found in The Contented Little Baby Book by Gina Ford. Actually it's amazing how my daughter yawns right as I'm about to put her down for her nap and wakes up happy when nap times are over. She seems to really be content with the order that the sleep/eat/play routine brings to her day. She's not getting over tired now. I'm doing this because it works well for her but I love it too. I have a five year old too and now we all know what's coming next and can plan our days better. I would suggest picking up a copy of this book and giving it a try with one caveat. Unless it's been changed in the updated versions (I have an old copy, best $1 I ever spent at the resale shop!) I would ignore or at least be careful about the feeding advice. In my opinon she advises too many solids, too early. But the easy to follow schedule broken down by age group routines are worth their weight in gold. Even though we're doing well now I wish we had started this at two months (or earlier) as now I see that it would have made life easier for my baby & her mama. Maybe it would help your little guy too to give it a try.

F.,

Congrats on your little one!

The best thing I did when I wasn't sure about Breastfeeding issues was call the hospital where my son was born and talk to the Lactation Consultant on staff. She gave me great tips on how to make sure my son was getting enough out of every feeding. Sometimes you can even have them come to your house!!

Give it a shot...it gave me some peace of mind.

Deanna

F., I don't have time to write a lengthy reply but wanted to tell you DO NOT LISTEN to those that tell you you are not producing enough milk! You are producing the right amount for your son, I promise.

My daughter was the same way. I struggled as well, but finally accepted this is what my daughter needed and my job is meeting her needs. Get yourself a big pile of magazines and paperback books, and catch up on your reading. Watch a bunch of movies you've wanted to see. The marathon nursing won't last much longer, but the bond between you and your child and his feelings of security and love will last a lifetime.

Oh and Dad needs to help by making sure you have plenty of water nearby and nutritious snacks.

Hang in there! You are an awesome mom and just what you son needs!! My son was the exact same except he would only sleep when I held him - so I didn't get a break until my husband came home and I could only speak gibberish. Then he would take the baby and send me to bed! Our son was like this for the first four to six months. Then it got much better. Now he is eight and will only let me hug him when he's just waking up or just going to sleep - other than that his is too big for mama. I know it's hard but it's worth it! I have no regrets and I believe that the secure, adventerous and awesome child I have is that way in a small way because of my work and sacrifice when he was very small and needed me so very, very much.
good luck.

Dear F.,
I can't remember the exact timing of when my little one moved to 2 than 3 hours, I think it was closer to 5 months when he arrived at 3 hours between feedings. Anyway, my first boy did the same thing - he nursed frequently - about every 1-1/2 hours for the first 2-3 months. It is normal. The milk is easily digested so they get hungry quicker. And they have a short attention span, so they don't suck until the hind milk comes in which would allow it to last a little longer in their tummy. I think sometimes I tried to switch to the pacifier after each feeding, but I don't think it really worked as well as giving in and feeding him!

I remember the days... I was going to say well, but no, it is kinda foggy...=) My Daughter was the same way. Every hour for half an hour. My mom suggested that when she woke up I play with her and talk to her and make eye contact before i fed her and that helped her strech the interval between feedings, without screaming.
You are doing great! They change so much so fast. I think that until I started solids about 6 months, I was at least every 2 hours. Though she would sleep for 4-10 hours a night. Mostly 4...
Good luck!
R.

Hi F.,

First of all let me just tell you that you sound like a wonderful mom!

Your son sounds alot like my son (who is now 11). He really wore me out......but, it is what he needed. My daughter was the opposite.....even as a newborn, she ate every 4 hours. Every child is so different!

I applaud you for not trying to fit your son into a schedule....that being said, will he take a pacifier? Maybe he just needs the comfort of sucking?

Just know that as tired as you are now, one day you will look back and be glad you met his needs when he was so tiny and helpless.

Best wishes

Hi. He is so very little right now. Lots of times nursing is not feeding, but comfort. Maybe those times he wants to nurse is because he likes to suck. Make sure you at least try to get him to nurse on both breasts at every feeding. I know that can be difficult, as they tend to fall asleep. I would never try to force a schedule. He will develop his own in time. The time is so short when you can have him to cuddle and nurse. Enjoy your baby while he is a baby!
My fourth child, a girl, was on my breast 24/7 until I finally convinced my husband to let me try a pacifier. It worked wonders! She was about 3-4 months old at that point. Blessings!

F.,

It isn't unusual for a baby to go through a growth spurt around 8 weeks. However, I do think it is unusual for a baby to be eating that often for this long. Are you getting enough fat and protein in your diet? And not dieting? Plenty of liquids? Check out www.kellymom.com and search for "low milk supply" and read the articles. If he's eating that often my suggestions would be to 1. add more good fats to your diet and protein to make sure your milk is nice and fatty for him and 2. maybe look at some ways to increase your milk supply to make sure he's getting enough. I wouldn't recommend supplementing with bottles because that can be an extremely slippery slope toward accidentally weaning but I'd definitely be concerned that he isn't getting enough if he's eating that frequently.

It might also be a good time to see a lactation consultant to make sure he's nursing effectively. There are a number of reasons why a baby could be not nursing effectively (tongue tied, premature, bad latch, etc...) and I'd want to make sure none of that is going on.

I'm not saying your milk supply is low. It may not be, you may just have a baby who likes to nurse a lot. But I'd want to rule it out as a possibility.

Good luck,

T.

Hang in there mom! My son nursed for 45 min on each side and then slept for 30 min. We would then start all over : )
My breasts were more than raw. You're doing great letting baby call the shots!! Everyone has great advice, but baby is telling you what he needs or preparing your body for those growth spurts. It does get better. Listen to your body too...sleep when he sleeps and eat and snack all day long-that will fill him up faster too.

It sounds like your baby is not getting enough milk... This is why he constantly wants to nurse. . . You may not be producing as much as you think. I would get filled up to the point where I thought my breasts would explode and when I pumped them I hardly got enough milk out (mind you I was a 34E when I was breast feeding). You may try breast feeding him and also feeding him formula after you finish nursing him. This may not be want you want to do, but you do not want to have a starving baby. . . He will still get the nutrients from you milk.

You're doing a great job F.. my son was the same way. I totally agree with Katie L. Hang in there!!

I am so relieved to read your entry because I have been feeling really stressed out and frustrated also at times. I am also a first time mom, my son is 7 weeks old and he fluctuates between eating every hour to every two hours. I think to my self, "How do women do this???" One night I tried to put him to bed as soon as he fell asleep while nursing. Usually I have to work at keeping him awake while he eats because otherwise he will be latched on for up to an hour and a half!!! But the one night I let him go to sleep and put him to bed each time he woke up every 45 minutes screaming because he was so hungry. Around 4am I screamed, "I CANT DO THIS ANY MORE!!!!" I have moments where I get so tired and stressed out but I am keeping up with it some how. Every morning when the sun rises and he is laying on his changing table smiling and cooing at me it makes the whole sleepless night just disappear. I still get frustrated and take it out on my sleeping husband however. Once I even splashed cold water at my husband while he was sleeping because he would not wake up to get me a drink of water while I was nursing. What a brat huh? I am so glad I am not the only one who is up AROUND THE CLOCK!!! They say its not forever so hopefully I can get my self to enjoy every moment despite the lack of sleep.

Don't panic. As he gets older he will need to eat less frequently (but may nurse for a longer time at each feeding). Also, eventually he will start having solid foods (we held off on this until our little boy was six months old, to make sure he was ready and discourage early weaning). Now he's 9 months old and a great eater, and I nurse him only about 4-5 times a day. It will get easier!!! And it probably won't take as long--I don't think it will be 2 more months until he makes it to 2 hours. If he's nursing for a really long time, too, though, it might be that some of that is "comfort sucking" rather than for milk, in which case, if you're not against his having a pacifier, that could help, too. I can tell the difference now between when he's nursing to drink and when he's nursing just to lull himself to sleep (at which point I pull a switch and the pacifier is my friend). I decided I'll worry about taking him off the pacifier later. ;) Good luck and hang in there!

Hi F.,

I, too, am a first time mom with the same experience you had, except my baby nursed for 45-60 mins every 2 hours. That gave me only an hour break for the first several weeks. I would let him nurse on one breast until he pulled away, then offered the other. I also listened closely to swallowing sounds, to make sure he was actually drinking milk and getting something.

If you know baby is drinking, try not to worry about how much milk you have. I've read so many times that how much you pump is just what you pump, and is not an indicator of how much milk you have. Baby's sucking is more efficient in drawing out milk than any pump in the world.

Every baby is different, but what I can tell you for sure is that breast milk is so easily digestible that breastfed babies do get hungrier more often. This was why I believed in nursing on-demand rather than on a set schedule - you can't force a baby to NOT be hungry, same way nobody can force us to not feel hunger. Besides, nursing often helped build my supply: empty the breast more often, and you produce more milk.

Lastly, I must tell you that it DOES get better. He will eventually learn to suck more efficiently with more practice - and on that area, you are doing a good job encouraging him to learn to nurse. Soon, you'll notice he'll nurse more quickly and on longer intervals.

You are doing great, momma! Keep it up - you are doing the best thing you can do for your baby.

I experienced the same with my DD who is now one. She still to this day needs to eat every 3 hours on the dot. Some kids just need more and metabolize faster. At 8 weeks, your little one could be needing the comfort of nursing as well. Have you tried a pacifier...this did wonders for us. He will eventually get on his own schedule and before you know it, his time between feedings will stretch out. It seems like all you do is nurse in the beginning, but I promise it gets easier!

Hi F.,I don't know if my first response came thru but I just re-read your request and saw your baby is only 8 weeks!! I thought you had written 8 months! OMG- I apologize if you did getmy first request as my answers do not apply! You are doing the right thing. This is a tough time but it will get better and he will start to go longer and longer between feedings. He is to little to be out on a sch and from what I learned they really need to be sleeping through the night before you can start enforcing a day sch. I had people come in and help me w/ a sch. I have twins and needed a lot of guidence. This will not last forever and I think that all the people who suggested support groups for nursing are right on. Good luck.
.

Hi F.,
Congratulations to you and your family!!!

I have 22 year old and 5 year old sons. They are weaned :)

Both were avid nursers and had really healthy and frequent appetites, even through the night...I know it can be really hard, especially at first...the feeling of being too sedentary while being the milk supply, but the days go by quickly and before you know it they are on solids, then eventually weaned and you'll reminisce on it all!

I also could not bear to follow any "expert" advice that deemed a schedule for feeding. Thank God I wasn't trying to feed anyone in the 50's, when that bad advice ruled, "Feed your baby when they aren't hungry and ignore them when they are or else you are spoiling them."

I do love La Leche League, have you heard of them? It is a support group for nursing families. International, meeting in living rooms in small groups all over the world. Go ASAP, if you can locate one. Look online, ask around. I was so stoked at the first one I went to, all these nursing moms, quiet chaos of all the babies/kids and a meeting actually happened, we got something really good done together, even in our total baby state!!

Too cope: If possible get some time each day, even 15-30 minutes where someone else totally takes responsibility for him, then take a bath, a short walk or draw a silly picture in your journal, or whatever gives you some "me" time to "refill and refresh your cup" a bit.

If possible don't project into the future with worry...take it one day (or minute) at a time. He will go through growth spurts and nurse alot and then let off some at other times. Say, "I can do this for now!" And you can!

Overall, I believe you will get longer gaps as time goes on, just realize that his stomach is soooo tiny now and he is digesting your milk soooo well because it is the perfect food for him...giving him, besides nutrients, the antibodies he needs and the perfect compliment for his genius to develop!

Also his digestive system is maturing now and by nursing "on demand" and exclusively, you are helping build his readiness for food so that when he is ready to eat- the chance of digestive/ allergy/ food sensitivity problems is so much less...by the way, both my guys hardly ever get sick and were not chubby babies.

I hope you are drinking alot of water and healthy fluids, eating really yummy, nutritious and blood building foods (beets, leafy greens, almonds, apricots, meat is you like it, etc.)

Also know your body can't manufacture Essential Fatty Acids/DHA Oils and your baby must have these for proper neurological/brain development. Get a super high quality and purity certified form at your health food store, ask for the best one. Eat wild salmon if you like it.

I hope this helps you! I lag on emails, but feel free to contact me anytime!

C. Pole

Continue nursing on demand. Before you know it the feedings become fewer. My oldest son ate every hour as well until he was about 3 months old. It gradually decreases.

Congratulations on your precious baby!

Firstly, that is awesome that you are breastfeeding your baby! It's the best thing for him and it's great that you are doing it, and you're doing it so often. Now...I breastfed for 1 one year and as I've heard and experienced, the more frequently babies nurse, the less milk they get. It may be...that you may not be making enough milk, or he's not latching well enough and not getting enough. You may want to pump and give him a few ounces (I think when my baby was right around 2 months she drank about 4-5 ounces of breastmilk every 3-4 hours)...so, try pumping and giving him about 5 ounces of milk and see what happens after that. If he wants to eat again after 1.5 hours, then increase the amount and see what happens again. I can only imagine how difficult it is for you to do anything other than feed your little guy! But, hang in there and don't give up on breastfeeding. If you think you're not making enough milk, which happens a lot, then you may want to give him some formula after he breastfeeds and see what happens.

Hope this helps! Good luck and keep doing what you're doing because you both will figure out what each of you need!

I so feel your pain - I remember! my first born did just that. and I did the same as you. and that is just fine.

Don't worry, it will change soon,

Look at this as the "survival time". For the next 4 weeks do whatever it takes to survive: take care of your baby and yourself, sleep when he sleeps, feed him when he is hungry.

Before you usually feed him you can start to distract him by talking to him, playing with him, singing...I gave my babies warm oil massages, oiled their legs and arms and feet with warm jojoba oil. It was fun for me to enjoy, caress and get to know their beautiful little bodies and it made them relaxed and trusting.
These activities can stretch out the time in between feedings so you and your breasts can recover.

I can not stress enough how important it is to take care of your breasts: wipe your nipples with warm water and a teeny bit of baby soap after each feeding, and dab them dry so you don't get any yeast infections or skin irritations. A almost hot wash coth feels nice to comfort your hard working breasts too.

lol, now I am going to stop talking about your private parts and wish you good luck, do your best to enjoy your baby and this time, even though it is hard - your baby will never be this little again and time flies - trust me, this will pass and something else that is hard will take its place. But that is the fun of it - right?
sincerely,
C.
mom of 4 under 8.

I hate to tell you this, but you baby is using you as his pacifier. He does not need to nurse that much. He just needs to be soothed. Give him a pacifier. break him of the habit of being on your boob immediately, I have friends whose babies did the same and it drove them crazy. He will be JUST fine, give him a pacifier and rock him. Go to a breat feeding support group, it was the most important thing I did after having my baby. They have one at St Joes in Burbank on Wednesday from 10-12 weekly. The friends I made there are gals I hang with 3-4 times a week. Are kids are growing up together and it is the best thing ever. Look on the internet for one near you....you will NOT regret it. Good luck...

My son used to nurse every 1-2 hours at that age too until I was finally so exhausted that I knew I had to do something about it. I'm not sure if it's the same for you, but my son was used to this schedule and had to eat so frequently because he'd often fall asleep while nursing. I started to pump after nursing to build up a milk supply so that at the next feeding I could give him a little extra in a bottle so that I could be sure he'd had his fill. This way I was gradually able to stretch his feedings a little at a time. And at night I'd add a little bit of formula to his bottle of breast milk so that he'd stay full for longer. Finally by the time he was 3 months old he was sleeping through the night. Hope that helps. Good luck.

I think you should just ask your pediatrician but it sounds right to me. He might be going through a growth spurt. He's frequent nursing will also help your body build your milk supply. Also, when you breast feed him, make sure you really give him the time to get to the "hind milk". The milk at the end of the session has a lot of the good fats in it. If you switch him from one breast to the other too soon, maybe he's not getting the hind milk; therefore, not as full for as long. But, I'm sure you are fine and it will get easier. Promise.

There can be many reasons for this:

YES, breastfeeding is arduous. Not easy. It takes MUCH time.

1) he is 'cluster feeding.' Some babies even nurse every hour. It WILL happen. Especially when they are having 'growth spurts." You must feed on demand... DO NOT PUT HIM ON A SCHEDULE. This is NOT appropriate for a newborn. For the first year of life, a baby has to be fed ON DEMAND. This is per our Pediatrician as well.

2) he is not getting enough 'intake'...thus, he is having to nurse more frequently, to get enough.

3) your milk production may not be enough, thus, he is needing to feed more frequently. But, IF he is growing/gaining weight appropriately though... then, that means he IS probably getting enough intake.

4) he is not latched on properly...thus, even if he is at the breast, his 'sucking' is not efficient... thus, he is not getting enough intake. In this case, see a Lactation Consultant, to make sure.

5) he is a voracious feeder and has a ginormous appetite... my son was like this. It was just the way it was with him. Each baby is different.

I emphasize... DO NOT PUT HIM ON A FEEDING 'SCHEDULE." A baby MUST be fed on demand. He is just a newborn. You need to do this 24/7, waking up at night too. This is what breastfeeding is. It's not a cake-walk. My Hubby, used to chide me saying "when I leave for work in the morning you're breastfeeding...when I come home from work you are STILL breastfeeding... is that what you do all day?" And my answer was "YES, this is what I do all day. I am feeding your baby properly. THIS is breastfeeding." With our firstborn, it took even my Hubby a bit of time to "realize" that breastfeeding is not easy and he did not envy me for it.

Yes, some days are real rough..it seems like you are breastfeeding all day. You could try and pump milk, and let your Hubby feed him sometimes... but if you give him a bottle to replace a breast-nursing... your body and milk production will get affected. I would not do this... at his young age... you need to make sure your milk production is keeping pace with HIM. So that he gets proper nutrition, intake amounts and thus grows/develops properly.

All the best,
Susan

I only read a few responses but wanted to let you know you're doing everything right. My daughter nursed constantly, I swear there were days when it felt like I hadn't left the couch at all. And then, it got so I really enjoyed those moments. I would stack up books, magazines and snacks and it was a relaxing ritual that I loved so much.
Now, I can't get her to sit still long enough for a let down half the time.
It will pass and you will remember it fondly.
There's NOTHING wrong with you or your baby.
Someone told you to put soap on your nipples. Don't. Your breasts and nipples are perfectly made to self clean; they don't need soap in the shower or any other time. A great website is kellymom.com and a great book to look at during those long days of breastfeeding is La Leche League's book.
Good luck

Hi F.,

It sounds to me like he might not be getting enough of your fatty milk. Do you feel the let down? When babies start nursing they only get watery milk. Sometimes it takes 15 or 20 min for the fatty milk to come out. If he's mainly getting watery milk, he's going to be hydrated but he's not going to stay full. Our breasts work this way so that a baby who is thirsty can nurse for a short time and get the water they need from our milk. The fatty milk helps fill them up. You need to make sure you feed him for at least 30 min. on each side. If you start with side A and then go to side B, next time you nurse you would start with side B and end with A and vice versa. If you have more questions, contact me and/or the La Leche League. They can help also.

Nursing is such a demanding sport!!! Don't worry, they start to suck more and can make it longer. Just play by their hunger. When they say Neh, or when you see them start to look for you to latch on. It will start to get longer periods, but I noticed with my daughter, at night she'd get the night time grizzles and want to nurse every hour, it was exhausting...until she was over 6 months old!
Good luck!

We always joked that you could set your watch by my 1st son; he NEVER missed a meal. At about 8-weeks, they go through another growth spurt, so more feeding! I know it feels like you are just a walking, talking, milk machine, but eventually he will slow down. Until then, cherish this precious time with your son, you will never have it again. In order to get a bit of a break, you may want to try expressing your milk, that way you (or someone else) can offer him a bottle and you can get a brief break. Good luck to you!

I had the same problem with my wee little one for the first month (she is also 8 weeks and I am a first time mother as well). I felt as if I was CONSTANTLY nursing and never getting a break. I started really looking at the situation and realized she was nursing for comfort, not to eat. If she didn't nurse, she'd suck on her hand vehemently; or cry (she is slightly colic, throws up and is gassy, but that's another issue).
I didn't want to...but I gave her a pacifier. I know there are a lot of moms out there who gasp at the idea...but she was basically using ME as one. I think it will be easier to take away the 'binky' versus her hand when she gets older. She is still an eager eater and nurses for long periods of time...but sdhe is content for three or four hours between feedings and now hardly requires the pacifier.

Hi F.-

You did not mention if you fed him on one or both breasts during a feeding. If he is eating that often, and eating on both breasts, then you need to switch to feeding him on only one breat at each feeding. The first milk the baby gets during a feeding is the fore-milk and it is very watery. It will satisfy the thirst of the child. But the hind-milk is behind it and needs to be eaten as well. That is the fattier milk and will keep him feeling full a little longer. The next feeding switch sides. If you are feeding at both breasts, for 10 min. each, he may only be getting the fore-milk and that may be why he eats so often.
It is rough to have a frequent eater, but trust yourself and your body, and know that you are doing a wonderful thing for yourself and your baby. I can't go into all the benefits here, but beleive me there are many. I am a childbirth educator and birth doula, and I help many women understand breastfeeding better.

Your little guy's frequent nursing might be more he wants the comfort of sucking as opposed to eating, but only you would know that. I have to recommend Gina Ford's The Contented Baby book - it was a Godsend for me when I had my little guy. He thrived on her routines - gained 4lbs his first month (and he started out at 9.7lbs) and her pumping routines helped so much. Point being: my son never went hungry. Try to make sure he drains a breast before switching sides - that way he gets to the hind milk, which is fattier and more filling for him. Good luck! Hang in there - its going to get better and better!! :)

Babies really are all different, so your son could just like to eat more often. My son ate every two hours for a long time (I had a different situation because I was rebuilding up my milk supply after relactating), but it does get better. I saw that many people said you might have a low milk supply, and one person mentioned listening to the swallows. Definitely listen to the swallows, if your baby is swallowing a good amount, then he is getting the milk. A few things I did to make sure my son (almost 4 and a half months old now) really emptied the breast (I still do this), massage the breast or do breast compressions. My son gets kind of lazy if the milk isn't flowing fast enough for him, and that keeps it flowing well (based on his swallowing). Make sure you are also offering both breasts. One more thing, are you sure he's actually hungry? My son gets really fussy when he's tired (he can't sleep without nursing or riding in the car), I used to feed him when he did this, and he would fall asleep. Maybe he really wants something else (sleep, he's overstimulated, just wants to be held, etc), try a few other things before feeding him, if he really is hungry, he'll let you know.

My son was a frenquent nurser, too. Our pediatrician actually recommended letting him scream to try and stretch out the feedings and repeatedly told me I was overfeeding him. Needless to say, we found a new pediatrician because everything I've read says you can't overfeed an exclusively breastfed child. Letting him go hungry never felt right to me. I'm not going to sugar-coat it, it was tough. But he eventually stretched out the time in between on his own. He never took more than four or five ounces at once (I know this because I work full-time and from 10 weeks through his first year he would drink expressed milk during the day) but I have a girlfriend whose son would down 10+ ounces and also ate every couple of hours. Point is, they are all different. Just try to keep going with the flow like you are. Keep up the good work. And have faith that some day, it will get easier and you will forget how tired you are right now.

What you are doing is ensuring an ample milk supply for your entire nursing experience! The more you nurse early on the better it will carry you through. I agree with the no scheduled feeding thing! When my "frequent nurser" was tiny, my mom was staying with us and she was always saying negative things like "IS he on there AGAIN?" "Maybe you should give him formula to fill him up more, he must not be getting enough or he wouldn't need to nurse every hour" blah blah blah! But even if you are hearing these things too, keep it up! I know it is SO all consuming but that's exactly what it's supposed to be right now. Hang in there! He will get into a better pattern soon! Just DO make sure that he is taking a full feed each time, not just suckling for pleasure. And if he fusses, don't automatically put him to breast, try walking around the house singing to him, put him on your legs looking up and talk to him, make sure it's not his diaper, etc before you go straight to the breast. But I'm sure you already are doing that anyway. Also, look into "Growth spurts" where they start nursing like crazy for a short period of time. Just in case you feel like you've got it at a good routine and he starts nursing very frequently again, that could be the cause. In fact that may well be what you have going on right now? Here, I just looked up a real quick link for you with some info on that...
http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurt.html
Good luck to you! Continue to seek support when you need it, we ALL need it! :-)

you may want to try going to a breastfeeding support group and try weighing yur baby before and after you feed. your son may not be getting quite enough milk and may be nursing more because of it. i found that it helped me a lot. plus, all the moms are in similar situations. when you nurse, your baby is a lot harder to get on a schedule right away. it takes a lot of work for them and they get tired. good luck and congratulations.

Baby Wise is a great book, but you have to do what you're comfortable with.

I wonder if your son is latching on properly. If he's not, then he's working really hard to eat and that could be why he's nursing so often. Do your breasts feel drained after he eats. Since he's nursing so often, you probably have enough milk.

The Pump Station in Santa Monica is a great resource. Your pediatrician may have a lactation consultant to recommend or in the office. Or you could talk to one of the nurses. They should have some suggestions for you.

Take care,
D. Stambler
www.betweenparents.org

I nursed 2 sons and they were completely different. My first one was a "super soaker" -- he would drink a lot and fall asleep exhausted, then not eat for a while. He was my first and that's what I thought was normal.

My second son was a nibbler. He'd just taste for a while then want to eat again very soon. It was like he wanted to be attacked 24/7 -- I felt like a human pacifier. I actually tried to get this one ON a pacifier to get a break, but it never worked. Until I got used to it it was very annoying.

I wish I had better advice for you (like how to get a nibbler to be a super soaker). The truth is your baby is the way he is. Since I'm in the "feed on demand" camp I just got used to it. As he got older he got more polite about it. And when I went back to work he had to deal with a bottle. But he didn't ever change what he wanted. Instead I changed how I reacted to it; that made it a lot easier.

I guess I'm telling you that your beautiful son is perfectly normal so don't worry about it. I wouldn't put him on a schedule unless you have no other option (like you have to go back to work). Try to change the way you think about it and enjoy the closeness with your son -- they grow up really fast. (My super soaker weaned himself earlier than I was ready for it, so there are plus/minus things on each side, lol.)

All the best.

P.S. Look into getting a sling -- NOJO makes a good one with padding on the edges (which I used as rails, lol, because I was afraid my little one would fall out -- he never did). Anyway, if your baby wants to be attached the whole time you CAN feed them in the sling and no one will be the wiser. I did it while walking around in the store, and no one could tell. It will give you some mobility and still be able to stay with your son. I've also used other baby carriers that I liked very much, but the NOJO one was the best for the little ones.

Does he fall asleep while nursing? When babies do that, they don't get a "full meal" for 2 reasons. They cut their meal short AND the milk that comes out first is more watery, as they suck longer, the milk gets richer and your body puts more fat into it, which "sticks to his ribs". So, try keeping him awake - pull back the blankets, tickle his toes, change his diaper between breasts, etc. Make sure he gets 20 minutes on each breast and then try to keep him awake for a little bit longer after he eats. When he gets tired, he should sleep for a nice long nap and then wake up hungry. (hopefully that will be 2 1/2 to 3 hours after the last feeding!) Good luck and hopefully you can do it without the tears and screaming!

I don't know about your son, but my daughter did the same thing except her naps were only 30 minutes at best. The thing is though that she slept for 6-8 hours through the night from week 1. I decided for me that the sleep through the night was 100% worth the tiring day. I didn't get hardly anything done during the day in the beginning, but I always had a good night sleep. Hope you're not losing sleep at night.

Have you pumped to see how much you are actually producing? With my third child, it seemed that she nursed all the time. After a doctor visit showed that she was not gaining the appropriate amount of weight (she was actually slowly starving). After I cried my eyes out, I went home and pumped and realized that "the mind was willing but the body was weak"! I was barely producing enough for her.

Hi F.,

I just want to say that first of all this is totally normal and it will get better. My dd is 5 months now and nurses every 2 hours, which may not seem like long enough between but it really isn't bad at all. When she was your sons age she nursed ALL the time. In the beginning it felt like she nursed non-stop ... sometimes every 30 minutes. I know it feels impossible to do anything else but nurse right now and partly that is probably true but soon he will be able to go longer between nursing not only because his stomach will be able to hold more but also because the need to comfort nurse becomes less necessary for them as they get older. I just want to encourage you to keep feeding on request (demand) and know that this will not last forever.
I just want to add that you cannot gauge how much you are producing with a pump. If you decide to pump to see how much you are producing that can be very misleading because a pump is not as efficient as your baby. Your baby can get a lot more out than a pump. As long as your baby is producing enough wet and poopy diapers and he is gaining weight than you are fine.

Best Wishes,
J.

My daughter was born weighing 9.6 lbs. so needless to say she was a big eater, and at 2 years old she still is. I breastfeed for the entire 1st year so I know where you are at. The first couple weeks she was on the beast at least every 30 mins. and to be honest she never made it for 3 hours streches until she was at least 6 months old. She loved nursing and used it for both nutrition and comfort and she was on me all the time until about 6 months old. She often nursed for only 5-10 mins. at a time and she only naped in 30 mins. increments (3 times a day). To sum it all up, it perfectly normal for you son to be nursing so much. Just hang in there and don't force him into a schedule. He needs the nourishment and he needs to be close to you, I am sure you notice it is when he is happiest. It may be well into his 6 month until you get any break, but just know that you are doing the best thing for him and looking back after 1 year, you will realize you did the right thing and that it wasn't as big of a deal as you may think it is now.

At about 4 months old I started using distracgtions (such as books and trips to the park and walks) to try to get her to strech her feedings a little bit, and at 5-6 months I started solids and baby puffs. Also around 4 months I started keeping a journal of when she ate and slept and that allowed me to see a pattern and tweek it in very tiny increments according to what she was already doing on her own.