Help!!! My Daughter Breastfeeds for Hours at a Time

I would break her of the long feeding habit!

She is using you as a comfort item. Try pushing passy's...

Mine wouldnt take a Passy as a baby and used me as one. It was hard in public she would scream and i would have to pull out my breast to calm her down.

She even tried latching on to my Hubby once! Lets just say he never rocked her with out a shirt on after that. It made it real hard for others to watch her while I was out.

Get her wide awake, maybe a little colder than normal so she will feed and be done. I breast feed three and if they get too comfy, they will stay there all night. Try playing with her feet or rubbing her arms or legs to keep her awake until she is done and then you can both get some sleep.

Hi, T.. Good for you for trying to give your baby the best start you can (although, my eldest was formula fed and had a pretty darn good start, too. :) ).

I've read a lot of "she's using you for comfort." That's not bad, it's not her "using you;" it's what newborns do and need. I wouldn't put too much effort into "breaking her" of it, as it's one of her basic needs...she needs to be comforted by her momma. I know you're exhausted & perhaps getting a bit frustrated, but try to remember that IT WILL PASS. She won't do this forever, but she needs it right now. You're not spoiling her; you're giving her what she needs.

Good luck to you & keep being a great mom!

Definitely get in touch with La Leche League -- they can really help you. My son was also a nip and napper. He'd stay on for a long time and sleep. In the end, I gave up and just got myself comfortable with a good book, tv remote, snacks and drinks near by. Yes, it's for comfort most likely but he wouldn't take a passy. He got over it in due time.

Look, she's only a month old. No need to stick her on strict schedules and get all hung up on it. Every baby is a little different in that regard. It will pass. My son will be 4 and I so miss his nursing days sometimes. You will not spoil her by letting her nurse a bit for comfort. Enjoy these precious moments!

I'm a mommy with 3 little ones (our youngest is 4 months old) and I can definitely relate to what you're talking about! A lot of babies use their mommy as a "pacifier" (all 3 of mine did)... very comforting for Baby and very exhausting for Mommy! Our baby has a very strong need for suckling, and it sounds like yours does, too. Try offering her a paci but don't be surprised or discouraged if she doesn't take it right away, or even not at all. Two of our babies took a paci after a while, one never did. I found that it helps if you buy the pacifiers that are shaped more like a "real" nipple (oblong) than the flat, fatter shaped ones.

I know this stage of your life is so very tiring, but it won't last forever!! It takes most newborns a few months to adjust to life outside the womb, and right now you are her sole source of comfort, food, and security. Be patient with yourself and your baby, try to rest as much as you can during the day (I know, much easier said than done!), and remember that "this too shall pass". Like another commenter said, don't expect too much of a schedule or routine at this point... just enjoy your baby girl and be proud of yourself for nursing her! Breastfeeding can be challenging at times, especially at the beginning, but it is definitely worth it. :o)

K. Howard
http://www.HomemakersCottage.com

Have you tried a pacifier?

My son used to get the suction of the breast and then fall asleep. When his mouth filled up with milk, it would lose suction and spill all over. I used to watch until he started falling asleep and then switch to the pacifier.

I was hesitant because of the "big scare" of nipple confussion, but at 2 weeks I NEEDED SLEEP!

He did just fine. :o)

I hope it helps.

Blessings,

P. <><

Hi T., I am a 54 yr old grandmother of 7 with 2 grown daughters. We all went through this same thing. Our milk was not rich enough or nutritious enough to satisfy our babies. We gave up and learned later that you can take an herb called Marshmellow to make your milk richer. You get it at the health food stores. I haven't tried it but wish I had known. Maybe this will help.
To test you milk for richness, pump a couple of ounces into a clear container & let it sit in the fridge for a few hrs. if it looks clear or blueish it is not rich. Even if it separates like it has cream on top & there is only a small amount it isn't right. After you check it & if you're not comfortable with trying the marshmellow, talk to your doctor or call one of the breast feeding organizations.
God Bless.

Just in case, I wanted to let you know that this was the first sign that my son had reflux. If you think she has other symptoms, you might want to check that out. Otherwise, maybe she is in a growth spurt?

If you feel she is getting all the nutrition she needs then she is using you as a human pacifier. It sounds like she just likes to suck in her sleep. I would disengage her after a normal feeding time and gently lay her in her own bassinet or crib. We never co-slept. Mine always slept beside me in a bassinet. I was always scared my Double FF boobs would smother the baby when I was asleep or that I would roll over on him and hurt him. IF it is truly an issue of hunger than I would supplement her with a bottle at night to help her sleep and the nutrients last. You can always pump and offer her breast milk in a bottle. My third child wanted to be on the breast all the time. He woke every 45minutes and then nursed for 45 minutes or longer. But when he slept it was only for 45minutes until he wanted on again. All night long. I knew my breast milk was fine, when mine seperated out it was always with a thick layer of fat at the top an inch or more thick with all 3 babies. So I knew it wasn't that. But he was also 9 pounds when he was born. He just needed a lot of nutrition.
The other thing you might try to do is let her cry a little longer, then lengthen the time between crying bursts. To get her used to not being on the breast at night 100% of the time. At this age it isn't necessarily being spoiled as in setting up some bad habits for her to learn to comfort herself. She is comforting herself with you is what it sounds like to me.

But everyone has to do what they feel is right. To some solving this problem is to co-sleep and she will outgrow it. I just took a different approach for what worked for us. I always figured if we co-slept then later I would have another habit to break, of them needing to learn to sleep in their own bed after sleeping with mom and dad for a year or two. Same thing with a paci. Never started one, because I would just have to break that habit eventually also. But don't mistake, I did let mine have their mama-paci just not for 5 hours straight. They do need to be with you alot at this stage, for comfort and warmth etc. But they also will begin to develop some bad habits and as parents we usually let them, and then it comes back to bite us in the butt later.

The added bonus of having her get a bottle for at least one feeding is that dad can give her a feeding also and get up and maybe let you get a little more sleep. Maybe he could start by giving her a bottle at bedtime and then letting her wake-up later for you to nurse. Pretty much anyway you go there is going to be some crying while helping her get into a new routine. But you will be so much better later when she is older. It will be easier as a 15 month or toddler that she had a good routine. Not a routine in stone, but the things that you do to prepare her for sleep. Some rock, some bathe them, some play music. Whatever you start out doing is what she will learn is the "routine" and any deviations from that will be hard for her to cope with. And it gets worse the longer they go with a set routine and the older you get.

I am a member of a mom's group on yahoo groups. Creative parenting. You can sign up. We have a mom that is a La Leche League consultant. You can ask her anything. Her name is Robin. But I am also sure that your local hospital has a lactation consultant, call back to the hospital where she was delivered and see if they have someone to help you. She is young enough that you guys should qualify for them to continue to give you supportive help, I would think.
Anyways, I have given you all my ideas.
Good luck,
L.

That is how we wound up cosleeping with our first.
I do think it could be that the milk isn't rich enough as another lady had said, that is what it was with my first. I wound up supplimenting him with one bottle a day when he was 3 weeks old. He took an entire 6oz bottle 2 hours after he had nursed and then 2 hours later nursed again. It was crazy how much that kid could nurse. He was very crabby and never acted satisfied. Unless she is acting starved all the time and is not gaining weight then I wouldn't worry about needing formula. I think that sleeping while she nurses is a great idea AND maybe some mothers milk tea or the mallow root, to sort of richen up the milk. Definatly get in touch with a LLL consultant. Good luck. It will get better. Try to sleep with her so you don't go crazy.
My oldest did nurse for 4 hours straight when he was like 10 days old 30min at each breast and just flipping side to side and when he would let go to burp I would still be able to squeeze milk out. I so understand, but don't give up.

hi when my 5 year old son was an infant he loved to breast feed. he would take naps and we would sit in chair for hours. i then realized he was wanting to be close to me and to be held. so i let him feed until i felt he was full,then i took him off held him close, rocked him, this took a while but peyton learned that breastfeeding was for eating not to fall asleep at the nipple all the time. good luck. my breasts felt better after ward. i'm not suggesting to wean, i fed him for 9 months to a year. but for both of our sanity i had to teach him that he could be close to me without sucking on my breast. good luck.
i'm a mom to a 10 year old son and peyton. i love being a full time mom W. d.

call la leche but I think 10-15 min. max each side...seems like you might be her paci

Lost of good advice so far. I am now bf-ing my third. My first two never took a paci...this one did at first but now that she has me she doesn't want it as much. That's fine.

She also has reflux and long eating is a symptom. She is now 3 mos old and this reflux thing is new to me...I would rule out the reflux first. Call LLL. But really focus on the me time.

Also, I used to nurse during the night while I slept. And at naps. Kill two birds w/ one stone.

HI T.,

I had the same problem with my first. Honestly the only thing that worked for me when I nursed my next baby was to give him a paci. He didn't take it right away but after some time (he's now 5 mnths) he loves his paci and it keeps him from using me as a paci.
It's a hard habit to break when they nurse on you for comfort and very time consuming so I would suggest you try the paci asap. I use the brand the hospital started him off with and you can buy them at WalMart or Target.

Good luck to you!!

She's using you to provide comfort. Also, are you sure you still need the nipple shield - that's usually something you need early on only. She also may just be what they call a "gourmet" eater. My oldest was that way - he could nurse an hour, take a 30 min. break and nurse for another hour. Also, she may be going through a growth spurt. And, it's virtually impossible to tell that they're eating enough - weight gain is the best indicator that she's eating well. She should be at least a couple pounds over birth weight. Also, have you tried nursing more during the day. Are you consuming dairy products? That could be causing some case/reflux that can cause the spitting out. Also, you can detach her and try comforting her in other ways - by rocking, swaddling, etc. She may just need your closeness and warmth.

I too breastfeed, son 4 months, I feel that you need to continue to let your daughter feed as long as she wants. All she is doing is helping you build your milk supply and if your going to be returning to work and is going to continue to breastfeed this will help you in the long run. If she is feeding for this longer period at night, its because the most milk comes in between the hours of 2am - 6am.

I'm sure you're exhausted, but this won't last forever. One month is way too young to even consider her spoiled so don't worry about that. Everything I've read states that 4 months is generally the age where you can begin schedules, etc. Is she in bed w/you? I did this w/my 2nd and I was afraid of the whole rolling over on him thing, but all was well and I got to sleep while he "ate". They have so many new things now to protect the babies while in bed w/you for nursing. I put both boys in their cribs around 4 months so sleeping w/us has never been an issue...other than morning snuggling time! :) Don't worry...sounds like you're doing great and maybe we'll get time to catch up on sleep once they are in school? :) OH and my second had reflux (did upper gi and found out for sure) and now I realize my first probably did as well....)so I agree w/the one mom who suggested getting that checked...who knows w/these little ones??! ;)

My son had reflux and would breastfeed for over an hour and a half each time that he ate. Our pediatrician finally told us to cut him off after 40 minutes since he was gaining weight and seemed to just be suckling to soothe himself. After a few days of cutting him off after 40 minutes, he started stopping himself at the 40 minute mark and it was never a problem again. I would talk to your pediatrician to ensure that they don't have any concerns about her intake and then cut her off after a "normal" amount of time. I used a breastshield also and I have heard that it does slow down the milk flow slightly.

Sounds like she is using you as a pacifyer. After she feeds, get a real soft pacifyer, and hold it close to your breast at first and let her suck on it,until she falls back to sleep. Soon you won't have to do that. No way should you have to nurse for two hours straight, much less five. They aren't really eating that long. But I don't think she is needing to nurse, just be pacified . Sometimes they need a suppliment if she acturally acts hungry. If she is gaining weight, I wouldn't thank that would be the case. She may just have to cry a bit.