It is my fault.. I give in too easy! My baby wants to snack all the time! I need help spacing her out. I fully realize feeding a baby on demand and I have no intention of NOT feeding her when hungry, but the every hour to 2 hours is killing me. She acts starving and then totally snacks. She LOVES to use me to fall asleep... I wouldn't mind if she took a FULL feeding at another time or even before dosing off. She rarely eats more than 10 mins. tops and then wants to eat again well before 2.5 - 3 hours. When I try to have her wait she wails herself to exhaustion and then the cycle gets worse bc she again falls asleep nursing. ARGH! I am way too quick to offer the breast to her... I suppose I should try other ways to soothe her.... I just don't know? Any tips?! She weighs 12 pounds at 10 weeks, so I know she is clearly getting enough when the day is done! Oh, and don't even let me get into the nights! She continues the pattern all day and night..........I am so tired!

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***Sara***
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she sounds pretty normal to me. remember that a baby's tummy is only about the size of their clenched fist, and also don't forget that human milk is digested quickly- the way that it is supposed to be. also, i see in your sig, you little one is around 2 months. soundslike another growth spurt as well.

as for other ways to soothe her, rocking and walking around with her in a sling may be nice, but if she is hungry or thirsty, or just plain needing comfort, nursing (even if just for a few minutes) is the most efficient, and time-tested way.

i love the pic in youri sig of the kiddos- precious.

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Looks like our babies are about the same age, and that's how my little one is also. She would stay attached to the boob all day and night, if it weren't for sleep and diaper changes. lol I know it may seem like she's nursing too much, or too often, but at this age I think it's really normal. She could be hitting a growth spurt, and if that's the case it'll will pass in a few days.
Don't look at it as giving in, you are responding to her needs. They are still newborns, and even if her need is just to nurse for comfort, it's still a need for her. (I have to remind myself of this often)

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Kaitlyn - Jan 1994, Celeste - May 2002, Camille - April 2007

You're family is one of nature's great masterpeices. - dh's fortune cookie

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I have to agree with everybody so far. Vivian was constantly on the boob, and when she went through a growth spurt it was even worse. She would never take a paci no matter how desperate I got (which is a good thing, but I was desperate, LOL). She would just snack and snack, and always fall asleep. Then need more less than 2 hrs later. I know it seems interminable, but it does get better! hang in there, momma!

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Addi was the exact same way at 2 months and I thought I'd go crazy. But now she's in her becoming aware stage and I'm lucky to get her to be attentive at the boob. I actually miss the days when she wanted it all the time cause now I'm begging her to take it. I don't give any bottles, she'd just rather look around than eat half the time. Just remind yourself what a short time this is in both your lives. Also I agree with whoever said you're responding to her needs.

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The 10 minutes isn't a 'snack'. Natalie has never nursed for that long in a feed. Some babies are really efficient/ some women have really good let down. Natalie can go for 5 hours and then nurse for 5 minutes and act full (Like her tummy is sticking out a little and she's all comotose).

Also their tummies are really tiny.

When she gets a little older she will start to space out her feed some. Just hope that she keeps nursing often during the day. Natalie has spaced out her feed during the day - she will often go 3 or 4 hours between them. And then she has to get caught up at night, so we are up every 2 hours. If I get her to nurse every 2 to 3 hours during the day - she will sleep 4 and 5 hour stretches at night.

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Natalie Margaret - Born at home November 28, 2006 at 8:41pm


Check out Natalie's Blog: http://thebabymonster.blogspot.com/

Yeah, I hate to say it but I think this is just the way your kid is...mine is the same way. Every two hours, practically like clockwork, all day long, and 10 minutes is the LONGEST she's on the breast. But I don't think it's a snack--I think she just drains me (both sides even!) in that short a time, and then, just because she's a big, hungry girl and breastmilk is the only thing she gets, she's ready for more in less than 2 hours.

I honestly don't mind at all during the day, but if she was nursing that frequently at night, like yours is, I think I'd be losing my mind. Mine gets up at least once or twice at night as it is, and that is hard enough. I don't blame you one little bit for wanting to space out the nighttime feedings; I'd want to do the same (in fact I *do* want to do the same, but that's another story...)

Have you tried REALLY cluster-feeding in the evening--I mean like 10 min on, 20 min off, etc. for a couple of hours? Or else you could pump once in the a.m. and have DH give her that bottle in the p.m.--in *addition* to, not instead of, her normal frequent nursing--to fill her tummy up more.

As for nursing to sleep for naps, does she fall asleep in the car or stroller? Why not take her for a walk an hour or hour and a half after she eats and see if she drifts off? That might give you a little more time between nursing sessions but it will also give her some practice in falling asleep independently--or at least more independently than when she is physically attached to you. GL!

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Jessica 35
DH 43
DD #1 born August 28, 2003
DD #2 born January 17, 2007