Hi ladies!

My dd is 7 weeks old as of tomorrow. She is still nursing every hour on the hour during the daytime...and going about 3 hours in between during the day. I'm at my wits end trying to keep up with her hourly demand! Is it normal for her still to need to nurse so often? She is definitely gaining weight, so I know she's getting enough. In fact, I think I have an oversupply.

What is the secret to get her to space out her feedings a bit? I feel like she is permanently attached to me! Don't get me wrong...I LOVE feeding her, and am so happy that bf'ing is going so well. BUT...

HELP!!

TIA!!

Sounds like you have a perfectly normal newborn. There is no secret to spacing out feedings, just go with the flow. You are about to hit a growspurt and nursing on demand is the only thing you can do. Newborns tummys are the size of walnuts, and BM is super easy to digest since it is the perfect food.

Hang in there, the first 10 weeks are the toughest and then it gets easier!!!

Great job!!

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Nancy

I agree, it does get easier, but my Jailee was the same way. We would get lucky and get some feedings an hour and a half from the last one, but yep, she fed all the time!!

Good luck, and you can do it!! It will get easier, just keep that in mind.

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If it makes you feel any better.. That's the way it is for us right now. Reece will be 2 months on the 22nd and nurses all the time through the day... About every hour. Through the night he gets up at 10, 12, 3, 5,6 & 7 I hope things slow down soon, I'm a freaking zombie! It's also really hard to read about FF babies on my EDD board sleeping through the night & eating every 3-5 hours through the day. Even some of the BF babies have been reported to be on a similar schedule as the FF munchkins... So it does make it Hard when I'm nowhere near getting that kind of a break

Best we can do is keep telling ourselves this will pass and keep plugging away at it!

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First, I'm going to agree with the other moms.....it is normal! Then I'd like to say that there may be things you can do to help....

How long is she's nursing when she feeds and is she doing one side or two? If she's nursing 2 (and you have an oversupply) she could be filling up on the sweeter (but lighter and less filling) foremilk. Babies who're filling on foremilk can gain alot of weight quickly and they're stools tend to have less of the "mustard seeds" (undigested fat gobules) - they can even lean towards a greeny-yellow hue instead of the rich mustard color (this isn't every baby though, just a quideline) You can do things like breast compressions to help keep her on the first side just a little longer getting some of the richer (and more filling) hindmilk. Do you always start your feed on the same side you ended up on the last time? 1 hr is not very long between......if you go back to breast you ended up on to start the next feed, there's a better chance of it going to hindmilk sooner and having less foremilk "stored-up". That's all I can really think of right now....trying to fill her up a bit more so she can last a little longer.

I feel for you, the early weeks are exhausting......but like the other moms pointed out, they don't last forever! Good Luck!

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