getting older and reducing time at breast when feeding.......

[crazycanuck]

just curious about a few things.....

jayna has stopped nursing as long as she used to - i didn't really time things ever but normally she would eat and then have a short break and then have another go at the boob........lately she has been eating only once and seems to me like she should be nursing longer than she is

my main concern is she will get too much foremilk......

i know as they get older they often reduce the time they need at the breast as they become more efficient......

should i worry???

poos are still yellow - but she is eating more often which suggests to me the milk is going through her too fast.......

she seems to be eating every 2.5 lately or 2 - that said she has a cold and her naps have been crap because she waked herself up snuffling and having difficulty breathing.......so wakes and then i htink is hungrier sooner since she is awake - kwim??

but when i try and put her back on before she goes down to make sure she has eaten enough she just cries because she is tired......

safe to say if you have a short break and then offer again and they don't take it they are full??
if so should i start pumping off some foremilk?
she should be extending her time inbetween nursing right now....not getting less.....
unless growth spurt but they should only last a few days

pardon my thinking out loud

sarah

[RachelC]

Since she is not feeling so well, I would totally go with the flow with feeding.  When she is feeling better, you can work on a 2.5/3 hour routine.

Key things:
6+ wet diapers in 24 hours
mustardy colored poops
weight gain

Is she waking more at night due to hunger?  Or is her cold waking her?  She needs the extra fluids right now, so I would keep on feeding when she wants.

HTH 

[crazycanuck]

nope nights are really good - only wakes once for a feed - last night did 10:00 to 5:00 am fed and then back down till 8am....night before did 7:30 - 7:30 with one feed around 4:00am.....so night are good and the cold doesn't seem to be affecting the nights - just naps....

she cluster feeds on her own accord at night - so maybe i should just relax re: not nursing for as long in the day......not concerned she is not getting enough....just don't want her getting too much foremilk from not nursing long enough to get to the hindmilk....


anyhow - gotta go - logan is still not sleeping and its 9:13 - its taken him over an hour of being in bed now and he still hasn't fallen asleep

[RachelC]

10 minutes was a long nursing for both my kids at this age... if that helps at all 

[*Nicola*]

Both Ciara and Callie have always been short feeders too.

Sarah, I think we started off on a 3 hour EASY when Callie was a sleepy newborn and then when she 'woke up' and naps became rubbish we moved to a 2-2.5 hour EASY.  I don't think it was until about 9 weeks or so that the close feeds/short naps became a snacking issue, and I then made an effort to extend naps and aim for a 3 hour EASY.

Sounds just fine.  Hope she feels better soon 

[crazycanuck]

nicola - that sounds like the same that is happening here
she was 3 but when she "woke" from her newborn slumber she dropped to 2 or 2.5hr feeds....today she has been good and seemed to go three - and after i fed her on just one turn at the boob i pumped to see how much i could still get out and it was very little - so she must be emptying me more than i think quicker than i think.....

naps are getting easier as well - WAY less time getting her down - I think she is getting used to the routine of it......WE have also figured out the very first yawn we need to go upstairs and swaddle her and dim lights and turn on white noise - and she calms instantly!!! 

i couldn't AP her if I tried - she needs practically NO stimulation!!

Thanks Ladies for your input