11 day old - how long?

[mmom]

There may not be 1 answer for this, but I am confused about how long to bf my LO.  At the hospital, the nurses would say aim for 15 minutes on each side.  Then the LC said don't do that - let him go as long as he wants on 1 side and then switch.  I have tried both methods and I am not sure what I should be doing.  If I let him feed as long as he wants on 1 side (normally about 20 minutes), he will only eat for 5 minutes on the other side.  I can normally 'force' 5 more minutes out of him.  But he really doesn't want it.  If I am doing it like this, isn't he only getting foremilk?  Shouldn't I be switching so it is equal?  He is gaining, but i haven't been consistent about my method of feeding because I keep getting different advice.  I am worried that feeding only on 1 side will effect my supply in some way. 

[L76]

Hi

I am not sure what the 'right' answer to this is either but I have a 14 day old and this is what I am doing (also did this for DD).

Feeding every 3hrs (more often if he demands it, say 2.5hrs) on one side each feed. I think that you need to make sure they fully empty the first breast before going onto the 2nd but how quickly they do this will depend on each individual baby. Mine seems satisfied with the one side and feeds for anything from 20mins to 40mins (but when longer I do think he is 'sucking for the sake of it'!!!).

HTH

x

[mmom]

Thanks Leanne.  So your LO doesn't even eat from the other side during a feeding? 

I don't know why this is so confusing to me, since I have been here before!

[L76]

Hi

No he doesn't. I did do both sides in the early few days but that was to relieve my engorged feeling!

So now I only do one side.

I know, it's amazing how much you forget isn't it! Personally I would do one side, for as long as your LO wants to feed and if unsettled after then do the other side. I think you are supposed to be able to tell if they find the breast empty from them fussing but I've never had that so can't be sure.

Everyone gives you such different advice on bf don't they. It's really not helpful but I think go with your instincts and as long as they seem satisfied and put on weight then all is well.

x

[*Liz*]

I do one side for as long as Megan wants (this is usually between 10 and 20 mins now But TBH I don't really time it) - then wind and change nappy. I the first side is definately empty I will then offer the second side but if there was definately still milk in there I give the same breast again. Usually that happens if she stopped feeding due to wind etc.

Quite often she wants a 30 min break between the 2 sides at the moment which is not ideal but is due to her getting all windy during feeding.

I think I am doing 1 side about 70% of the time, but always offering both. That way I know she is getting hind milk. I only take her off the first side actively if she falls asleep and goes into comfort sucking mode. If she is sucking properly and swallowing milk I just leave her on.

[mmom]

OK, probably stupid questions, but how do you know you are truly empty?  Can't you feel empty, but still have milk?

I have a hard time knowing when he is done with 1 side, because he will just pop off.  But that can be as early as 5 minutes into a feed.  So I will burp him and put him back on.  I will do this until he has no interest.  Then I will switch sides.

[mberry]

I feed one side until she stops nursing (dd is 3 months now and it takes her about 10 min...when she was a newborn I think it took her about 20) and then I offer her the other in case she wants any more.  I feel my boob to see if she's emptied it.  I can definitely tell just by touch if she's drunk everything.  Then I always make sure to start her on the other boob for the next feed.  ie: first feed of the day starts on right boob and maybe takes a little from the left--she's definitely gotten all the fore/hindmilk from the right boob and mostly foremilk from the left.  Then the next feed start on the left and then go to the right--she gets the hindmilk that she didn't get from the left in the previous feed and then more foremilk from the right. 

[mmom]

Maybe another stupid question, but what if my LO favors 1 side and that side clearly has more milk?  Even with my 1st, one side would get full/ engorged.  He doesn't suck as long on 1 side ever.  Does that matter?

[L76]

I think my LO gets more from the left than right as I can hear the milk more. Now whether that is true or if he prefers it, who knows!!!! Too young to really tell yet. I seem to remember DD favouring one side over the other too but I always alternated. I mean it's only like us having something nice for dinner one night and something boring and healthy the next right!!!!!!

x

[JenniG]

Like many have said here I have almost always only fed from one side.  My DS (3.5 months old) is a great eater and has almost always only needed 10 minutes on one breast to be satisfied.  When he has demanded more I have known it is a growth spurt.  I have NEVER noticed a problem with supply..that is until recently when I tried to do the two breast feed (in hopes of increasing feed time in the day) and on those days I felt like I did not have enough for him at night!

[Katet]

Feeding from one side is fine, they will generally stop when they've had enough, sometimes after a burp will want more & I used to offer again after a burp but if it wasn't taken up (in the case of Ds2) I knew he'd had enough or (in the case of DS1) he often would use it to go to sleep (until I learnt otherwise)

As far as how long & feeling empty... how long is a piece of string... DS1 nearly always fed for 40-60mins & liked both sides about 3/4 time... DS2 fed for 5-7mins & nearly always only one side. Both were BIG babies & gained weight well, they were just really different feeders. So from my story if you are feeding at least 2hours & sometimes 2.5-3hours apart & he is sleeping ok then he is doing ok

Mine both had preferences for sides...both different & I know one had a faster flow (which was an impact) I just found that I worked with that, offering the least prefered side for a few days will probably help that side, but at the end of the day only feeding on one side can work as I know someone who did it.

[Mrs Coops]

Hi Kara, I've just seen this so thought I would comment. J feeds for up to 25 minutes on one side, usually less than that. He will come off on his own unless he falls asleep and I'll take him off!

I'll usually single side feed but when he's fussing I'll switch when I think one side is 'empty'! A breast never truly 'empties' but I go by a number of things like how it feels, can I express much out of it? If it squirts he goes back on, if it dribbles switch! If he starts popping on and off I switch, if he falls asleep after a few sucks I switch! During GS's with DD I switched every few minutes sometimes!!!

Obviously all babies and boobs are different, you just have to try and figure out what yours do!

HTH
  x

[ctk134]

My LO will be 4 weeks old on Tuesday and I got all the advice that you had received, though my LO only would feed 10-20 minutes on one side only. After 3 weeks, his weight is from 6lbs 2.3 oz at birth to 8lbs 1oz at the doctors on Thursday and feeds only every 3 hrs, so clearly, he didn't conform to what he "should be doing". Go with what your LO is wanting. Offer the breast back, if he doesn't want it and seems content for 2 1/2 - 3 hrs, and is gaining weight well, don't worry.