How to make bf baby take better feeds?...

[Maria14]

I have a spirited baby who is 12 weeks old today and is EBF.
in the last couple of weeks I noticed that she finishes her feeds quicker than before and is often very distracted on the breast-I guess this is normal as she is too busy wanting to party all the time!
She generally goes happily 3 hrs between feeds despite being quick on the breast.I have a fast letdown still and guess that this also speeds her up.
I nurse her in her room to avoid distraction but this makes little difference.
I try EASY but our major problem is short naps so I end up timing her feeds to 3 hourly and fitting everything else around that.
I noticed that she feeds longer and better at night-she still wakes up 3-4 hourly at night to feed and is genuinely hungry usually.
This am she wasn't interested in feeding first thing on wakening so I ended up feeding her before her nap and she slept for much longer- she usually does 45 min max.
I know it may not be related but i am wondering whether she could just be a little hungry in the day and that's why naps are short?..She does not show hunger cues usually to indicate she is ready to feed before 3 hrs are up.
Like I say feeds fall anywhere in the day,I try to feed on wakening from naps even if it's 2 hrs since last feed but then she is even less interested.so usually stick to 3 hrs.
How do I encourage her to feed better in the day?
Also with NFs is it wise to try reduce her 5am feed a bit to make her more hungry for 7-8 am?

[*Ali*]

Distraction is a problem at this age. Are you feeding in a dark room with no one else around? What about a nursing necklace to keep her attention.

Are you feeding from both breasts at each feed?

If you think you have a fast let down have you tried laid back feeding to reduce the force of the flow?

They do get more efficient at feeding at this age but it could well be that she isn't hungry yet when you are offering. What abut trying to wait until 8am to offer her the BF if she has only fed at 5am? Just try to keep the E separated from the S with a nappy change or some low key A time she doesn't associate feeing with sleep.

You could try to offer less at the 5am if she will take it but I wouldn't force the issue if she is asking for more. Are you doing a DF? That might help her do a NF earlier in the night than the 5am feed and then she will be hungrier in WU. What do you think?

[Maria14]

Thank you for your reply Ali.
As she goes to bed at 7-7.30 her first feed which she wakes up for herself is around 10-11pm anyway so I don't wake her up.she then goes 3-4 hrs so usually feeds at 2-3 am then at 5-6 am that's pretty much like this every night. She has never had a night with just 2 feeds.but she seems to be hungry when she wakes up and feeds.
I always nurse her either reclined or lying down,I ve read a lot of info about fast letdown.my concern is that she does not get too much hindmilk,she starts fussing when there's still milk in the breast may be that's because she likes the fast flow..I don't usually offer the other breast as she often isn't interested.
I nurse in quiet room but it's not particularly dark.
So I guess I just stick with three hourly feeds and fit activity and naps around that..

[*Ali*]

Yes you can do EASAEAS etc until her A times and naps catch up if she isn't ready for a feed when she wakes.

[Fiver]

Honestly, those NFs are about right for a 12wo

[eva026]

A necklace helped with distraction here, that and feeding just as DD came out of her nap so she was still drowsy.

[Maria14]

I ve never heard of this necklace..what is it?..

[eva026]

a nursing necklace but to be honest I have so many beaded necklaces at home that I just used one of those. Made she was nursing though and not sticking it in her mouth;)

[*Ali*]

This is the sort of thing but anything will do as long as you are mindful of it being a choking hazard should it break. http://www.breast-buddies.co.uk/userimages/Baby-Necklace-Designs(2465154).htm