Question re leaving 2.5-3 hrs between feeds

[Rosielou]

My 8 day old feeds all the time and I'm starting to realise that much of it is comfort sucking rather than hunger.  I'd like to move towards the suggested 2.5-3 hours between feeds. Do I count that from the beginning or end of the previous feed? She is a long slow feeder, can do 40 mins on one side then after a break want from the other side too. Within that 40 mins it often seems she's falling asleep but if I try to take her off the breast she's still firmly latched. Thanks for any advice.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

Hi and welcome to BW! Just so you know the advice in the BW Books regarding bf is fairly outdated, I like to think that if Tracy were still with us that it would have been updated but of course that is not possible. So for such a young infant like your lo I would not really be concerned with pushing feed timings out but more following cues and perhaps starting to do a bit of EASY (in which the A at this age is pretty much a diaper change ). My middle DD was a long feeder, 40 min + and then needed to be right to bed by an hour after the feed started so we were pretty couch bound. You would count the time from the beginning of the feed though if you are keeping track. I cannot remember the exact timings of growth spurts but I seem to think one happens around a week/10 days...maybe 2 week mark so things may get wonky again then too.

[*Ali*]

Hello and welcome to BW Congratulations on your baby. There is more helpful info here on BFing on a BW routine in the early days. Breastfeeding and EASY in the first few weeks

Definitely count from the start of a feed. If she is falling asleep you could try breaking the latch with your little finger in the corner of her mouth and sitting her up to burp. Then if she wants more she should be more awake to take it if you latch her back on. If she stays asleep though I'd just put her down to nap and feed again next time she wakes if she is rooting.

8-12 feeds a day is normal at this age.