Author Topic: 7MO constantly snack BF  (Read 1568 times)

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Offline Bera

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7MO constantly snack BF
« on: April 02, 2017, 15:04:21 pm »
My LO is 7MO and he is EBF and has 2-3 solid meals every day. We do a mixture of BLW and some purée/mushed foods. He has a great appetite most days and loves everything I give him.

He's on a 4.5-5hour EASY, does 3.5hr Atime with ~1.5hr nap twice a day. The problem is that he BF very frequently despite being on solids.

For example - a typical morning is
6.30 wake up
7.00 BF
8.00 Breakfast (toast or cereal)
8.30 BF
(Sometimes 9.30 BF too!)
10.00 Nap

He's very distracted, after the first let down and a quick few minute feed, he comes off and he's not interested anymore. But then an hour later, he'll be fussing and clawing at my shirt!

Any suggestions as to what I can do to space out the feeds?
I know he can go longer bc when he is with grandma, he happily goes 4 hours without any milk...

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 7MO constantly snack BF
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2017, 08:00:58 am »
Why do you want to space feeds out? If you and he are happy with these frequent breastfeeds then there is no need to change it. Breastmilk actually helps LOs digest solid food so it could be his way of managing that. Or he could just want comfort for you. If you don't want to feed him as much you could try distracting him. Are you spending a lot of time at home? Mine wanted feeds more often if we were at home and they were getting bored but asked less when out and about.

Are you offering water in a cup with solids? Maybe he's thirsty.

Is he feeding at night?

Once A times get to 3hrs though it's normal to have 2 BFs in one A time.
« Last Edit: April 03, 2017, 08:03:23 am by *Ali* »
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Bera

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Re: 7MO constantly snack BF
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2017, 12:55:16 pm »
Thanks for your reply Ali

I want to space them out bc I don't want to feed as often and I feel that he feeds better when it's less frequent -he'll stay on for longer and probably gets more hindmilk.

We are home a lot so that's an idea - maybe I could try a walk in the morning and some time in the garden in the afternoon.

I offer water with meals but it is a struggle to get him to drink it - he often just dribbles it out. I'm trying different sippy cups to see if I can find one he likes - some of them, he just refuses to have in his mouth!

He does feed at night - at least 2-3 times. I also hope that the night feeds will decrease if he is drinking better in the day (better meaning for longer rather than more often). I wouldn't mind the frequent Day feeding if it meant fewer night feeds but unfortunately that isn't the case!

Offline *Ali*

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Re: 7MO constantly snack BF
« Reply #3 on: April 04, 2017, 07:33:02 am »
A straw cup can work well with BF babies.

Are you offering both sides at his main daytime feeds? Now he's having A times of 3hrs plus he's going to want a couple of breastfeeds during each one I should think. So I'd probably try to distract him and offer water at the 8.30 feed then offer again once sometime before the nap.
Cadan Dec 2009 and Colby Aug 2011


Offline Bera

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Re: 7MO constantly snack BF
« Reply #4 on: April 04, 2017, 12:38:13 pm »
👍🏽 thanks

I'm trying a straw cup - I've found a small tomee tippee one that isn't too big for him to hold. Sometimes he manages to suck it up, and others he just chews the straw! 😄

I don't offer both sides, I usually use the same side during a particular Atime bc I figured that he's getting more hind milk that way... when I used to swap sides more, he fed even more frequently!