how long?

[¤ Efka ¤]

My baby is 3 weeks old.  I know I am supposed to feed him about every 2-4 hours and about 20 minutes and switch breast halfway. But what if he does not want? Today he eat about
6.30 for 20 min and did not slept until next feeding
10 he breastefeed (20 min)and I got him to take a nap about 11
woke him up about 2p.m. to bf(20min) and he falled right back to sleep
woke up about hour later so 4.30 I feed him again, but this time only 10 minutes, because he fall asleep and coud not get him up.
So is i t ok when he sometimes eats 10 and other times 20 min?

[Kimberly®]

Have you tried to set up an EASY routine yet? 2-2.5 hour routine is a great starter for you LO. It'll help settle your fears on when and how much you feed him. He's 3 weeks old now, you can switch to single sided feedings now. Feed on one side as long as he'll take it, if he needs more switch to the other side. Switch sides at each feed. This way he'll get more of the nutrient hind milk (that's heavier and will sustain him longer) and less formilk( thats lighter and tends to quench thurst.)
If you start a routine with eating he'll eat more at each feed and you'll have less snaking (half feeds)

HTH

[SPACECAKE]

ONLY ONE THING I CAN TELL YOU
WHEN MY BABY WHAS THAT AGE I WAS A LITTLE CONFUSED ABOUT SIDES OF BREAST.THEN I START SWITCHING ONE SIDE ONLY FOR EACH FEED.AND THINGS GOT BETTER.HE STARTED EAT LESS OFTEN, AND BE LESS ASLEEP, SO I STARTED E.A.S.Y. .AFTER BF A LITTLE ACTIVITY THEN SLEEP.IT WORKED.HOLD ON, IT REALLY WORKS.

GOOD LUCK,KISSES
TERESA

[SPACECAKE]

FORGOT TO TELL YOU I NEVER MINDED HOW LONG HE BF, WHEN HE WAS OK, HE JUST TOOK THE MOUTH OFF THE NIPPLE.IF SOMETIMES I  SAW HE WAS FALLING ASLEEP, I GOT HIM OUT THE NIPPLE AND MADE HIM HAVE "BELCH ".ANYWAY HE USUALLY TOOK ABOUT 25-30 MIN.

[¤ Efka ¤]

Thanks will try onesided now. Trying to do EASY too, but it goes more 3 or 3.5 hour,sometimes even 4, simply he is not hungry before.I guess I have to be more strict.

[daisymelan]

I too think that you should be striving for closer to every 2.5 hours.  Your little one is quite young and you want to make sure you have a well established supply.  But it is normal for babies to have one longer stint of sleep without a feed (hopefully this comes at night).

Sounds like you are doing great.