time spent feeding - is this normal?

[tams]

Hi. My baby is 5 1/2 months old. She usually feeds at 5am, 10am, 2pm and then I start feeding her at 5:30pm for her bedtime feed. this feed over the last week now lasts up to 2 hours. The feeds during the day usually last around 30 - 40 mins. If i go out during the day she will sometimes refuse to have the 2pm feed as she is too interested in what is going on around her.

Is this normal to be feeding for so long at night? She takes a full feed when she wakes around 5am - usually for 30mins again. Should I be starting her on solids now?

All the feeds are BFs with the exception of the dreamfeed at 11pm which is expressed breast milk where she usually drinks 3 - 4oz. She was born 2 wks early at 5 pounds 13 oz but is now normal weight for her age. All my friends with babies the same age have started on solids but I wanted to keep BFing until she is 6months, but I"m finding I'm exhausted and seem to spend some much of my day feeding now....

thanks for any advice/views on this

[Samuel's mum]

To be honest 30-40 minutes at that age is at the long end of the spectrum. Usually a newborn starting at that length of time would have naturally developed a more efficient technique and speeded up. However there is a massive range of normal when it comes to babies and in that sense I wouldn't say it wasn't 'normal'. It's normal for her and you've obviously been a successful breastfeeder.


A few questions:
Is she actively swallowing that entire time? i.e. do you think she could still be staying on for comfort sucking? (do her sucks get lighter and fluttery towards the end?)
I would say that the 2 hour feed is almost certainly about comfort and connecting with you and perhaps connected to tiredness. Perhaps the beginning of separation anxiety is just kicking in.
Does she seem satisfied and content at the end of a feed? Are you satisifed she's getting enough wet nappies (6 in 24 hours)
Have you ever had any concerns about your latch? Does she have a big wide gape? Are your nipples ever sore?

As for starting solids - good for you for following the recommendations on waiting. However 5.5 months isn't very far from 6 months. I don't think you'll find solid food will make an enormous difference to her milk intake - infact it shouldn't as early solids is just about first tastes and a learning experience not packing in calories.

I would say you could consider breast compression

http://www.kellymom.com/newman/15breast_compression.html

or asking someone to check your latch
or offering something else for comfort
or putting your feet up and enjoy it while it lasts (not very helpful I know but she'll be trying to borrow your mascara before you know it and it's actually very lovely you've got the patience to let her feed that long!)

[momto2princes]

Hi there,
I agree with the PP that 30-40 minutes is a long nursing for a 5-6 month old. My DS is 7 months and he has always been a 10 minute man. Either way as long as she is growing, active, and alert I wouldn't worry too much about the amount of time. Can you tell when your let down happens, and the difference from her active sucking to comfort nursing?
Cluster feeding especially in the evening is completely normal.
Not sure if that is the answer you were looking for.

Jasmyne
Tyler 02*03
Logan 04*06