demand feeding-too much/often??

[Olive]

is there such a thing as too much demand feeding??
DD fed around 5 times in 2 hours this morning, mainly just one side at a time, but im worried as she doenst eat that much during the day, she eats as much as her 3yr old sister for tea, so should i stop demand feeding or offering the boob as much??

[Shanti]

Olive, I've often wondered this with my DD because she doesn't eat as much food as I thought she would by this age.... yet her nappies are good so she must be getting enough?

Do you offer her boob when she's busy playing, without her asking for it? I do.... but lately I've stepped back a bit and let DD come to me when she wants it.... she's only probably having a feed every 4-5hrs during the day, if that some days.... probably about 5 feeds all up from when she wakes to when she goes to bed at night. But she also feeds in the night time also (once or twice). She's a boob-a-holic

It sounds like you're doing great, just keep doing what you are doing as long as you are happy with it? And DD is happy

Perhaps try and encourage her to eat her meal before offering boob? That's what I do some days if I feel she hasn't eaten enough.... but most days I just go with the flow. Sorry I hope I have helped! And now that they are 12mths, I don't worry so much.

[Olive]

thanks hun! shes very clingy so on me alot! when shes on my laps she's nearly always wanting it! sometimes i offer it to stop the whinging im happy to feed when ever just worried about the solid intake

[Shanti]

I wouldn't be worried.... if it's one thing I've learnt this past 12mths, it's that our babies know what they need, and they'll have it She will eat more eventually. I think there is alot of pressure on us Mum's to have our babies eating properly by 12mths and honestly, I reckon a huge majority of babies still aren't! They are still only little.... and booby has everything (except enough iron i believe?) in it nutritionally so they are still getting heaps of healthy stuff from us. As long as you are offering food, 3 meals a day, maybe a snack here and there, then you are doing the best you can to encourage her to eat more.

Ikwym today i took DD to the GP (she's got a viral infection ) and she has been feeding ALOT the last 24hrs, high temps etc.... and she was on my lap waiting in the surgery and she kept clawing at my top wanting booby LOL!! everyone around me could see what she was doing lol .... I was like "just wait 2 mins!" hehe

[StrawberryMumma]

Hey Olive

If it was me, I wouldn't be too worried at her age. But thats very easy to say I know!!! Sorry! Is she really skinny? I'm really think that she'd be super cranky and miserable if boobies weren't enough.

If she's not big on eating large amounts, then I would just make sure she is having a lot of small tastes of a wide variety of foods. Even if she isn't eating a lot.
We have found with our DS that he really hasn't been interested in eating much food. Not in one sitting anyway. As a result he is on the smaller side (weight wise) and you really see his weight gains slow dramatically from 6-12 months. BUT in the last few weeks he's really turned a corner and wants to eat and eat! So I wonder if your DD will do something similar?

If she looks healthy and seems happy, I'd just continue as you are. Unless the amount of boob is really bothering you. I honestly think that at some point she will start to want more food, she just may want to do it in her own time IYKWIM?

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

This is typical behaviour for a one year old - welcome to toddlerhood.

Your child is breastfeeding for a whole range of reasons - probably the most important is to check in with her mum - for reassurance that you are there. What we in Western countries label clingy (often in a negative way) actually demonstrated that you have a well attached child (that's psychologically attached - not attached to the breast! ) It demonstrates that you are a fabulously "tuned in" mum - and you are able to anticipate her needs.
Toddlers seem to live on fresh air (and breastmilk) most of the time. As Lee says, their growthrate slows dramatically in the second year. They just don't need much fuel to run on. We all seem to overestimate how much they need to eat.

So, you can't over breastfeed. You are doing a great job

[Olive]

awesome thanks lee and barb!!

shes healthy! weighs around 9kg, like your DS lee she eats small amounts, but a variety at that! lots of vegies so loves meat so iron souldnt be an issue either!

barb you hit a cord with me with the clingy in a negetive way, i think i need to change my though on this and see it as a positive! see that shes attached to me in a positive way!!

[Heaven]

I hear you olive!! DD has fed at 5.30am, 6.00am, and then 7.30am already this morning. Usually she makes it to every 3 hrs (just!) but then there's days when she wants it ALL THE TIME!!!! Last time she did this she ended up getting a couple of teeth so I think another one is probably on the way.

I have stopped offering now too when I think she needs a feed, I just wait for her to ask but it's still every 3 hrs. She makes it pretty clear what she wants. Sometimes she's not even hungry, just sees the boob and decides she wants it, lol.

https://www.bellybelly.com.au/forums...g-all-day.html

[NaeNae]

heya hun,

I was just going to throw into the wash that it has been horribly humid (90%) for the past few days in particular, maybe she is thirsty as well?? I know the past few nights with DD have been the worst we have ever had as she has fed every 2hrs for the past 3 days .


nae x

[Jennifer13]

Positive attachment to Mum is a major developmental benefit!

Don't doubt yourself, hun. You've given her the best possible start and now you're giving her the best possible chance to grow, develop and become more independent by being there for her. You know bb means so much more than food. There are days even now when my super-independent nearly four year old seems to have turned into my shadow! It's a process, and she's only just starting out.