Not feeding for long enough?

[Enchanted]

My DD is 8 months old and I don't think she is feeding for long enough. She still feeds roughly every 3 hours and isn't all that keen on food still. TBH it doesn't worry me during the day but nights are starting to become a pain. I am so exhausted from getting up twice most nights. I know she is still only young and needs the milk and I was putting up with it until I went out one night last week and left DD with DH. He gave her dinner at 6.30pm, gave her a bottle of EBM at 7pm and she slept until 1.30am. She never does that. I thought maybe it wasn't because I wasn't home but then the next night I did the same thing. Dinner at 6.30pm, bottle at 7pm and then bed and she slept until 2am. She is having a much sounder sleep after a bottle of EBM. So I am wondering if maybe she just isn't feeding for long enough? She is super quick to feed and I don't think she empties the breast as she should but is quite content after a feed and like I said will feed around 3 hours later.

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

[Jas]

hmm

My initial thought is maybe she needs less feeds so she takes bigger feeds? ds was having reeally short feeds cause he was taking really salll feed because he wasn't needing so many, but I think maybe this is a good question for someone more experienced

[Traveller]

When she stops feeding does she pull off to look around her, or does she just refuse to feed any more? Sometimes babies of this age are so easily distracted that the hard work of feeding is too much when they just want to play, wheras a bottle is much faster and easier to drink from.

I would suggest trying to keeps feeds quiet and undisturbed so she may stay on for longer. Turn the telly off and maybe quietly read her a story so she relaxes and enjoys the feed a bit more. If she does come off then let her and try again in a few minutes. She may just need a break but nor be finished, iykwim.

If that doesn't work then how do you feel about always expressing and giving a bottle of EBM at bedtime? If it has worked a few times it may be the answer you need for some more sleep.

T
xx

[Enchanted]

Thanks for the replies girls!

All of a sudden (as soon as I ask for help!) she starts feeding longer and everything seems to have settled down!! Hopefully things stay this way

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i was told a baby about that age drains a breast in 6 mins. :-)

[Barb Glare]

Hi,

You are doing a great job with her. Basically at this age (any age??) babies feed the way babies want to feed. We fiddle about the edges hoping to guide them into a pattern that would suit us better!
Her feeding pattern is completely normal for a baby her age. Everywhere we are bombarded by stories of babies who theoretically sleep through the night - but they are more the exception than the rule! Many mothers just pop their baby in bed with them - that solves the "getting up" part of the equation - you can feed lying down in bed!