1st Time Breadtfeeding Mom - How long should baby feed on each side?

[Anonymous]

DD is 3 weeks old today and BFing has been going pretty well. LC told me that she will soon need only 5-10 min. per side to complete a feeding. At this point she is still feeding 20 min. per side, so breastfeeding/burping is a 45 minute endeavor (at a minimum) each time. Anyone have any thoughts on when I can expect the duration of BF sessions to get shorter?

[Anonymous]

Some of that is probably comfort feeding, but it's probably doing wonders for your supply. So I would encourage you to get a good book and get comfy and let her nurse if you have the luxury of doing so.

[Anonymous]

It is different for all babies. The LC should not have said that soon DC will only need 5-10 minutes each side. There are fast and slow eaters. Having said that, they do start eating a lot faster after a few months, not after a few weeks. 45 minutes is not bad at all at this point. And even though now my DD can get a full meal in 5-10 minutes at 4 months, sometimes she eats (comfort nurses) for like 40 minutes. Sometimes I have time for this and other times I have to unlatch her cause I have to prepare dinner etc.

[Anonymous]

My son was a slow eater, often 20-30 minutes per side. I echo 10:28's advice - get a good book or a parenting mag and enjoy the peace and quiet - it's rare at that age! He went to 10-15 min per side by around 4 months, and at 7 months barely is on 5 minutes per side, unless he's sick or sleepy and nursing for comfort (which is very cuddly - I miss it when he's speed-chomping!)

[Anonymous]

Baby should empty breast befre moving onto the other side. There are valuable fats that come at the later portion of the feeding. If you pump, you will see that the initial milk that comes out is almost clear. The latter portion is white and thicker -- fatty.

You are supposed to empty one breast, got to the other. If baby does not "finish" breast #2, then at the next feeding, start on breast #2, empty it, before going back to breast #1, etc.