It could be a growth spurt that will pass in a day or two and the nursing will slow down. Sorry, OP. It's hard.

Anonymous wrote:Totally normal. I would NOT cut a newborn off from nursing and take away their "comfort nursing." Of COURSE a newborn needs comfort.

This is HARD. Anyone who told you the newborn/infant months are easy and bliss deserves a kick in the ding-dong.

+1. All I did for the first 10 weeks post party was nurse. Luckily I had the belief that this was all I was expected to do! Get headphones and catch up on Netflix.

Anonymous wrote:Sounds totally normal to me. Two things I would do:

1) Cut him off after 20 mins a side. With burping/switching, that maxes you out at 45 minutes. I read somewhere that after 20 mins, they're just comfort nursing, not really getting nourishment. When the feeds are that close together, an extra 15 minutes between feedings makes a huge difference.
2) Make sure that for each meal, he is actively eating for a minimum of 15 minutes a side. No snacking! No boob snoozing. Do what you gotta do to keep him up and going. If you do that, I bet 10 feeds a day drops to 9 in the next week or so, which is much more manageable, and then a few weeks later down to 8, and you can sail at 8 for a while.

OP here. It does seem like he gets full feeds. He does fall asleep at night but I wake him back up. He’s usually wide awake and ready to eat during the day. We do use a pacifier for naps.

Normal, and feedings will be shorter and more spaced out before you know it. Hang in there!

Anonymous wrote:How old? That sounds pretty typical, particularly if the feeding time is usually closer to 30 minutes rather than 60. My kids were frequent and slow eaters for the first 1-2 months, then things got better- they started eating faster and spaced further apart. My milk never came in, though, so it was bottle-feeding the whole time.

OP here. He’s a little over 4 weeks old.

Totally normal. I would NOT cut a newborn off from nursing and take away their "comfort nursing." Of COURSE a newborn needs comfort.

This is HARD. Anyone who told you the newborn/infant months are easy and bliss deserves a kick in the ding-dong.

Sounds totally normal to me. Two things I would do:

1) Cut him off after 20 mins a side. With burping/switching, that maxes you out at 45 minutes. I read somewhere that after 20 mins, they're just comfort nursing, not really getting nourishment. When the feeds are that close together, an extra 15 minutes between feedings makes a huge difference.
2) Make sure that for each meal, he is actively eating for a minimum of 15 minutes a side. No snacking! No boob snoozing. Do what you gotta do to keep him up and going. If you do that, I bet 10 feeds a day drops to 9 in the next week or so, which is much more manageable, and then a few weeks later down to 8, and you can sail at 8 for a while.

Very normal. It feels like an eternity but every month of his life will change dramatically at this age. In no time at all, he will be 6 months, starting on some solid foods, sleeping better at night and taking more regular naps during the day. But yes, those early days you are a milk machine. I just kind of gave into it at that age and let the days run together. Ask your partner or family for support -- tell them you need them to be fixing meals for you and making sure you have plenty of water to drink (staying hydrated is genuinely challenging during this time). Sleep when you can.

This is also a great time to indulge in watching lots of Netflix, reading whatever sounds good (I read a lot of true crime). It helps the days pass more easily and kept me from getting to stir crazy.

Totally normal for the first few weeks. Hang in there it will get better!

How old? That sounds pretty typical, particularly if the feeding time is usually closer to 30 minutes rather than 60. My kids were frequent and slow eaters for the first 1-2 months, then things got better- they started eating faster and spaced further apart. My milk never came in, though, so it was bottle-feeding the whole time.

Totally normal for a newborn.

Don't be afraid to use a pacifier or pump and bottle feed every once in a while to save your nipples.

Anonymous wrote:Most of this is normal (frequency & timing of feeds/awake periods/sleep). Taking 30-60 minutes for each feed could be a sign of something amiss like a latch problem or tongue or lip tie—I’d consult a lactation consultant. If you’re in DC area check out The Breastfeeding Center (doing telehealth with in-person consults if needed) or Strong Ties in Rockville.

They start to wake up more as they get older!

OP here. I have been working with an LC and she said everything is fine. He usually eats 30 minutes ( 15 minutes on each side) but will do 45-60 minutes in the morning, before bed, and after a longer stretch at night.

Most of this is normal (frequency & timing of feeds/awake periods/sleep). Taking 30-60 minutes for each feed could be a sign of something amiss like a latch problem or tongue or lip tie—I’d consult a lactation consultant. If you’re in DC area check out The Breastfeeding Center (doing telehealth with in-person consults if needed) or Strong Ties in Rockville.

They start to wake up more as they get older!

* I EBF.

My newborn is eating every 2 hours during the day and 3-4 hours at night. I’m EBF and it feels like that’s all I do now. He eats for 30-60 minutes each time. I’m really sore and feel like I’m bound to the couch. He eats 10 times a day. He also sleeps so much. He is only ever awake for maybe 30-45 minutes and then falls back to sleep. Is this normal?