How do you breastfeed?

[channy3232]

Specifically, how do YOU breastfeed? Do you switch breasts in the middle? Do you stop LO in the middle to burp? Do you just let LO go until he/she releases?
My mom tells me I should stop every 10 minutes to burp him and then switch breasts. But someone brought up the hindmilk foremilk thing. If I stop him and put him back on the same breast, does that mess up the hind fore thing?

Reason I'm asking all this is because my LO sometimes could nurse for an hour and a half if I let him! Will his belly get too full? He threw up a lot of milk last night and I was afraid it was because he overate??

 

[Pyrrhic]

Niamh feeds until she drops the latch herself, and I never swap breasts during a feed as she takes ages to drain one side.

An hour and a half is normal for newborns, when they get to a couple of months old it tends to drop to 20 minute feeds except for growth spurts in our case.

I did wind Niamh half way through a feed, and change her too when she was newborn as she would often fall asleep during a feed and it woke her up enough to keep going.

 

[XKatX]

Oliver feeds for 1/2 an hour a side. Sometimes less, sometimes more. If it looks like he is in for the long haul, I'll swap sides after 30 minutes. He feeds for 60-90 minutes for his supper feed, so sometimes I use 3 sides!!

 

[Arcanegirl]

We feed untill he drops the latch himself or he starts comfort sucking. When he drops ill wind him and offer it again on teh same side. He mostly refuses but sometimes he goes again

 

[Panda_Ally]

I fed on one side til she comes off on her own then i burp her.

 

[Mervs Mum]

What your mum is describing is 'old school'.

If you have a baby prone to trapped wind then you might like to burp part way through but its generally not needed - that bit is up to you. If you do then you need to go back to the same breast to drain it properly and get the hind milk. If your baby only has a short feed then decides they want more, say within an hour, then you should also go back to the same side.

How old is he? An hour and a half in the early weeks is normal - he's still getting his technique sorted out.

 

[thelilbump]

we feed until she drops off herself. I put her to one side until she pops off, Then i'll try and put her back on, if she drinks but comes back off within about 2 minutes that means she's ready for the other side. I only ever winded when she came off naturally. i used to work on the rule that as long as she hasn't been off that breast for longer than 20 minutes i'd put her back on the same side.

 

[jms895]

I feed Caine till the breast is empty or he is done, that way they get more hind milk. If you swith they dont get so much of the fatty milk xx

 

[ryder]

Oliver feeds for 1/2 an hour a side. Sometimes less, sometimes more. If it looks like he is in for the long haul, I'll swap sides after 30 minutes. He feeds for 60-90 minutes for his supper feed, so sometimes I use 3 sides!!

Is that his current feeding amount? That is rather intimidating to think about for next time! I know longer is normal in the beginning... but whoah.

 

[Always&4ever]

Jasmine has the one side!

 

[Jkelmum]

30~60 mins on one side alternating each breast each feed x

 

[Alexas Mommy]

Oliver feeds for 1/2 an hour a side. Sometimes less, sometimes more. If it looks like he is in for the long haul, I'll swap sides after 30 minutes. He feeds for 60-90 minutes for his supper feed, so sometimes I use 3 sides!!

Is that his current feeding amount? That is rather intimidating to think about for next time! I know longer is normal in the beginning... but whoah.

Yes, that does seem quite lengthy for a 7 month old It brings me back to when Alexa was 1-3 months old, being on my boob all day-yes all day I am trying to think when she stopped that...quite possibly 4 months-and that, to me, still seems pretty late! I guess it depends on the child though, I suppose, I know Alexa was more or less just "comfort sucking" so some babies do this more, and some do it less-I guess I just got the "more" end of the stick with Alexa! Got through it though You may not have your next on your boob all the time, though Joss.

 

[Monkeh]

I let him suck til he falls asleep or lets go himself. If he's still awake, I'll offer him the same side again, and he'll maybe take it for a couple of minutes before letting go. Then I change his nappy (cause he ALWAYS poos when he eats ) and offer the other side, which he takes and stays on til he falls asleep generally.

He nurses for about 45mins to an hour most of the time. I pretty much don't move all day cause he nurses so often

 

[Shifter]

Jack feeds from one side, usually for between 10 and 30 minutes, sometimes up to 45 but not often and usually takes himself off. There is no point deliberately winding him, nothing ever comes up if I try, but if I just hoist him up onto my shoulder a burp will come easily if it needs to lol!

Often he will drift into comfort sucking. Sometimes I let him and after 10 minutes or so he stirs and takes a few more gulps before taking himself off. Other times, if I'm being impatient then I take him off.

If he gets hungry again within an hour I put him back on the same side, but otherwise I alternate sides each feed.

 

[Hope22]

Darwin usually feeds frantically for about 5 minutes (loads of gulping) and then takes another 5-10 minutes to empty the first side. I can tell he's done when he starts swinging his arms in frustration - if I wait too long to switch him to the other side, he'll start to cry. Then he repeats the pattern; feeding for 10-15 minutes followed by fussing if he's still hungry, or comfort sucking if he's satisfied. He often falls asleep and lets go on his own when he's full.

Until about a month and a half ago, he did things differently - more snacking, less deliberate signals to indicate hunger or fullness, more comfort sucking. The older he gets, the easier he is to BF.

 

[Logiebear]

Until 3 days ago it was constant feeding, sometimes for 12hrs at a time. In which case, to avoid imbalance of fore/hind milk it is best to stck to one side for 2hrs at a time and then swap to the other side.

 

[wishes]

Im so surprised at how long soem bubbas feed for!!... In the first few days archie was feeding for up to half hour maybe at a time. For a couple of weeks now he feeds for only 5/10 minutes (one side each feed) and hes only feeding every 2/3 somtimes 4 hours. Hes put on LOADS of weight though so he is getting more than enough milk.

He really guzzles, gulps and chokes himself. He must be just a greedy guts!!

Sometimes he stops and arches his back up which means he needs burping before he carries on eating... The minute a burp comes out he goes crazy for boob again! He always either falls asleep or just stops and looks all pleased with himself when he's full.

 

[CountingDown]

Im so surprised at how long soem bubbas feed for!!... In the first few days archie was feeding for up to half hour maybe at a time. For a couple of weeks now he feeds for only 5/10 minutes (one side each feed) and hes only feeding every 2/3 somtimes 4 hours. Hes put on LOADS of weight though so he is getting more than enough milk.

He really guzzles, gulps and chokes himself. He must be just a greedy guts!!

Sometimes he stops and arches his back up which means he needs burping before he carries on eating... The minute a burp comes out he goes crazy for boob again! He always either falls or just stops and looks all pleased with himself when he's full.

Sounds just like Olivia, however her feeds last about 20 mins because I wind her a few times with each feed as she is very windy.

In the evening it can last from 5 mins to 40 mins as she cluster feeds/ comfort sucks from 5.00pmish onwardsxx

 

[Rah]

Isobelle feeds for about 10 mins has a burp normally herself while still trying to feed and then carrys on for another 5-10mins the bit post burp is not frantic sucking its much slower then she normally falls asleep or comes off herself

 

[lillysmum]

you will know yourself when the baby has had all the milk out of one breast but you shouldn't switch until the breast is empty so the baby gets the foremilk and fatty hindmilk. My MIL always thought it was 10 mins each side, as did I the first week with Lilly but i was wrong and ever since i followed the advice of the health professionals the weight piled on