Why is she nursing less frequently now? Is this temporary? Normal? (Kind of long) . . .

[dueinmay]

I'm mystified. DD is 14 weeks old. A few days ago, she began going much longer between feedings. She used to nurse every 2-3 hrs (except at night - she has been sleeping 6-7 hrs since 2 mths old). The last few days she has gone more like 4 or even 5 hrs from her first morning feeding to the next. Also, she used to always take both sides every feeding, but now somtimes just one. When I offer the second, she plays a little with the nipple, then looks up at me with a big smile and starts cooing and "chatting" with me. VERY adorable, but I'm wondering what's going on. She is wetting about 8 diapers a day (a bit less than previously) and she gained several ounces last week, so I don't think anything is really wrong. She doesn't have a temperature and seems to be feeling good - when awake, she's very lively, smiley, 'talkative', active (this week she rolled over for the first time!). She does seem to be sleeping a bit more during the day, though. So is this normal? Is it a stage or other temporary phenomenon? How do I know when it becomes something to be concerned about?

Thanks for your advice, everyone! :)

Rebecca

It's a girl!
5.14.03

[luvbeinmama]

Yes, that sounds perfectly normal. They go through growth spurts when they are feeding a lot, but they also go through phases where they are not growing so much and their feeding frequency/amount goes down. As long as she is gaining and peeing (8/day is plenty), she's fine! BTW, yes, it is temporary (like almost everything else the first year), this is a fluctuating thing.

[Msbda]

Rebecca -

My son is also 14 weeks old (also born May 14th!)and is going thru the same thing. I've been assured that it's a normal thing and that he'll be back to a more ravenous eating schedule eventually.

Even when I'm not around he eats more sporadically from a bottle. When he started daycare last week, he was going thru 4-5 bottles a day. This week it's been only 3 bottles a day.

As long as she's gaining, you shouldn't worry. Just enjoy!

Tara

[Momof3Labs]

You are hitting the stage when babies frequently start dropping feedings - not because they are eating less, but because they have bigger tummies and can eat more at a sitting. Thus, the need for fewer feedings. By 6 months, Colin was still exclusively bf'd (no solids until about 6.5 months) and was down to 4, maybe 5, feedings most days. Of course, even as a newborn, he only nursed 8, maybe 10, times a day.

You are also at the stage when babies get more distracted while eating, so you might find it necessary to nurse in a dark, quiet room to keep her focused on the job at hand. Nursing before naptimes, when she is tired, helps them stay focused, too.

It's very unlikely that this is something to worry about, unless you notice her getting listless and/or losing muscle tone (sliding backwards on milestones). It's just the normal progression of things!

[lizajane]

ds is 5 months old and has been eating 4-5 times a day since about 14 weeks. i have to work to fit in the 5th feeding!

i just wanted to second the distraction note- ds started getting distracted around 14 weeks, but now he is SO interested in every little noise, every little movement and, lucky me, in "pretty mommy" that he can hardly get on there long enough to eat one side! i have to be somewhere quiet and dim for him to get a whole meal. but don't worry too much. if she doesn't get enough at one feeding, she will just ask for more a little earlier the next time.

[junior503]

My DS is almost 17 weeks and eats 6-7 times per day - Usually 5 times per day with one feeding overnight(he goes to bed between 7:30 - 8 pm and gets up between 6:30 and 8 am). Do those of you who BF 4-5 times per day only BF during the day or is one of your feedings at night?

BTW, when DS was little, he ate about 12x per day.

Lisa

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Logan is 5 months old. On days that she goes to the babysitter, here is the schedule.

6:30 AM nurse
7:30 AM - 5:00 PM she eats 4 bottles of expressed breast milk for a total of 22 oz.
7:00 PM nurse
9:00 PM nurse
11:30 PM nurse

Sometimes she combines the evening nursing and drops one. But the 11:30 PM and 6:30 AM are every day, or to be more correct, the bedtime (my bedtime) and morning (my morning) nursing is always done. She usually sleeps right through it while she is eating.

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[Momof3Labs]

Colin has slept from basically 6pm until 6:30am for the last several months - maybe even 5 months now. So his 4-5 feedings are all during the day.

When he was little, the most I could get into him were 8, maybe 9, feedings a day - Colin doesn't like to nurse often, but nurses for a while when he does (half hour feedings were the norm for a while - now he's down to about 15-20 minutes each).

[dueinmay]

Lisa,

For us, the 4-5 feedings are all during the day. That is, she usually sleeps through from about 11pm to 6 am. Typically, then, she eats at about 6am, 10am, 1pm, 5 pm, and 10 pm. The first am feeding is always the best; the later feedings she sometimes only takes one side! Actually, I just talked to my dr about this yesterday -- when she only takes one side, and only feeds 5x day, can she really be getting enough to eat?

Ugh, really wish I could measure the ounces somehow!

Rebecca
It's a girl!
5.14.03

[jubilee]

You can. If your pediatrician or lactation consultant has a digital baby scale you can weigh her, feed her, then weigh again. It will tell you how much you just gave her for that feeding.

[stillplayswithbarbies]

Yes, she can be getting enough to eat. Babies get much more effecient at getting milk out of the breast as they get bigger, and some babies nurse just for 5 or 10 minutes a few times a day.

At 5 months, my baby eats just one side at a feeding. She almost always had eaten just one side.

If she is wetting her diapers, and having regular BMs, and is gaining weight and meeting milestones, she is getting enough to eat. Trust your breasts, they know what they are doing. :)

...Karen
Jacob Nathaniel Feb 91
Logan Elizabeth Mar 03

[hellokitty1]

>When I offer the second, she plays a little with the nipple, then >looks up at me with a big smile and starts cooing and "chatting" >with me. VERY adorable, but I'm wondering what's going on.

My DD does this too, she nurses and then just looks up at me with a huge grin. It makes my day! Anyway, I've found she does it more often if I'm talking with DH. I nurse her as soon as I get home from work and DH keeps me company so we can catch up with the day. And when I'm talking, she stops eating and looks up at me. So sometimes, I just try to talk more quietly or look at her when I talk instead of at Dad and that helps.

Sometimes, though, I like it when she stops to look at me and smiles. It reminds me how great being a mom is.