How often do you feed? (12 weeks)

PuddleDuck77 · Feb 1, 2011 5:20PM

My LO is 12 weeks now and I'm still exclusively BF. How often do you feed? I'd say she wants feeding every couple of hours which my friends were horrified about (they all give formula). She Sleeps through from 9 and wakes at 7/8. It depends what we're doing. If we're out she'll go longer then from 6pm she feeds every hour til she goes to bed at 9.

I really don't want to start giving her formula but I'm starting to worry that I'm crazy for feeding her so often. Xx

hettyr · Jan 30, 2011 6:27PM

Hello puddleduck,

You're doing great! Please don't give up, everything sounds like it's going grand. I can speak generally and from experience. Experience first..my LO who is now 2 slept really well at nights too, about the same length you're blessed with now. What you have written sounds like you're talking about my LO when she was same age. I guess because they are sleeping so well, they are storing for the coming night, getting a belly full before bed time!

Breast milk is naturally more easily digested and therefore BF babies will feed more frequently as it will have gone through their systems faster. As they get older they become even more efficient at feeding and of course their stomach's can hold more so it will get easier. You have to be prepared however, she may well do this for a wee while. Please don't be disheartened by your friends. They aren't breastfeeding so are not expert and every baby is different. We live in a comparison culture but we really shouldn't. Let you're baby lead you and as long as you are both happy then that's what matters

You're giving your LO the best you possibly could and every single ounce they gain is all down to one thing and one thing only. YOU

SplashPurple · Jan 30, 2011 10:51PM

Hi, my little girl is 12 weeks today and she too feeds really regularly in the day and a lot in the evening! She goes to bed about 8/8.30 and can go for anything from 5 to 7 hours though we've had a couple of 9 hours! From what I've read and been told it sounds about right. As I said to husband the other day you really can't compare bf and ff as they are two totally different things. If you're happy with how things are going then that is what is important. X

PuddleDuck77 · Jan 31, 2011 3:11AM

Thanks for your replies. I've just read back my post and it sounds really negative! It wasn't meant to be! I was tired last night!!

I love bf and I'm so grateful it's been so successful so far. I suppose I was starting to worry she's not getting enough, that's why she was still feeding so often. My boobs don't feel as full as they did. I really want to continue bf for as long as I can and if my milk stopped I'd be really upset.

You're right about us always comparing to others. I feel better now, thank you. Xx

lizandyumi · Jan 31, 2011 11:05AM

Hi puddleduck I'm still exclusively breastfeeding too and my LO is 21 wks now. Like you all my friends and my family bottlefed and don't really understand breastfeeding need to be more often. Your Lo sounds normal to me and it's great that she's sleeping through the night for you. There's not really a pattern to how often my LO feeds it can be anything from and hour to every 4 hours, we just go with the flow and she's thriving.

Also its normal for your breast to not feel as full now, even when they are because a lot of the fullness in the first few weeks is caused by swelling from your milk ducts starting to work and things like that after a little while the inflamation disappears and your breast don't swell as much even when there full with milk.

its rare for milk to just suddenly dry up too, especially after 6 weeks because feeding is well established by then ( i worried about this too and ask HV. One thing that can make a huge difference to your milk is whether your hydrated yourself so just keep drinking and you'll be fine.

Hope this helps x

Gail1977 · Feb 1, 2011 5:20PM

Hi! Just wanted to say how right everyone is about how different breast milk is to formula. My inlaws and friends criticised me for feeding my daughter so frequently saying I was over feeding. It is simply because people who bottle feed have no idea how breast milk works. I fed my daughter hourly for the first 6 weeks (she was tiny so could only take a small amount) Friends were horrified and said I would make her fat, which is total nonsense. There is no reason why your milk would dry up. As long as you're not ill, drinking well and feeding regularly you will be ok. Feeding is well established. Well done to you for breastfeeding in the first place x

How often do you feed? (12 weeks)

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