my baby is only 12 days old and I've mostly breast fed him so far- but I've also given him a few bottles, on nights when latching takes a long time... today and yesterday he has breast fed for literally hours!! I know he's getting enough food because of all of his diapers, but is this normal? have I screwed something up with the occational bottle?
2007-03-08 17:16:45 · 14 answers · asked by Angela98 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
No, not at all! My wife and I did the exact same thing with our six-month-old during his first couple of weeks. After that, he never received any formula. He's always been happy & healthy (above the 100th percentile for weight & length), and still breastfeeds (although we're starting him on solids now).
2007-03-08 17:20:19 · answer #1 · answered by Mickey Mouse Spears 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
12 days=3 weeks= growth spurt.
Yes your baby is eating normally.
Please stop the bottles, you could really hurt your supply. It is too early.
As for the dreaded "human pacifier" crap others like to throw out there; pacifiers are a substitute for human nipples, not the other way around! It is perfectly alright and natural for a baby to nurse as often as every hour or for as long as an hour. The baby is helping develop the milk supply.
i hope it was at least human milk in the bottles, anything else could really screw up his gut. http://breastfeed.com/resources/articles/virgingut.htm
Now would be a good time to master the art of nursing laying down so that he can nurse while you sleep.. It was the only thing that got me through my son's early months!
2007-03-08 18:13:34 · answer #2 · answered by Terrible Threes 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
For the first 2 weeks, we did the same thing as you. We realized she just wanted comforting but refused to take a pacifier. After a while though I could feel the difference in her comfort sucks to her eating. When she started to comfort suck, I popped her out and hugged and cuddled her instead and then put her down if she wasn't crying. After a few days, she enjoyed the cuddling because she'd let my husband take her.
Even so, she'll sneak into comfort sucking when I'm dozing from sleep deprevation but she was only little =)
2007-03-08 18:19:55 · answer #3 · answered by sweet_cincin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I breast fed my baby and yes in the beginning it feels like that you are constantly hauling your boobs in and out of your shirt all day, but I also realized that I was becoming a human pacifier for my baby!!! After a while I could feel the difference of her actually nursing and just wanting to hang out there and suck for the sake of sucking.
2007-03-08 18:06:09 · answer #4 · answered by boardbetty 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes, he is eating normally. For the first 2 weeks, they will eat almost constantly and this is fine because it will help establish your milk supply. After that, you can start to guide them into a more normal cycle of eating and sleeping. Also, he may be going through a growth spurt.
2007-03-08 20:51:10 · answer #5 · answered by Ducky's Mom 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No, breast fed babies seem like they are attached to your breast constantly. My daughters were always nursing, and like you, I knew they were getting enough because of the enormous bowel movements. I felt like a milk machine until they were weaned.
2007-03-08 17:19:54 · answer #6 · answered by Sparkles 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
at that age, whatever they eat is what they want. he's probably comfort feeding most of time. my baby took bottles
(with breast milk) and my breast from day one. breastfeeding is wonderful! my baby is 10 months now and I'm still breastfeeding. your doing just fine. whatever you do, try not to supplement with formula. you don't want your supply to diminish.
2007-03-08 17:24:11 · answer #7 · answered by markie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Ohhh. My baby went through this. He is not really eating for hours he is just down there using you as a human pacifier! Its comforting because he hears your heart beat and is warm and close to you. I know its exhausting but its sweet too.
2007-03-08 17:21:17 · answer #8 · answered by gEt In ThE cAr [DaRnIt] 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My doctor told me that formula fills them up quicker than breastmilk. He's probably fine and just eating more of the breastmilk cuz its not as filling. This is something i would ask the doc on the next visit though just to be content :)
2007-03-08 17:19:56 · answer #9 · answered by Chel 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
He's not actually breastfeeding for hours, he is just sucking as if he has a pacifier. You are actually messing up your milk letdown by letting him suck for so long. You have to stop him, get him a pacifier, if you feel your not producing enough milk, its ok to give him the bottle to make sure he gets enough to eat.
2007-03-08 17:20:11 · answer #10 · answered by my3badboys 2 · 0⤊ 3⤋