how long should i feed my son?

Question

He is 6 days old.. and now he sucks me for more than one hour. I get tired and starts sweating.. he keps sucking me with the pause...

he is a thin guy, only 2.3 kg, does he need more milk than the normal kids?

I starts sweating while he suck for one hour, i am not yet as healthy as i should be becuse it was a C-Section delivery.

I am confused. what to do..

I am producing enough milk.. because today when i woke up, my T-Shirt was wet with my own milk, it keeps dripping.

Answer 1

Your child should nurse as long as he wants, the more he nurses the more milk your breast will make. Its only been 6 days its possible your breast milk just hasnt fully come in yet, that can be normal. Make sure you are eating healthy so that not only your baby is getting enough nutrition but you are as well. If you feel hes not getting enough you can always give him some formula after you nurse him. They had to do this with mine while he was in the hospital because he lost too much wieght. You can squeeze your breast when not nursing to see what your milk flow looks like if its still thin or yellowish your milk probably hasnt fully come in yet if its white and looks like milk it has.
Check with your doctor or a lactation consultant if you dont see milk.

Answer 2

I don't know if I read this or if the lactation consultant at the hospital told me to let my baby nurse for as long as she needs to. From the start I would start her on one side (usually the right; I can cuddle her better if I hold her with my left arm and that helps for sleeping) and when she pulls off, I offer her the nipple again and if she refuses, I know she's done. I then switch sides and do the same. I have had days where it seemed as though I did nothing but nurse. It was tough with my husband at school when I couldn't even put her down long enough to go to the bathroom, lest she get upset. I figured she was comfort nursing, and I figured that was okay for then.

At night, when things smoothed out some, I would be up with her for about two hours at a time for the first month and a half or so. Most of the time was spent feeding her. I would also lay her down, thinking she was out, only to have her wake up again. Now, in the past month and a half, she will get up only once a night and be up for about an hour total with changing and feeding.

I knew she was getting enough because she told me when she was done (refusing the nipple) and because we were going through diapers constantly.

Do a search for breastfeeding as well. You should yield some good sites and advice.

Answer 3

Forget pumping, it doesn't tell you anything useful about how much milk you are producing. Unless your body is used to it, your baby will get far more milk from you than the pump will, and it sounds like you have lots anyway.

He doesn't need more milk than other kids - he only has a tiny stomach to put it in. He might need it more often.

Feeding shouldn't be hard work. You need to try to find a comfortable position, where the baby's weight is supported by a pillow or something else that isn't you, and relax (that will also help your milk to come). Have you tried feeding him lying down? It didn't work for me, but a lot of people swear by it.

Do you have a health visitor or someone else who can watch you feed and give you some advice? Call them right now.

Answer 4

My son would nurse for over an hour, at each feeding, during the first two weeks that we brought him home. I was producing tons of milk so that wasn't an issue. I would say that this is normal for your baby, as long as he's gaining weight and is content, etc., then just let him feed for as long as he wants.

I know it's tough to just sit there forever while they suckle - I used to get the most sever backaches - but he obviously wants to be there, and his constant feeding will be good for your milk supply, so you might just have to deal with it for now.

Also, he could be going through a growth spurt, and when babies do this they nurse almost constantly... I believe it's called "tanking up", and its what they do to make your body produce more milk for their growing needs.I'm sure as he gets older, and learns to feed more efficiently, the length of his feeding sessions will decrease.

The key to successful breastfeeding, a healthy baby and a full supply of milk is to feed on demand. Don't limit his feedings - neither the frequency or the length.

Good luck, and congrats on your baby!

Answer 5

I would nurse for about 10 minutes on each side with my children, give or take. It sounds like your son is using you as a pacifier. A good way to gauge hunger is by how vigorous the suck is. When he starts to slow down on one side, gently remove him from your breast by inserting your finger along his mouth, burp and switch sides for about the same amount of time.

A good way to know if he is getting enough is by the number of wet diapers. He should have one about every 2 or 3 hours or so. If you are concerned about his weight, bring him into your doctor's office to get him weighed. If he is gaining, he is doing fine.

Also, try calling the hospital where you delivered. They may have a lactation consultant on staff, or an experienced nurse, who may be able to answer your questions personally, or even see you for some tips.

Answer 6

ask your midwife. he may not be getting enough milk have you tried expressing milk and feeding him it out of a bottle to give you a break now and again

Answer 7

you could supplement with formula so you know how much he is getting... it's hard to tell from the boob unless you pump.
(I hope you're asking for your wife)..


anyway, I would let him feed for 30 min to 45 minutes (every 2 horus), you may have to wake him up constantly, or tap him so he stays alert & keeps feeding... then feed him every 2 hours!

good luck- it can be tiring, and hard. but he's so precious and worth every minute.
Be careful about falling asleep while he's on the boob because you could potentially suffocate him. (this happened to my friend- she woke up, her baby was purple, and she had to call 911).

Answer 8

He may not be getting enough milk. You might not be making enough. Try pumping to see how much you are producing and then talk to the Ped.

Answer 9

if you have to supplement with formula try a "sensitive for fussy and gassy babies" fomrula as most babies can not handle the regular ......

Answer 10

ask a doctor.