Pediatrician says I’m nursing my 4 week old too often - not sure what to do

[katrina2017]

@christopher000 Girl nurse you baby. Lol

 

[acolu1989]

@christopher000 Get a new pediatrician.

 

[amanda911]

@christopher000 God why do doctors have to say such ridiculous shit all the time... I am sorry that your ped robbed you of your confidence as a mother. You are doing a great job and there is nothing wrong with comfort nursing.

As adults we are allowed to take pleasure in a hot tea on a cold night. Or a icy drink after a busy day. Food and comfort are naturally linked and there is nothing wrong with that.

If the comfort nursing is working for you then do it. A fat baby is a healthy baby, especially at this age. She will find other things to comfort her later but for now you are allowed to enjoy the ease of soothing her with boobs.

I WISH my 6 month old could still be soothed by boobs! She is too eager to see the world though to want to lay still with her face smooshed into a nipple.

Her current favourite soother is the crinkly noodle packet

 

[jcbmvkrs]

@christopher000 You can’t overfeed a breastfed baby

 

[vinaynmbs]

@christopher000 There's a whole concept on this in the breastfeeding groups and it happens to most of us. My son and daughter both were insane between roughly 6-9 pm for months! They needed to be held and nursed for comfort. For God's sake it's a tiny baby still! Do what you feel is best and take the drs advice on these matters with any other unsolicited advice that you get. If baby is on a good growth curve and not going wildly insane one direction or the other, any doctor or lactation consultant I've spoken with says they're usually just fine.

 

[squishygiraffe]

@christopher000 Hahah I’m sorry but don’t listen to that doctor. If a baby wants to nurse, you let them nurse. Always.

 

[ivanhoe1963]

@christopher000 I will never understand ‘experts’ telling mothers they can breastfeed their baby too much. Lol even if she’s comfort eating she’s a BABY. Get a new ped lol

 

[euthymios]

@christopher000 You can ignore anyone who tells you not to feed a hungry baby. And FWIW, I think my daughter was permanently attached to the boob until she started solids and both our IBCLC and paediatrician were very happy with how often she fed.

 

[fuua]

@christopher000 That pediatrician is ignorant.

 

[happyheathen]

@christopher000 My girl gained 4 lbs in one month and my pediatrician said I had golden boobs and to keep up the good work??? So frustrating to hear something from a doctor that goes against what feels right for you and baby! I say keep doing what your little babe wants and what you feel is right

 

[jennachristy]

@christopher000 Give the baby all the boobs she wants. Only she knows when she’s hungry, follow her rhythm and that’s it. When my first had a growth spurt she was eating every hour, those guidelines are meant to prevent babies from going over 3 hours without feeding, there’s no such thing as too much boobie.

 

[chameleon1991]

@christopher000 Pediatricians are wrong sometimes.

 

[y0ung1996]

@christopher000 My province gives every pregnant person a book that talks about all the things to know about pregnancy, labor and delivery, breastfeeding, and the early years. It says to feed on demand and I’ve heard that echoed from all nurses and doctors I’ve talked to. The 2-3 hour is just an estimate so you know sort of what to expect, but babies are intuitive and will often eat what they need!

 

[grandmaof4]

@y0ung1996 Yes. I see the 2-3 hour thing as a max limit. Like if your baby hasn’t eaten in 2 or 3 hours, try to feed them even if they don’t seem hungry.

It makes me so beyond angry that a pediatrician would say that a baby doesn’t need to comfort nurse. They do. They absolutely do.

 

[annjro]

@grandmaof4 Yes that's what I was told with my little sleepy baby. After 3 hrs wake him up.

 

[peterjan]

@christopher000 I’ve got an 11 week old and we are just now getting to spacing about every 2-3 hours and sometimes still be eats every 1-1.5. I’ve always been told BF babies will not over eat and to let them eat whenever they want!

 

[captainbill]

@christopher000 lol I’m still nursing my 5 month old pretty much every hour during the day when I’m home. She’s a snacker I guess.

She’s followed her curve perfectly and the doctor said to feed on demand, especially when she was that age!

 

[katrina2017]

@christopher000 Hard disagree with your ped. My baby would nurse for 1-2 hours at a time during the first few weeks. Nothing should stop you from giving your baby comfort (and calories) as long as there is no strain on your wellbeing. My baby is 8 weeks and will still sometimes nurse for the majority of an hour (off and on breaks unlike the 1-2hr sessions before which were literally without pause). P.S. Our babies were the same size when we took them home.

 

[katrina2017]

@christopher000 I’m sorry, I typically wouldn’t tell you to ignore your child’s doctor but on this one I’m gonna recommend that you do. Feed that baby as much as you and baby want.

 

[colelr]

@christopher000 Comforting your child is bad because….?

Don’t listen to them. My baby was feeding constantly for like the first 3 months. It was insane but he’s 18 months now and down to just once a day before bed.