@christopher000 Colic? If so, do what you need to do for comfort & survive. I don't think there's a problem with them gaining weight quickly, right? Too young to make "bad habits". Breastfeeding is about more than nutrition, & is for comfort.
Pediatrician says I’m nursing my 4 week old too often - not sure what to do
- Thread starter christopher000
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katrina2017
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@christopher000 Just curious- how does baby sleep at night?
Both my kids cluster fed majorly-from 5-9pm constantly- BUT the both slept super long stretches at night. My Pediatrician said as long as it wasn’t too much for me, it was fine
Both my kids cluster fed majorly-from 5-9pm constantly- BUT the both slept super long stretches at night. My Pediatrician said as long as it wasn’t too much for me, it was fine
@christopher000 In short, this is absolute bollocks. Unless you have copious oversupply caused by a medical problem or excessive pumping, you can’t overfeed a breastfed baby. Scheduled feeds at this age has been shown to lead to slow weight gain.
jasmin0791
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@christopher000 whats wrong with providing comfort to your baby through nursing? whats wrong with letting your baby have a snack? If you are happy, let those tits out girl! I nursed on demand with both kids. I recall hit 33 feeds one day. My kids are fine, healthy, and weaned now. that type of crazy nursing all day doesnt last forever
saying not to nurse for comfort is like saying "youre spoiling the baby by holding her too much". its stupid.
saying not to nurse for comfort is like saying "youre spoiling the baby by holding her too much". its stupid.
wildsurrender
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@christopher000 Your pediatrician is literally telling you to put your newborn on a diet 
@christopher000 Pediatricians don’t know shit about nursing. Feed on demand with pride.
Edited to say the majority of peds don’t.
Edited to say the majority of peds don’t.
iamlivingproof
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@christopher000 I wish I hadn't listened to my male pediatrician who told me I should only be nursing every 2-3 hours. Not sure if it would have made an impact on my supply or not but at least I'd be able to rule it out if I had followed my instinct instead of his "advice".
heavenearth
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@christopher000 Completely disregard her. YOUR BABY KNOWS BEST! If she’s hungry feed her, if she’s not, don’t! You got this mama 
babylove90
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@christopher000 My ped says babies cannot get too much breastmilk, they get what they need and puke up what they don't. Let baby get all the boob that she wants, it'll make you both happier.
@christopher000 Still breastfeed on demand!
cadence001
New member
@christopher000 I feel like this is a case of the pediatrician not communicating super well. I think she was giving you permission to pull back on feeds - if comfort nursing is not working for you - because something like clusterfeeding can very easily tip a mom struggling with ppd or the identity shift of motherhood or even basic self-care into a very dark place. But if things are working for you guys and you’re not concerned about “being a pacifier” then keep doing what you’re doing. Personally I think 4 weeks is pretty early to set these kinds of boundaries or get into any kind of feeding schedule. It caused me so much unnecessary stress when I tried.
Also think about what a bad habit is. Like chewing your nails is a bad habit because it’s bad for your teeth. But I never felt like comfort nursing was a bad habit. Like yeah, baby wants comforted on the boob. If this is only causing a problem for me and I can handle it and have no interest in doing anything special to change it, then it’s not really bad?
Edited to add - I accidentally used clusterfeeding and comfort nursing interchangeably but they’re very different things. Clusterfeeding usually happens with a growth spurt of some kind and a baby very much needs all that milk when doing so. So if a mom is feeling serious stress by being trapped in baby jail with a clusterfeeding baby, it’s okay to get breaks with pumped milk or formula if that would be a big mental health help .
Also think about what a bad habit is. Like chewing your nails is a bad habit because it’s bad for your teeth. But I never felt like comfort nursing was a bad habit. Like yeah, baby wants comforted on the boob. If this is only causing a problem for me and I can handle it and have no interest in doing anything special to change it, then it’s not really bad?
Edited to add - I accidentally used clusterfeeding and comfort nursing interchangeably but they’re very different things. Clusterfeeding usually happens with a growth spurt of some kind and a baby very much needs all that milk when doing so. So if a mom is feeling serious stress by being trapped in baby jail with a clusterfeeding baby, it’s okay to get breaks with pumped milk or formula if that would be a big mental health help .
lunwenjiang
New member
@christopher000 My baby is a little over 3 months. She feeds every 1.5-2 hours when she’s awake. She can go 3 hours if napping and 6overnight. This means she feeds when she wakes up and before nap.
You can tell when they comfort nurse because it’s more of a flutter than a full cycle of suckling. You can of course unlatch at that point if you need to do something else or baby is sleeping. If your baby is gaining and happy and your mental and physical health isn’t suffering, why change it?
If you are concerned, it might help to speak with a lactation consultant. While pediatricians can be helpful, unless they’ve gone though special certification the chances that they’ve had formal training in lactation is low. Likely a class or two in school… I was told that with the amount I can pump, baby should go four hours without nursing. This is insane and not feasible for my baby. Follow your gut here.
You can tell when they comfort nurse because it’s more of a flutter than a full cycle of suckling. You can of course unlatch at that point if you need to do something else or baby is sleeping. If your baby is gaining and happy and your mental and physical health isn’t suffering, why change it?
If you are concerned, it might help to speak with a lactation consultant. While pediatricians can be helpful, unless they’ve gone though special certification the chances that they’ve had formal training in lactation is low. Likely a class or two in school… I was told that with the amount I can pump, baby should go four hours without nursing. This is insane and not feasible for my baby. Follow your gut here.
angie197167
New member
@christopher000 Feed on demand. Your baby knows what she needs.
kentuckytim
New member
@christopher000 My baby cluster fed almost every night for the first three months. She still demands to be fed to sleep in bed with me some evenings. It’s developmentally normal and nothing wrong with it.
@christopher000 Ignore your doctor and find a good show to binge!
Is really normal for babies to cluster feed every evening until around 3 months, and it's important for establishing your supply so it's best to just get comfy with a good show to watch and plenty of drinks and snacks and let her get on with it.
Also generally, ignore anyone who says you shouldn't do anything because your baby is just doing it for comfort. She's a brand new tiny person in a big overwhelming world and you are all she knows. Of course she wants comfort, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving it to her!
Is really normal for babies to cluster feed every evening until around 3 months, and it's important for establishing your supply so it's best to just get comfy with a good show to watch and plenty of drinks and snacks and let her get on with it.
Also generally, ignore anyone who says you shouldn't do anything because your baby is just doing it for comfort. She's a brand new tiny person in a big overwhelming world and you are all she knows. Of course she wants comfort, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with giving it to her!
@christopher000 your pediatricians advice probably comes from formula feeding.
https://llli.org/ and unicef say otherwise: feed the baby when it's hungry.
https://llli.org/ and unicef say otherwise: feed the baby when it's hungry.
@christopher000 Uhm .. you can't overfeed a breastfed baby. Your baby is taking in exactly what she needs and cluster feeding in the 4th trimester is baby trying to boost mom's supply and her saliva changes the milk to suit the baby's needs. It's not like she's a year old lol. If it's working for you, then fuck the pediatrician. 7lbs isn't a whole lot. The pediatrician is acting like you have a 30lb 4 week old. Babies love to suckle, that's what they're programmed to do. Some mom's can't even get a break when their littlies are cluster feeding and are nursing around the clock.
gourmetchefgirl
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heresiarch
New member
@christopher000 You can never nurse your baby too much. My baby lived on my boobs for the longest time. You know your baby best, absolutely do not feel bad for doing what is best for the both of you.
@christopher000 My son was constantly on the boob until he was a month and a half. Even now, at 4 months old, he eats every 1.5 hours or so. And often nurses through nap time too. That pediatrician is an idiot.
Feed on demand. Stop worrying about what others do or say. Just feed. Breastfeeding is such a simple way of feeding your baby. It’s natural. It’s easy. If you can do it, do it. And don’t listen to anyone telling you how to do it.
If you’re hungry do you check the clock and say “oh well it hasn’t been 6 hours since lunch yet so I can’t eat dinner.” Or do you just eat dinner?
If she wants comfort why push a piece of rubber in her mouth instead of latching her and having that amazing connection? In a couple years the opportunity will be gone. For many people even sooner.
My son’s pediatrician also told me to start purées right at 4 months old with no signs of readiness. Once, when she checked him over and put his diaper back on she pinched his balls in the side of the diaper (he had floppy newborn testes lmao he was always overheating), then when he screamed in pain with tears she said “oh I think he’s hungry” no b!tch. You nearly castrated him. Gimme my baby. They don’t know shit from their ass.
My point is, do what you will. Do you think a cavewoman had someone telling her to feed her baby every 2 hours and no more? Absolutely not. She just fed baby when baby cried.
Feed on demand. Stop worrying about what others do or say. Just feed. Breastfeeding is such a simple way of feeding your baby. It’s natural. It’s easy. If you can do it, do it. And don’t listen to anyone telling you how to do it.
If you’re hungry do you check the clock and say “oh well it hasn’t been 6 hours since lunch yet so I can’t eat dinner.” Or do you just eat dinner?
If she wants comfort why push a piece of rubber in her mouth instead of latching her and having that amazing connection? In a couple years the opportunity will be gone. For many people even sooner.
My son’s pediatrician also told me to start purées right at 4 months old with no signs of readiness. Once, when she checked him over and put his diaper back on she pinched his balls in the side of the diaper (he had floppy newborn testes lmao he was always overheating), then when he screamed in pain with tears she said “oh I think he’s hungry” no b!tch. You nearly castrated him. Gimme my baby. They don’t know shit from their ass.
My point is, do what you will. Do you think a cavewoman had someone telling her to feed her baby every 2 hours and no more? Absolutely not. She just fed baby when baby cried.