quick newborn "schedule" question

[stephie_j24]

OK, so I know newborns don't typically feed on a distinct schedule. But roughly how often did your baby nurse during the first few weeks? And about how long did he/she nurse during each feeding?

I flunked out of breastfeeding with DD, and I'm confident that things are going to be a lot better this time . I've been reading up on a few things regarding breastfeeding and there seems to be some differing statistics on how often a new baby will eat. So I want real world experiences!

[Birbitt]

My newborn was not the typical child but he ate every 2-3 hours during the day and 3-4 hours at night. He also nursed about 15-20 minutes on one side (I have oversupply and OALD), now at 2 months he eats every 2-3 hours during the day and goes for one long 4-6 hour stretch at night and only nurses for 5-10 minutes still on only one side.

[txmom72]

Both of mine at about every 2 hours (from beginning nursing to next nursing). DD slept longer quicker, but DS night-weaned earlier (go figure ).

I block fed DD because I felt she wasn't getting enough hindmilk, but DS ate off both sides, and by 4-5 months could finish both sides in about 10 minutes. DD snacks.

Babies are different, and their nursing patterns will vary. The key is to watch your LO's cues, when they start to root around, then nurse. Also, in the first 8 weeks, they hit about 4 growth spurts, so they will nurse constantly for a couple of days. You just have to ride it out.

[MommyToNoah]

My son nursed about every 2-3 hours as a newborn for about 15-20 min and only on one side.

[MommaRhi]

Originally Posted by MommyToNoah My son nursed about every 2-3 hours as a newborn for about 15-20 min and only on one side.

That's pretty much where we are right now and my dd is 2.5 weeks old. She sleeps A LOT during the day, so I watch the clock and try to feed her every 2-3 hrs. I wake her if needed. At night I nurse her to bed and she will wake up the same, every 2-3 hrs. I think last night she went about 3.5 hrs at one point, but woke up and ate off both sides because of it.

She mainly only nurses from 1 side because she falls asleep by the time she's done, but if she's in her "awake" moment, I can get her to nurse on both sides. Its typically 10 mins on each side, but today she did nurse longer than normal. Probably because I wasn't paying attention and just let her have at it. lol

[Oakleaf]

Every 2 hours during the day, both sides.

[redneckmama]

Every 1 1/2 to 3 hours for 5 minutes or so and she normally only ate on one side at a time.

[busymama77]

I flunked as well, OP, with my DS and so I'm hoping that when we have our 2nd baby in February, that things will be different and work out better. But for the 3 months that I was able to nurse him, he fed for about 15-20 minutes on each side every 3 hours. At night, he went for long stretches of 5 hours - one night, when he was 9 weeks, slept all the way through. I was in some major pain that morning!!

But I was keeping him on a schedule and not nursing on demand. I think those are two different ways of nursing and am going to nurse on demand with the 2nd baby to see if that works better for us.

Good luck!!

[Ready2Bmommy]

Hopefully I can be somewhat helpful. I am currently nursing my 8 day old baby boy. We are nursing ALL the time!! Sometimes he will sleep for 3 hours and has to be woke up to nurse, but other times he wants to eat every hour. Just being prepared to do nothing but nurse ALL THE TIME was what helped me with DS. This is my first experience with nursing (my first baby), so I knew little as far as real world experience and books only go so far (which obviously you know or you wouldn't be asking). So my son varies. But he nurses anywhere from every 30 minutes (if he doesn't get enough) to having to be woken up every 3 hours to nurse. I wish he was a baby that slept at night except to nurse every 4 hours...what a fantasy!

[VWgurl619]

Originally Posted by Ready2Bmommy Hopefully I can be somewhat helpful. I am currently nursing my 8 day old baby boy. We are nursing ALL the time!! Sometimes he will sleep for 3 hours and has to be woke up to nurse, but other times he wants to eat every hour. Just being prepared to do nothing but nurse ALL THE TIME was what helped me with DS. This is my first experience with nursing (my first baby), so I knew little as far as real world experience and books only go so far (which obviously you know or you wouldn't be asking). So my son varies. But he nurses anywhere from every 30 minutes (if he doesn't get enough) to having to be woken up every 3 hours to nurse. I wish he was a baby that slept at night except to nurse every 4 hours...what a fantasy!

Thats EXACTLY how my DD nurses. You put it to a T