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Congrats on the new baby!

How many nursing sessions are you averaging in 24 hours? LLL recommends nursing at least 10-12 times in 24 hours so allowing for a longer stretch at night, feeding every 1.5-2 hours is about right.

Newborn poo comes in a whole range of colours so unless you're seeing blood or your LO is suffering discomfort or other symptoms then it's usually not something to be too concerned about.

Long nursing sessions are also pretty normal, your LO will be working hard to establish good milk supply and suckling is very soothing and instinctual for any baby! As long as baby's latch is good and you're ok with it then you don't necessarily need to limit time at the breast.

Kellymom and the LLL website and message forums are great sources of info on newborn bf'ing so I'd highly recommend checking them out, you might also like to get in touch with an IBCLC if you'd like more expert help.

Keep up the great work and happy Mother's Day!

How does your supply seem? Do you feel really full? Green poo can be totally normal, but it can also be a sign of a hind-milk fore-milk imbalance. If you're feeling really full, I'd think it's possible. I'd still try to follow the 2 hour feeding schedule, but maybe try to feed twice on each side before switching sides (my guy fed a lot more often, so I'd nurse however many times in 2 hours on one side before switching to the other side). Cutting feeds after 20 minutes makes me think that might be the case (that she's getting too much fore milk and not enough of the fatty hind milk.) Try feeding twice on each side for a couple days and see if the poo color changes back.

What happens if you shorten the sessions? My 3 week old takes about 30 min total eating. But she hardly sleeps so we nurse about every 2 hours.

Is your baby happy? My son was not happy and gained weight until 6 months and then was failure to thrive. He was intolerant to milk and soy. I have been off milk and soy for this pregnancy and while breastfeeding.

Have you seen a pediatrician? If she seems happy and satisfied and she's gaining (just not quickly) I would probably not worry about it. I would want a peditrician's opinion on newborn growth, rather than a midwife's.

One thing you can do with shortened sessions is to double up on the side. So do something like

9 am - right side for 10-15 minutes
11 am - right side for 10 minutes and start left side if she wants a but more
1 pm - left side
3 pm - right side plus a bit extra from left

That way you make sure you don't ende up with a hind milk imbalance and she gets the full Breast.

She's still small so feeding every two hours ateast during the day makes sense. Over night you could ask to maybe stretch to 3 hrs. But for her size going four hours may be too long.

@Banana330: Do you have a pedi appointment coming up soon? I would be hesitant to let her go 4+ at night until her weight is up. My DD was 6'13oz at birth and is up to 8'7oz as of Friday.

@Banana330: how do you feel baby is doing? Do you feel like she's mostly content and doing well? Yes, weight gain is on the low side but if your midwife isn't overly concerned and baby is content and filling diapers then I would just give it some time and watch to see what happens. Let her feed / suckle as she demands and try not to over think it - you're doing great!!!

@Banana330: I would really question that advice and/or make sure you're understanding correctly. That sounds like a complete recipe for a fore/hind milk imbalance. It also may be why sessions are so long, she's always getting a tiny bit so she always wants to stay nursing. If you force her to fully drain one side, she may learn how to eat a full "meal".

@Banana330: that's great that your LO is gaining, it might be low but gaining is good! Has head circumference and length also increased?

Just curious, but does your midwife think the issue is with your supply or does she think the issue is with milk transfer? Is she weighing baby naked and on the same scale each time?

@Banana330: If it's a balance issue, pumping to get your supply up is not what you want to do. Try nursing on just one side and letting her drain completely.

@Banana330: Ah, ok, that makes sense, then. Hopefully she'll start gaining a little quicker, but I agree that gaining at all is great! My little guy was losing weight (when he was much older) and it was so scary!

@Banana330: that's great news and long may it continue!!