Hellobee Boards

My baby really really likes to stay on. Nursing sessions in the first couple if weeks were over an hour-- now at 6 weeks its more like 40 minutes usually. At the end she starts doing more comfort sucking but she will still do some real ones. Eventually she either pops off or falls asleep and falls off the nipple.

I don't think you are ever completely empty, she will always be able to get a few more drops. If she's gaining and has enough diapers I wouldn't worry about it. I say my baby likes to savor her meals slowly.

Agree with above posters, as they age they become much more efficient! As a newborn there is no way my LO would be able to get his fill from 15 mins/side.

I don't want to give advice that could be bad for you, but in my case: I let her eat as long as she wanted on one boob and didnt offer the other boob until her next meal. Sometimes she would nurse on one side for an hour and then later that day when she wanted more I would offer the other side. This has worked for us, even today, at 8+ months. She eats breakfast on one side and gets the other right before her nap, etc. etc.

@Sapphiresun: I think it sounds like you're doing wonderfully!! I'm not sure about the spit up, as my guy didn't spit up too often. Someone told me once it's pretty hard to overfill an EBF baby, can't remember if its a scientific fact or not though

I can totally relate! My LO has never just popped off. I can tell he's had enough when I release him and lift him to burp and he doesn't cry. If he does cry I just offer him the boob again. I only give 1 boob a feed though. For a while I did try to give both sides but he seemed satisfied with one so now I just alternate. Good luck

I do the same as @hellocupcake: with just feeding from one side at a time. Have since she was little. She often will not let go, just loves to comfort nurse. Loves to nap on the boob too. I figure it's okay because the boob will eventually get pretty empty with the comfort nursing. If/when she's actually really hungry still, she's started punching/hitting my boob, as if to say "more!" Those times (not often), I'd switch sides and offer the other boob. I agree with pp, at that age, don't limit your time to 15 min. Your body is still adjusting and building a good milk supply.

My girl was a real comfort sucker and very rarely would unlatch herself from the breast. Unfortunately for us this would usually result in a fair bit of spilling from stuffing herself full of milk!

We eventually got in to a system where she would nurse until just comfort sucking at which point I would take her off the breast and then I'd offer the second side thirty or so minutes later if she was still peckish.

Newborn babies love to suckle, it makes them feel good and it keeps them close to Mama, it's also a fantastic way to establish and maintain supply!

I always offer both breasts - some people can get away with just doing one, but I never could.

At that age, Xander would nurse forever and often snoozed while eating. I think I'd limit him to about 30 minutes per side and then switch him if he didn't pop off on his own. I notice that when Xander falls asleep eating, he's still sort of sucking and about 15-20 minutes into his nap on the boob, he'll start swallowing again, so that's why I let him go 30 minutes. But then I'll pop him off and put him on the other boob.

And spit up is totally normal at that age. Xander probably spit up after every meal for MONTHS. And his morning spit up was usually the biggest! It's normal and tends to get worse before it gets better!

Oh, one way I tell (at least now, I didn't know this back then) to determine if the breast is fairly empty and it's time to switch it is if he comes off on his own, I'll hand express and if a good stream comes out, I know it's not empty, but if I don't get anything or it's just a few drops, I know to switch him. But I only do that if he pulls off on his own (usually I'll check like that if he goes on and keeps coming off and going back on).

@Sapphiresun: you could be coming in to the six week growth spurt but rest assured you LO won't always feed for two hours at a time!