EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

Just wondering what each of your feeding sessions looks like? Do you give both breasts? How long does DC nurse for, on each breast, or total time if you only do one side per feeding? I'm changing my method to make sure DS gets the hindmilk...but wanted to gauge what other DC's are taking. TIA.

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

Good question! My DD usually eats anywhere between 2.5- 4hours. She usually nurses from one breast for 10-15 minutes and then hardly ever takes the other breast. when she does nurse on the other breast its only for 5 minutes. I was told by the LC at the hospital to nurse her on a breast until she's done and comes off...but i'm thinking that I should probably stop midway on one breast and give her the other...but i'm not really sure. I am so confused!

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

La Leche Info

Kellymom

Here are two great sites I've been learning alot from. Basically, our goal is to have DC finish a breast first before offering the other one. This way DC gets both the fore and hind milk. I have no idea how long is average to 'finish' the breast. My DS keeps changing his pattern, just when I thought we had a good routine going. He was eating for 8-12 minutes on one side then unlatching and going to the other side for 5-10 minutes. Now, I've stopped offering the other side and just put him back on the first breast until I feel it is completely empty. Again...I have no clue. He's gaining tons of weight, so something is working...but I still feel so insecure about things.

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

DS is 5 months and still EBF. As a newborn he was eating every 2.5 - 3 hours and he took forever! About 40 minutes or so. I only ever fed him on one side at a time and made sure he completely emptied the breast.

Now he eats every 3 - 4 hours (I don't really ever let him scream for it if I can help it), he's super quick at about 10 - 15 minutes and he's just very recently doing both breasts. It's partly because my left breast doesn't produce as much as the right side (I had a bad crack when he was about 6-8 weeks and I think it healed over some of the openings in my nipple so not much comes out, he gets frustrated quickly and it's affected my supply), so if I start him on the left, he needs the right as well.

Just trust your instincts - if they're gaining weight then they're doing fine. DS was born on the 25th percentile and shot up to the 75th over the first few months. It's important for your supply that they empty the breast - that signals it to produce more. Also, it's not unusual for them to change their patterns especially when going through a growth spurt or when they start to sleep for longer stretches at night (they need to make up the calories during the day) - wehad a few days where DS just slept and ate all day long!

It gets easier, hang in there!

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

DS eats every 1 hour to 4 hours. Depends on the time of day. He'll eat on the 1st breast 10-18 minutes. On the second it can range from 8-15 minutes. If the breast has not emptied, I will pump that breast and then pump an hour later both breasts for my freezer supply.

Re: EBF Moms: What does your feeding routine look like?

DS feeds from both breasts. Hes on the 1st one about 20+ mins and then the 2nd about 15.