2 1/2 month old only nursing every 3-4 hours!!

[@llli*ryanandjoshsmom]

This is my 3rd nursling. My first nursed for 36 months, my 2nd for 24 months, and now I'm nursing my 3rd who is 2 months and 3 weeks old. From the beginning, I've been battling OS/OALD. The left side is still slightly overproducing and the right seems to be pretty much under control. My problem is that she refuses to nurse unless she is asleep or very groggy. I try to offer her the breast often....but she refuses. I'm lucky if I can get her to nurse every 3 hours during the day....some feeds are 3.5 -4 hours apart....on top of that, she'll go a 5 hour stretch at night. She has good diaper output....and is pooing every other day with 1-2 BM's. She was 6#11 oz at birth and was weighed last week and was 10# 6oz.

This nursing frequency has me thrown for a loop. My other 2 would stay attached to the breast all day at this age. I know it is uncommon for a babe of this age to go longer than 2 hours between feeds, so what do 'ya all think?

Thanks for reading and sorry for the rambling...

[@llli*auderey]

If her diapers are frequent enough and she's gaining appropriately ... then just feel lucky you got an easy 3rd baby! And remember it'll probably change in a month or a week

However, I might be a little concerned that she's doing a low-level nursing strike of some sort, if she will only nurse when asleep or groggy. Is she a laid-back baby in general? Any other weird behaviors? The good news is this will probably help with your OS/OALD, right? Maybe she'll get more interested when she doesn't have to deal with that?

[@llli*dirtlover.mama]

She sounds like she is still in the normal range. Do you feel like she get's a lot of milk each feeding? She could just be really satisfied each feeding. Watch out...she'll hit a major growth spurt and latch on to your boob and not get off for a few weeks.. then you will look back with fondness on these days when you had a chance to get a few things done!

[@llli*worknpump]

Sometimes my 5 week old will go this long between feedings, no matter what I do to try and get her to nurse (she's a sleepy baby). I just do the best I can and because her diapers and weights are good I try not to worry. But it can be unnverving...

[@llli*ryanandjoshsmom]

Thanks for the responses. She does seem satisfied after the feedings, so that is a plus.

For example, today she nursed at 12 am, 5:30 am, 8:30 am, 11:30 am.....and I just tried nursing her here at 1:30 because she was sucking on her hands and she just pushed away and is now playing in her bouncy seat. Part of me thinks this may be a mild nursing strike or it very well could just be "her". I think some days she would be perfectly happy going 4 hours between feeds if I didn't "trick" her into nursing.

I just need to remind myself that if she was hungry, she would nurse.....right???

[@llli*aprilsmagic]

My third was like that. You could not make him nurse if he was done.

If her diapers are OK, I would watch her cues.

[@llli*ali.bear]

DD was like this from about 3 weeks until about 8 weeks. She was gaining more than enough, feeding every 3-4 hours during the day and doing a 6 hour then 4 hour stretch at night. She was the same - could not make her nurse if she was done or didn't want to, just wasn't happening!

Now she's almost 11 weeks - and she's feeding every 2 hours during the day, but thankfully still sleeping well at night. We went from 6 feeds a day to about 9 now, so she's added 3 extra feedings and I swear all I have to do now is take off my shirt and she opens her mouth from across the room She likes comfort nursing and nursing to sleep now so that sometimes adds even more nursing sessions too. I miss the early days when I could shower AND blow dry my hair all within the same time frame. Not so anymore!!

[@llli*mima]

My LO is 2mo, 3 wks and he usually goes 3 hr between feeds during the day and 2.5-5 hr at night. I was a little concerned at first too because my first nursed much more frequently at this age. But he is happy, good diaper output, and 99%ile in weight. Sounds like you are an attentive mama; I'm sure you would notice if she was really hungry more often.

[@llli*kass.love]

I am working with a LC.. She has had me nurse on demand but if my LO didn't ask to nurse she would have me try every 3-4 hours. Also it was suggested by the LC that I let my LO sleep at night if she wanted, so long as is was no more than 5 hours at a time.

If the diapers and weight are there sounds like this is just your LO's preference.