not nursing for long at a time

[@llli*ruj84]

Hi,
my baby is 8 weeks. for the last two weeks i am lucky if i can get her to nurse 10 min on one side and 5-10 on the other(after changing her diaper in between). this is as much as she takes till the next feeding about 2.5 hours later. she has awake time for about 40-50 mins and sleeps 1-2 hours. she seems happy most of the time during the day. lots of smiles. but is a bit fussy all evening-crying. i try to nurse and she fusses, pulls off, cries again, i keep offering the best all evening, but lots of the time she cries after 20-30 secs and this continues most of the evening. sometimes then i leave her an hour or so and try again. it just feels like she is not taking enough. her weight gain has been good so far.
just want to know if this is normal. or should i be trying harder to get her to nurse longer at one time.

[@llli*mommal]

That all sounds very normal. Some babies are quick, efficient nursers from very early on. Evening fussiness (a.k.a. "evenings-only colic" or "the witching hour(s)") is also textbook normal for 8 week old babies. Some things which may help:
- Nurse. Nurse nurse nurse nurse nurse.
- Calm house- lights, tv, and stereo down or off.
- White noise (like the static between stations on the radio, or the sound of the vaccuum cleaner)
- Motion- rock in a rocker, swing in a swing, ride in a stroller, bounce on an exercise ball, etc.
- Closeness: wear baby close to your body in a sling, where she can hear your soothing heartbeat and breathing
- Warm bath- this worked miracles for my girls!
- Fresh air- taking baby outside is another surefire soothing technique!

[@llli*inkedstar]

I agree with PP, sounds like you have an efficient nurser who is having that evening fussiness so typical of babies her age! It can be challenging getting through those evenings but hang in there!!

Wearing your baby in a moby wrap or similar style wrap and go for a walk. If you can nurse while wearing baby, she might even be lulled into sleep!

[@llli*lasbi.modeu]

My suggestion, stop looking at the watch. Let her guide you, nurse as much as she wants and as often as she wants. My babies nursed for less than 5 min (or it seems, I stopped looking at the watch with DD1) on only one breast at a time. One nurse told me once, in the jungle an Orangutan won't be looking at her watch to see how much to nurse her baby, that was the best advice I got!