Baby "snacking" and not napping

[@llli*poppysmom]

My husband and I are concerned because our 12 week old daughter has started "snacking" while feeding. (She cluster fed at 2 and 8 weeks, this is different). She will usually nurse about every two hours, however, in the past five days she eats little snacks. She will nurse for about four minutes and be done. At that point I feel as though she hasn't had enough to eat so if she is a little fussy 45 minutes later I offer her my breast again-she will snack for about four minutes. She seems content, but I am afraid I am am doing something wrong. She has been eating more at night, right before she goes down to sleep. My other stressors are that she hasn't been napping. She will take little twenty minute naps (only while held) and wakes up happy and refreshed. She also will not take a bottle, we have tried three different ones, although I am a huge fan of nursing, I worry about her well being when I return to work.
Any suggestions or insights?

[@llli*mommal]

How are your baby's weight gain and diaper output? As long as they are normal, so is everything else.

Frequent small meals, a.k.a. "snacking" gets a bad rap, but is actually a completely normal and healthy eating pattern for a baby. Breastfed babies tend to eat small amounts more often, never taking in excessive large meals the way bottle-fed babies do. Frequent small meals help keep blood sugar nice and stable, and since the breast provides comfort as well as nutrition, it is entirely normal for a breastfed baby to nurse whenever she is cranky or sleepy or in need of reassurance.

Short naps are no fun, but some babies are cat-nappers. You might want to try having baby nap in a swing, stroller, carseat, or sling rather than in a crib, since beds with built-in motion often keep babies content and sleeping longer than their own official beds do.

WRT bottles, just keep trying. Try different brands, different nipples, try cold milk, try warm milk, try offing the bottle when baby is hungry, try when she's relaxed. Especially have daddy or grandma give the bottle, since babies tend to be very reluctant to take bottles from mom. Why would they, when they know mom has the real thing?!

[@llli*lasbi.modeu]

My babies nursed in only 5 min at a time. They would swallow very large amounts in very little time. It means they are very efficient at nursing. As pp said, as long as weight gain is good and diaper output too, everything is fine

[@llli*worknpump]

I agree - she's probably just gotten efficient with nursing. No worries if her diapers and weight gain are good!

My kids always started taking shorter naps around this time (3 months) as well. Then, gradually, the started to lengthen again. Sometimes you can lull them back to sleep for a longer nap through nursing, etc.

[@llli*5ofus]

I also want to agree with PP! I, too, had the same worries as you and your husband. My little one was a "cat-napper" very early on. He also snacked a lot and I was worried about him. His diaper output was good and he was a happy and content baby. He didn't seem to find a routine of longer sessions/longer stretches between(nursing and naps) until probably 5-7 months. And now he will nap for 2 hours at a time for my mom! It can be tough for getting anythign accomplished around the house, but - this too shall pass and change!