Expert: ruth kraft - 11/10/2010

Question
My 14 week old is still breastfeeding every two hours during the day. i have tried numerous times unsuccessfully  to stretch her feeds out but she screams until i give in. Is this normal? and how do i get her to feed less frequently? other people have told me to give her baby rice cereal but I've heard that its bad to give it to soon

Answer
Rice cereal is not a practice that will be good for her. It fills up the stomach with empty calories that can cause allergies later on. The best suggestion is that she is normal. She will grow out of it eventually and sleep longer at night. It is very normal even at 14 weeks to want something every couple hours. Even as adults we like something to eat or drink or sip every couple hours of the day. 8 am breakfast, 10 am drink, 12 lunch, 2 snack, 4 drink 6 dinner etc... If you look at it this way you will see that the baby is quite normal.  Follow the baby's lead and she will grow out of it on her own and be a much more happy baby.  When she is ready to sleep longer or go between feedings longer she will. Likely in the next couple months as she begins to be much more social!

I hope that helped!