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Breastfeeding/constant wanting to suck

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Expert: - 7/9/2007


Question
I have a beautiful 14 day old baby girl, she is my first baby. I am currently breastfeeding, for the most part everything is going well. The problem is that after her 6:00pm feeding, she will stay awake for about 3-4 hours and constantly want to nurse. I know she is getting enough milk, her weight gain has been great and her diaper count is above target. I feel it might be a comfort issue. I don't know if this normal?.. or if I should allow her to do so?

thank you for the help

Cindy

Answer
Dear Cindy,

First, congratulations on the birth of your daughter -- and on giving her the best start in life by breastfeeding her! She seems to be doing really well by all the measures you cite.

During the early few weeks of breastfeeding babies need to figure out some sort of schedule -- as do moms! It is perfectly normal for a 14-day-old to want to nurse often at certain periods of the day. And yes, it might be a comfort issue.

There are a few things you could do. Maybe give her a bath after her 6 pm feeding to tire her out a little so she'll sleep. Or take her for a ride in the carriage. Or carry her around with you in some sort of body carrier to give her comfort. And you don't have to be the only one to do these things -- a friend or your baby's father or grandmother/ grandfather, etc. could pitch in here. Don't hesitate to ask for help!

Also, some babies respond to a pacifier at times like this and are comforted by them. Pacifiers used to be a no-no for breastfed babies, but recent research suggests there are benefits to using them.

Good luck!

Sally

Sally Wendkos Olds
Author, THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING: Eiger & Olds, 3rd edition 1999, published by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books, and available in most public libraries, bookstores & La Leche League chapters.  

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Sally Wendkos Olds

Expertise

What do you want to know about breastfeeding? I can tell you what`s good for the baby, what`s good for the mother -- and the father, how it`s related to a woman`s sexuality, how working moms can nurse, how to overcome obstacles, and lots more. As the author of THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING and author or coauthor of 8 other books and more than 200 articles about child and adult development, I can offer sound, sensible advice on breastfeeding, child care and family issues.

Experience

I nursed my 3 daughters and am the grandmother of 5 breastfed children. My book THE COMPLETE BOOK OF BREASTFEEDING (written in consultation with pediatrician Marvin S. Eiger, M.D.) was first published in 1972, and in 1999 came out in an updated 3rd Edition by Workman Publishing & Bantam Books. It is now a classic, with over 2 million copies in print. I am now revising this book for a fourth edition, consulting with pediatrician Laura M. Marks, M.D. This new edition will be published September 2009. I welcome any and all suggestions for the new edition. I coauthored college textbooks A CHILD'S WORLD: INFANCY THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, and HUMAN DEVELOPMENT; both are leading texts in their fields and have been read by 2 million students. I am the coauthor of HELPING YOUR CHILD FIND VALUES TO LIVE BY and RAISING A HYPERACTIVE CHILD, and author of THE WORKING PARENTS' SURVIVAL GUIDE & THE ETERNAL GARDEN: SEASONS OF OUR SEXUALITY. My newest book, A BALCONY IN NEPAL: GLIMPSES OF A HIMALAYAN VILLAGE, published in 2002, tells the story of the way of life in a remote village in Nepal, where all the women breastfeed! My book, SUPER GRANNY: COOL PROJECTS, ACTIVITIES, AND OTHER GREAT STUFF TO DO WITH YOUR GRANDKIDS, will be published March 2009. I speak often to professional, parent and general audiences and make many radio and TV appearances.

Credentials I received my B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pennsylvania, where I minored in Psychology, was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and graduated summa cum laude.

Other points of interest I have received national awards for my writing, and am a former president of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. I am listed in the World Who's Who of Women, International Authors & Writers Who's Who, and Contemporary Authors, and am a member of several professional and civic organizations. I believe: that all parents are working parents; that parents employed outside the home need special support; that mothers' well-being is crucial to their children's welfare; and that the family is the best institution in the world and the one for which we are least prepared. My thrills come when parents or kids tell me they were helped by my writing or speaking or just understanding. To find out more about me, go to

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