Do you limit the amount of time LO comfort sucks?

[oolongtea]

I had never thought of this (and yeah, my nipples are really sore!) but I recently heard about someone who unlatches LO after three minutes of comfort sucking, and I thought "Hmmm..." What are your thoughts on this?

[fruitfulmomma]

Maybe with my (almost) 3yo, but not a baby. Honestly, I've never thought to differentiate between "comfort" nursing and a feeding. All the same to me.

[Llyra]

I did sometimes unlatch them when a long time had gone by and I was getting antsy, or I needed to pee, or my foot was asleep and I really needed to get up, or something like that. Often, I'd unlatch them once they were soundly asleep, if I was nursing them down for sleep. But I never removed them systematically, or after a certain amount of time. All that comfort sucking is good for your milk supply, and good for your bond with the baby. Plus, I learned with DS that if he did what anyone else would call "comfort sucking" long enough, he'd be rewarded with another letdown of milk, and that later letdown is very very rich in fat. DS always gained weight slowly, so knowing he was getting that rich hindmilk was good for my peace of mind.

In short-- I think taking baby off once active swallowing has stopped is okay once in awhile, if you really feel the need for a break, but it's not a good idea to do it all the time.

[lillacfaerie]

Only when I nurse her to sleep. If I don't unlatch her after she goes to sleep she will suckle all night. So sweet.

[jojoboy]

I did with my second son (now 6 months). Mostly because my first son was a huge comfort nurser (nighttime especially), and it bothered me, and eventually affected our nursing relationship. Early on, I just removed my child from my boob when I thought he was done eating and had moved on to comfort nursing. Now, he just doesn't comfort nurse - he just pops himself off when he's done eating.

Honestly, I'm not sure how I'd handle my toddler and a baby that's always wanted to comfort nurse. But I know people do it, so...

On the other side - comfort nursing totally saved me when my older son would throw huge tantrums. Putting him to the boob was one of the few ways to calm him down.

[curious&eager]

He only comfort sucks at bedtime. I enjoy it for 20 minutes or so, nibble nibble nibble. It's so cute. But after 20 minutes, I start getting impatient. By 30 minutes if he didn't let go, I'll take him off so I can go to bed. He doesn't wake up and we both go to sleep happy. Other times I let it go on forever- three of four letdowns of milk. Lots of fatter milk. But, often those letdowns wake him up and then he realizes that he just wanted to nibble and he'll let go.

[KangaTwo]

I don't but I could see why some would. Just different sensitivity levels. I don't really notice the comfort nursing unless DS is awake and getting to close to the end.

[DevaMajka]

DS2 doesn't ever nurse for very long, so I usually just let him unlatch on his own. But sometimes, he falls asleep and doesn't unlatch. If I get tired of nursing him, I unlatch him- he's never phased in the least.

Now ds1, otoh, would comfort nurse all day if I let him. I didn't stop him unless it was bugging me, and even then I tried not to stop him if it would upset him.

I think it should just depend on the moment at hand- how do you feel? How important is the comfort nursing to baby? Are you starting to resent it? etc.
I wouldn't have a set time that my LO was allowed to nurse, comfort nursing or not.

[pastrygirl]

I unlatch him when it starts to become uncomfortable. I think his latch is good, but I get sore after 30+ minutes. If he still roots, I move him to the other side. I wish I could let him suckle as much as he'd like, but I just get too sore.

[Adsullata]

Originally Posted by Llyra

I did sometimes unlatch them when a long time had gone by and I was getting antsy, or I needed to pee, or my foot was asleep and I really needed to get up, or something like that. Often, I'd unlatch them once they were soundly asleep, if I was nursing them down for sleep. But I never removed them systematically, or after a certain amount of time. All that comfort sucking is good for your milk supply, and good for your bond with the baby. Plus, I learned with DS that if he did what anyone else would call "comfort sucking" long enough, he'd be rewarded with another letdown of milk, and that later letdown is very very rich in fat. DS always gained weight slowly, so knowing he was getting that rich hindmilk was good for my peace of mind.

In short-- I think taking baby off once active swallowing has stopped is okay once in awhile, if you really feel the need for a break, but it's not a good idea to do it all the time.

:

I pretty much only unlatch dd when I really have to pee and can't wait any longer. I tried not to at all when she was 6 mos and under, just erring on the side of caution.

Seems like a pretty personal thing to me tho, since only you and your baby know what works best for you, kwim?

[SubliminalDarkness]

Wouldn't have worked.... He screamed anytime I unlatched him.

[femalephish]

Originally Posted by Llyra

I did sometimes unlatch them when a long time had gone by and I was getting antsy, or I needed to pee, or my foot was asleep and I really needed to get up, or something like that. Often, I'd unlatch them once they were soundly asleep, if I was nursing them down for sleep. But I never removed them systematically, or after a certain amount of time. All that comfort sucking is good for your milk supply, and good for your bond with the baby. Plus, I learned with DS that if he did what anyone else would call "comfort sucking" long enough, he'd be rewarded with another letdown of milk, and that later letdown is very very rich in fat. DS always gained weight slowly, so knowing he was getting that rich hindmilk was good for my peace of mind.

In short-- I think taking baby off once active swallowing has stopped is okay once in awhile, if you really feel the need for a break, but it's not a good idea to do it all the time.

! When I was just starting I would have stopped nursing if I didn't detach DD sometimes, because I felt so sore. I would be getting mad at her as she continued to comfort suck. (Still try not to do it all the time and be aware of supply issues, you want to make sure you are good and established.) But don't feel bad, it gets better!

Now I think it's sweet and let her comfort suck if she will. (She hates my letdown if she is wide awake and just looking to suck) But I still detach her if I need to pee or am really uncomfortable.

Good luck!

[Dahlea]

Not unless I'm about to pee myself.

[haurelia]

In the evening, when I put my son down to sleep in the family bed, I unlatch him from comfort sucks once he's actually sleeping (limp arms, regular deep breaths). Once I go to bed with him a couple of hours later, he can suckle til the cows come home!

[phrogger]

I do in the day time if there are things I have to do. He would stay latched on forever if I let him. He usually is fine about it, sometimes if he gets fussy I will just put him in the wrap and walk around but not nurse. He is always fine with that one. There isn't a specific amount of time, just once I notice I have been sitting too long and I need to get up and do something (like I hear the dryer ding).

Of course, at night, after he wakes up for the first time, I bring him to bed and he can stay latched on as long as he wants. I am sound asleep. If I feel him rooting, I just move him to the other side. this morning I was awake for some strange reason and he literally sucked for 2 hours, but he then took a 4 hour nap. I enjoyed that LONG nap so I could get a ton done around the house, then he ate for an hour after that.

[asoulunbound]

Originally Posted by Dahlea

Not unless I'm about to pee myself.

yeah that. lol.
I try to follow the mantra of "watch your baby not the clock"when it comes to nursing. Suckling for "comfort" might be a baby or toddler trying to make more milk for later. I think a pp was spot on with the comment about a second letdown, too.

I wouldn't stress about the occasional popping a sleepy baby off because you need to pee or something, but I personally wouldn't make a habit of it. That's my personal opinion.

[viviensmama]

I do if its been a long time (upwards of forty minutes), she shows no signs of stopping and my nipples are feeling sore. Usually when I do it turns out she was asleep!

[SeekingJoy]

OP, at what age? My 2 yr old DD, sure I pop her off when I start to get uncomfortable. When she was an EBF infant - nope.

[AngeliqueW]

DS is "persistant" or "high need" or whatever you want to call it. He would not respond well to this approach although it works for some people. You know your child.
Many times I have wished I could do this but I found that if I switch sides and make sure he's in a good position the soreness is bearable. Also, if I take a minute to center myself and let go of the todo list, the antsyness dissipates. And yes, I have peed while nursing many times- pulling your pants back up is the really challenging part!

[Shy0717]

DS only comfort nurses when he's sleepy and tends to get quite irritated when I have letdown. I usually let him comfort nurse until I think he's in a nice deep sleep then take him off because I get sore when he's nursing for long periods of time. There's no real time limit though. I have however avoided letting him stay on all night long. I don't deny him if he wants to nurse but I also don't encourage him staying on all night long. Mainly because for our family it would cause issues. I work nights 3 times a week and he stays with my mom and it'd be horrible for him and her if the only way he stayed asleep was comfort nursing. So when I'm home he can nurse off and on whenever but for the most part at night he only nurses when he's hungry.