What's normal at 7 weeks??

[Hattie'sMama]

Please help a first time breastfeeder!

What does a "normal" feeding look like at 7 weeks, in your experience?
 

My daughter will spend about 8-10 minutes actively nursing(I can see and hear swallowing) but then she spends 20 minutes doing the rapid sucking with no swallowing. If we take a break and I change her diaper, it will be the same pattern on the other side, with the rapid sucking lasting until she falls asleep-sometimes up to 40 minutes without actual swallowing.

Is this normal? She has down syndrome, so I'm trying to figure out if she is wearing out or not sucking properly due to her low muscle tone, or if my milk isn't letting down or if this is just normal....

[PatioGardener]

a bit more info to start :)

how many poops in 24 h?  how many pees?  how much weight is she gaining?

with a baby with lower tone, and still really young, I would switch breasts as soon as the swallowing stops, and even feed "4 breasts" in one feed.

nak more later

[Hattie'sMama]

I've stopped tracking it really closely, but she has at least 4-6 dirty diapers every day and is wet every couple of hours during the day.  She'd gained a pound and two inches beyond her birth weight by 6 weeks, so I think she is eating enough.

Part of my concern was that she's spending a lot of her awake time sucking without drinking, so burning calories without replacing them  and not doing much time just being awake examining her world. But again, this is my first time around, so i have no comparison!

I will definately try switching sooner, thanks!

[PatioGardener]

She is gaining so much from the non-nutrative sucking she is doing.  She's strengthening her suck muscles, she's growing her brain and teaching her body that life is good and there is no need to be anxious.  And the integration of skin-to-skin touching, smell, sight and taste is so important too.

If you switch her over earlier, you'll know that she is getting milk sooner, and she may even take more each session - especially if you let her nurse from '4' breasts (eg right, left, right, left).  And then she can hang out on your breast too! 

Congrats and enjoy your babymoon!

Edited by PatioGardener - 11/19/10 at 6:17am

[GoBecGo]

I was going to say, my DD does this.  She definitely did it at 7 weeks, she's still doing it at nearly 6months!  She wants to suckle, but not fussed to eat much more, so she sucks gently and not deeply, and hey presto, mama is the soother :)  I hesitated to post because i didn't want to give bad advice if maybe the latch was bad or something.  FWIW, i have known a lot of DS individuals due to my mother working in social care and community education when i was little, and it seemed to her that a LOT of parents are warned DS kids can't BF well without any grounds.  Obviously some do have very poor muscle tone or uncoordinated sucking, but many many more nurse like any other baby.  And to be able to empty the breast/be satisfied in 20mins each side at 7 weeks, she is nursing better/faster than both of my (NT) kids were at that age!  It sounds like you're both doing beautifully mama! :)