What's a normal feeding pattern for a 6 month old?

[anjsmama]

Okay DD isn't quite 6 months, she is still 10 days out from that. But I am confused by her feeding patterns. I seem to be offering way more often than she is interested? The last 3 days I have really tried to let her do what she wants and NOT push feedings, and this is how it's gone... 

Wake at 6 am, nurse

Nurse to nap at 8 am

Nurse to nap at 11 am

Nurse to nap at 1 pm

Naps from 1-3pm nursing a few times during

Nurse to nap at 7 pm

Nurse to sleep at 9 pm

Occasionally nurses once or twice at night but typically sleeps straight through

Is this normal? I feel like maybe I am just trying to hold on to her babyhood as long as possible, and maybe she's growing up faster than I think. But I swear it's like I'm only nursing her at sleep time! Especially that 3pm-7pm stint, it feels like she should be eating...but she seems too busy playing to bother. For so long she ate every 1.5 hours or 2 at the most... it feels weird!

She isn't really eating any solids though I admit to letting her play with a few pieces of broccoli. And she isn't sick or having any growth problems (She is 19 lb 8 oz just shy of 6 months, born  6 lb 8 oz). How does your six month old eat?

[lkvosu]

Sounds perfectly normal to me! That is almost exactly how much ds nurses. He's 9mo but has had pretty much the same pattern since around 6mo. Your 6mo old weighs more than my 9mo, btw. I'm sure she is as healthy as could be and knows how much she needs. Keep offering the breast throughout the day and keep an eye out for food readiness (although bm is really all they need for quite a while). All is well!

One glaring difference between yours and mine, though, is that ds wakes up every two hours to eat all.night.long. You lucky mama you ;)

[PatioGardener]

Mine stretched the time between feedings at about 5 months old and it totally freaked me out! He rarely asks to nurse though, so I offer whenever I think about it and if he refuses then that's OK.

Then there was this patch of time around 8-9 months when I swear he nursed every 15 minutes!

We're back to every 3-4 hours now that he is 14 months, and several times at night too. And a couple of sips here and there to reconnect - which often result in him getting up to run around just as I let down!

So don't be a) surprised if this pattern changes again soon,

and b) don't be afraid to offer.

:)

[anjsmama]

Thanks ladies! Very helpful :) Bigger than your 9 m/o... I knew my DD is a big girl but we didn't go to the 4-month WBV so I wasn't sure exactly where she falls in accordance with other babes. My DS was a teeny, tiny, bottle fed babe so really no clue how big most 6 month olds are.  Guess I had one on the lower end of average and one on the higher end!
 

Originally Posted by PatioGardener 

We're back to every 3-4 hours now that he is 14 months, and several times at night too. And a couple of sips here and there to reconnect - which often result in him getting up to run around just as I let down!

I have noticed this lately! DD acts like she really wants to nurse, I offer, she drinks for 30 seconds then pulls away to watch the dust float around as I let down and start spraying! I have had problems with oversupply that went a way for a few months, and then have sort of resurfaced as she's changed patterns. When your DS skips away when you let down, do you express that milk or just let it be? I'm afraid to leave it (pain, blocked ducts, etc) and I'm afraid to express it (stimulating more production!). 

[PatioGardener]

Originally Posted by anjsmama 

I have noticed this lately! DD acts like she really wants to nurse, I offer, she drinks for 30 seconds then pulls away to watch the dust float around as I let down and start spraying! I have had problems with oversupply that went a way for a few months, and then have sort of resurfaced as she's changed patterns. When your DS skips away when you let down, do you express that milk or just let it be? I'm afraid to leave it (pain, blocked ducts, etc) and I'm afraid to express it (stimulating more production!). 

Honestly it depends where we are. Since he is 14 months old and eating some healthy solids, I'm not as intense about getting him to nurse as I was before.

Sometimes I ask him to concentrate on nursing, hold him firmly and he latches back on and nurses (and gets that blissful look that quickly replaces that "oh but I was just going to run and lick the cat" look.)

Sometimes I do up my nursing bra and offer again in a bit.

Sometimes I take advantage and pump for when I'm at work (especially on a Sunday to have milk for Monday.)

When he was 6 months old I really tried to convince him to nurse, even just a little bit. My supply was copious then as well, and I didn't want to pump to make it worse, and I sprayed a lot if he didn't nurse! If he refused I would often catch the spray in a small cup and freeze it for 'momsicles' which he loved.