Very frequent feeding/unsettled

[K&B Dee]

My son has gone from very happy baby..happy to feed every 3ish hours during the day and play and nap to feeding constantly. The only way to settle him seems to be to breastfeed him.

I've never had any milk supply issues...I even try and express a feed once a day to keep my milk suppy up. He is 14 weeks old and a healthy weight.

I'm not sure if he is teething..he has had red cheeks off and on and dribbles constantly!

Should I be worried?

[the pero clinic]

Dear K&B Dee,

With red cheeks, dribble and a sudden change in temperament, your bub may be starting to teethe – although this would be quite early. I wouldn’t be too concerned at this stage, so long as there are no other changes to his health. While there are no real problems with feeding him more frequently, even if there is a lot of ‘comfort’ sucking occurring, it may turn into a habit that you are not willing to continue.

If you feel that he is not hungry and receiving enough from his regular breastfeeds, then try to offer alternatives to calm and distract him, such as teething or mouthing toys, toys to play with, a walk outside, or just a cuddle and a chat.

Continue to monitor him for signs that he may be unwell, and not just teething, and see your doctor or child health nurse if you have concerns.

the pero clinic