Feeding vs comfort sucking?

[Twinkle]

Today, midday was the very first feed which was fully b/f. For various reasons I've had to either syringe feed (early on) or bottle feed (EBM), or b/f then top up with a bottle of ebm.
In the mean time working towards getting her back to the breast.
We're getting there, but today what happened was I began feeding her (b/f) at 12midday while sitting on the couch, I was getting tired so decided to go to the bed and try feeding her laying down.
She kept feeding well and I was nodding off.
I thought I'd just let her go to sleep on the boob while I snoozed and then have a snuggle together.
Well, she fell asleep but was still doing little sucks 1 and 1/2 hrs later ie: 1.30pm.
That's ok, but it was hurting so I had to detach her...she stayed asleep and I then snoozed with her...it was lovely and I felt so great that I'd given her a full feed with no topping up :D

But my question is how do I tell when she has finished feeding and is just sucking for comfort?
I have a feeling my bub would stay cuddled up and attached all day.

Angie.

[OM]

lol my DS is a big comfort feeder. I fed him for just under 3 hours once! Comfort sucking you will find they go suck suck then long pause suck suck then long pause where as normal feeding it will be a pretty constant suck suck suck suck and only short pauses.

[Twinkle]

She'll be 4 weeks old this Sunday.

[JanetF]

Comfort sucking is really important. Breastfeeding is about so much more than feeding :D Congratulations on your hard work! You're a super booby trouper and I'd love to give you a medal! Welcome to the wondeful world of booby worship! If you can slide a finger in and break the seal (lick your finger first to allow sliding) and she lets you, then she's probably nicely asleep and not really needing to suck. Babies need to breast for comfort (if scared, lonely, suffering separation anxiety, near strangers, after a fright) and that gives you the most brilliant parenting tool ever devised. It fixes everything from fear to tanties! I'd be lost without it LOL. Cosleeping will only enhance your bf relationship so keep it up! Brilliant! :D

[AM]

Comfort sucking is great for your baby, and great for getting your milk supply right.
I found the use of a sling invaluable when my son was tiny, it kept him close to me, and close to the breast, and I could still get on with my day, if that is what i needed to be doing, even though I LOVED those long snoozes with bubs! ;)

[OM]

I found the use of a sling invaluable when my son was tiny, it kept him close to me, and close to the breast, and I could still get on with my day

I still find the sling invaluable, and my DS is 10 months old.;) :)

[kimmy]

Chloe is grabbing a fist full of my boob when i feed her now & it hurt like crazy.
Got to keep thous nail short lol.:D

[AM]

I still find the sling invaluable, and my DS is 10 months old.;) :)


Yes, very true, I had to give up slinging when my son was about 19 months or so, as it was too hard on my preggy belly, if not for that, we would probably be still using it! :D

[Foxymoron]

Yay Angie! Kudos to you for persevering with those fiddly syringe and bottle feeds whilst getting your wee babe onto the boobie. :D I'd like to give you a gold medal too - maybe with a chocolate centre ;)
As everyone has mentioned the comfort feeding is important and it's a gorgeous bond... Nothing quite like watching a wee bubba snoozing away on a boob. When your little one has dozed right off, as Janet says, just pop in a finger to break the suction...

And re the slings- brilliant aren't they :D I didn't stop using mine until DD was 2 and insisted on having her feet on the ground!

[Me]

Any advice for me out there? DD also likes to comfort suck which is fine by me but whenever she is on my right side after shes finished feeding she just nibbles on the tip of my nipple - very painful indeed and i have to break the suction and switch her to the left side to let her keep doing her thing - is this ok or should i be trying something else to get her to stop the nibbling?

[AM]

Switching sides when she starts the painful nibbling is just fine!
All you are doing is keeping her mind on the job at hand, she may be nibbling because she is not getting much from the first breast, so switching sides is probably the next step anyway.
Doesn't sound like a problem to me! :)

[xkwzit]

Hi
If she's hurting you its OK to stop it by either offering the other side, reattaching her or if she's had enough, putting her down. It sounds to me like you're doing the right thing :) .

Cheers