Over time, most babies get faster and more efficient at nursing, so as they grow, the slow eaters usually speed up and get the same amount of milk (or even more milk) in less time.
You'll spend less time doing it
“A newborn feeding can take 20 to 40 minutes, but by the time they get to be three months old, they often cut way back on feeding duration,” says Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC, FILCA and author of Breastfeeding Answers Made Simple: A Guide for Helping Mothers.
How Long Does Nursing Take? Newborns may nurse for up to 20 minutes or longer on one or both breasts. As babies get older and more skilled at breastfeeding, they may take about 5–10 minutes on each side.
Milk sucked from your breasts flows faster at first and when you have a let-down reflex, while milk from a bottle flows at a constant rate. Most bottles will drip into your baby's mouth even when she doesn't suck, which is not the case when she drinks from the breast.
Healthy infants who breastfeed effectively are often thought to be more efficient than the expression of milk either by hand or with an electric breast pump. Breastfed infants have been shown to remove 50% of the total volume of milk removed at a breastfeed in the first 2 min and 80% in 4 min [31].
If your baby is healthy, gaining weight, and seems content after most breastfeeds, they're getting what they need. Babies who are feeding well can take anywhere between five minutes and 40 minutes at each feed.
Some babies take a full feed in five minutes while others take 40 minutes to get the same amount.
Plus, breastfeeding doesn't cost any money. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends breastfeeding up to 2 years or more. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that moms feed their babies only breastmilk for the first six months.
“The first four to six weeks are the toughest, then it starts to settle down,” says Cathy. “And when you get to three months, breastfeeding gets really easy – way easier than cleaning and making up a bottle.
Many mothers find the first two to three weeks of breastfeeding to be the most challenging. This is when mothers may be tempted to stop due to ongoing challenges.
Kissing your baby will change your breast milk
When you kiss your baby, you are sampling the pathogens on her skin, which are then transferred to your lymphatic system where you will produce antibodies to any bugs. These antibodies will then pass through your breast milk to your baby and boost her immune system.
Most babies will vary the time between feedings and the length of time each feeding takes. The average amount of time a breastfeeding session takes can vary from about 10 minutes to about 45 minutes.
It depends on your baby. As babies get more experience breastfeeding, they become more efficient and take less time to eat. Older babies may take five to 10 minutes, or less, on each side. Short nursing sessions are normal – and perfectly fine unless your baby is having trouble gaining weight.
If you see bright green and frothy poop in your baby's diaper that almost looks like algae, they're probably getting too much foremilk – the low-calorie milk that comes first in a feeding – and not enough hindmilk, the higher-fat, super-nutritious stuff that comes near the end.
Whenever baby shows feeding cues (increased activity, rooting, mouthing), assume it's time to nurse again. Yes, even if it's only been 10 minutes. If baby seems hungry again soon after feeding, don't worry about overfeeding and don't consider it a reflection on your milk production. It's just what newborns do.
Babies are biologically programmed to fall asleep at the breast. Falling asleep at the breast is a normal behaviour and is mostly due to a hormone called cholecystokinin or CCK. CCK makes your baby feel full and sleepy and it is released in your babies gut as soon as they start sucking.
Your baby might be unlatching repeatedly for many reasons—including gas, illness, teething, or being distracted. Determine if you have an issue with poor latching, low milk flow, or too much milk supply, which can contribute to your baby latching and unlatching repeatedly.
As a rule of thumb, a truly hungry baby will rarely choose sleeping over eating. So, if your baby falls asleep in your arms without taking a full feeding, it's likely he was tired — not hungry.
Exclusively pumping is usually harder than breastfeeding. It can feel very time consuming and overwhelming to pump, bottle feed and sterilise equipment while juggling a hungry baby. Being tied to a pump at regular intervals can be limiting especially when away from home.
If your baby's swallowing has slowed, they have started to fall asleep, and/or they seem frustrated at the breast, it's time to switch sides. Sometimes switching breasts multiple times per feeding can be useful, especially in cases of sleepy babies or low milk supply.