In a message dated 9/19/2006 12:12:34 AM Eastern Standard Time,  
[log in to unmask] writes:

My  question is:=20
What is the consensus of the group regarding lengthy feeds?  Do you consider=
this to be a red flag for poor milk intake/low supply?  What would you cons=
ider a lengthy feed? (I think typical and robust  infants feed for about 10-=
20 minutes and fall off; once they're a bit  older, they can "empty" a breas=
t in about 5-6 minutes). I do not think  all feeds need to be fast, but I am=
looking for screening questions.  Thanks.
Laurie Wheeler, IBCLC, MN, RN=20



Laurie, I would really like to throw away the whole concept of time.   What 
was done before clocks were invented?
Length of time might be a guide but a poor one, and too easily  misconstrued. 
 Tina Smiley described beautifully the different sucking  patterns of babies 
including the pause phase.
Parents need to know this, identify the different patterns and know when  the 
baby is swallowing.  
If a baby keeps going back to the breast but never initiates a let down and  
therefore is not swallowing, than there is a problem.  But a short feeding  
without swallowing is just as much a problem as the long ones.  
As you take a history from a mom time at the breast is really not going to  
give you much information.  If the mother is feeling this is a problem than  
dig deeper into the conversation and set up an appointment.  From what you  
described in your post, the outputs and poor transfer of milk told you more than  
how long the baby breastfeed.
Ann Perry, RN IBCLC
Boston, MA

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