Dear Ann in New Brunswick,
     This subject seems to come up fairly often in bedside teaching, and
also in my monthly prenatal breastfeeding class.  Someone correct me if
I'm wrong..........  I usually include it when discussing the principle
of "finish the first side first" and say that it is better for baby to
nurse a long time on one side than a short time on both sides because the
milk towards the end of the feeding has a little higher fat content, and
it is important for the baby to get that for growth and stooling.
       So many want a time frame on breastfeedings!!  Parents,
grandparents, nurses and docs!  Someone correct me if I'm wrong on this
one, I've compromised some perhaps, and say you may watch the clock some
but watch the baby more, some feedings will take longer if baby rests and
pauses a lot, and some may be shorter when baby is wide awake and very
hungry, and that 15-20-30 minutes per side is usually average, but see
above statement too.  Also baby may want "3" sides at some feedings, and
the breast is primarily a productive gland, not a storage gland, though
some milk will accumulate in the ducts between feedings, milk is made at
the time of feeding, the baby being the stimulus.
      Hope this helps.
    Susan Potts rn ibclc Minnesota
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