Tips for Breastfeeding a Newborn

[Minke]

Just wondering if anyone can help.

DS is 5 days old and is attaching etc well, and during the day will mostly have 3 - 4 hour feeds. About 10 - 11pm he starts having hourly feeds, and when he does feed he'll only stay on for 5 - 10 mins, and I'm lucky if i can get him to take the other side! How do I stretch it out between feeds, should I be stretching it out between feeds? (Also, not a feeding problem, but his awake time is between 3 - 6am!!!)

And I think because of the erratic feeds, my boobs are letting down all the time - should i get a breast pump (hire or borrow) to express? Am so uncomfortable!!!!!!

(I did breastfeed my daughter, but she was a text book baby!)

Any advice would be helpful...


Kelli

[emilysmumma]

Hi Kelli

I don't think I can be much use to you but :hugs: to you as I know it can be extremely tiring trying to work everything out on little sleep.

I know dd was for the first few weeks eating every 2 to 3 hours 24 hours a day. At night I would just kept it quiet so she would go back to sleep after or during the feed, so I have been lucky there in that she doesn't want to play in the wee hours.
Also it took nearly a month before my boobs settled down. I wish I had gotten the breast pump sooner to relive the pain, so it might be an idea. Of course it will help to make more milk as well.

So I'm not much help to you and I'm sure someone else can give you some advice.

Good luck and congrats on your new bub.

[Funkychicken]

Hi Kelli,

Congatulations on your new baby!

I went through this with DS#1. I kept feeding on and off throughout the night and it felt like my boobs would explode they were so full. Is bubby very windy? I found that if i perservered with an over the shoulder winding after a good feed-this sometimes meant walking around for a while-he would do huge burps and then settle again. it was only a problem when he was going through his 'I will only go to sleep if your boob is in my mouth stage'. That causes issues for winding.
At this early stage I wouldn't recommend a breast pump as your milk supply is not properly established-this can take 3-6 months to do properly. If you express you will only keep remaking the expressed milk which means your supply will increase. If you need to get rid of some milk before a feed, you can always just hand express a small amount over the sink to relieve some pressure.
:)
Good luck.

[jarrahsmumma]

The first few weeks can be so hard, all our love to you

Is bub emtying the breast at the nightfeed (10-11pm feed) too much foremilk from each breast can be a cause of wind.

Can you hand express the excess, for comfort. A nice warm shower can help with this too.

The first few weeks your breasts are adjusting to the needs of your bub so dont worry that they feel too full, it will settle soon enough.

Wind relief...i found having my son lying on his tummy across my legs and rocking was great. we would pat his back and rock our legs from side to side.

hope it helps:)

[kadownie]

You're doing a great job!! I too had massively full boobs- I also had twins so I would express often and from the beginning as I wanted to have some back up milk. If you do express, just express a little for comfort.

Maybe at your late night feeds, if after 5 mins he falls asleep, try waking him up to feed him a bit more! I can remember putting my finger under the babies chin while they were feeding, when they stopped sucking I would press on their chins and this would encourage them to suck some more!

It is best to demand feed your little one-

This time will pass- it's so hard when you're so tired! Let us know how you are going!!;)

[kadownie]

Also- maybe he has his times mixed up. this will sort itself out over a couple of weeks - when they're really little they can't really tell day from night- but soon enough he will! Feed him as much as possible during the day, and he will probably feed less during the night!

My boobs used to let down ALL the time- if I thought of something nice, if I heard water, if I looked at my baby- it's just one of those things that happens. Nothing to worry about

[Minke]

He has started feeding for longer! :D Fed for about 10 mins from each side tonight, and actually wanted the other side! He doesn't get too windy, usually does a burp or two straight after feeding (have learnt that if I don't get it out then he is great at vomiting about 20 mins later!:rolleyes: ). I do try to wake him up - sometimes it works...

I think he is a bit confused about the day/night thing - I can remember my daughter fed just like him, but reversed.

Will let you know how it goes and thanks for all your help

(And my boobs are still massive, but aren't at absolute bursting point:smiliedance: )