Just got home...

[holly]

and bubs has of course turned into a baby that slept for 4+ hours, fed straight away then slept again in hospital to one that is waking every 2 hours, feeding for ages then taking hours to settle.

When do I stop feeding? She could go on forever and it seems she is actually taking milk not just using me as a pacifier... I;m not sure when I should forceably take her from the boob.
Also how often should I feed her, I offer her the breast again after about half an hour crying after a 40 min feed and she takes it.
Am I feeding her too much, hence making her windy etc and not able to settle?
Help... she is 7 days old...

[Goosie22]

If your attachment is right you can feed and feed and feed. Its the best way to establish your milk supply.

One tip though if you find bub is a little unsettled is try feeding from one boob for a period of time, can be one feed or for 3 hours (several feeds with in that time). It depends on your baby and what type of personality she has.

If your still unsure, contact your local Australian Breastfeeding Assc (http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/bfinfo/faq.html) (they have a web site with heaps of info) or find a LC you can work with.
You could try Child health, but personally I have not had good experiences with CHNs

[holly]

Hilarious - after trying for the past 2 hours to get her to calm down I tried the old 'pacing the floor' tactic and she fell asleep in 5 minutes!!!

[kadownie]

It's hard work when they're little. Just remember- you can't feed too much- my midwife mother used to tell me that it's normal for a breastfed baby to feed at least 12 times a day to begin with- (for me it was 24 times- i have twins)

Just keep at it- it's only a short season.

Some things that I used that I found helpful

Braur (sp?) colic relief- worked absolute magic at getting the wind out.
Also I used to firmly wrap my bubbies when I put them down.
I also slept my bubbies on their side/tummy- I know- it's a no- no- but I thought long and hard about it- and preferred to get some sleep-though it's something that you should research and come to your own conclusions about- as with all things in motherhood.
I also used to have them in bed with me at times- which was gorgeous- something else you have to research and come to your own conclusions about

Also, it's quieter at home than at the hospy- they seem to like noise when they're little...

Hope your first few days at home go well!

[InSaneOne]

i found with my little :devil6: that rocking and singing to her worked to try and settle. another easier way was to let her sleep with me. cuddled in close. find a nice calming baby cd too and play that for her when trying to get her to sleep.

my dd used to like being rocked to sleep face down over my arm. we could walk for hours like that and she was happy. now at 10 months she still likes to sleep on her tummy better than her back. just try many different things til you find one that works for you. it might take a couple of weeks to settle into a routine.

[cheezelkat]

Just to reitterate the others - feed as much as you can! I know its a hassle but its so important to get your supply up and going.

Have you thought about a sling? Some you can breastfeed in, but they're all pretty good for relaxing bub and sending them to sleep. It's never failed me :D