Newborn baby feeding - Help!

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Baby was born on Monday after an ELCS. Came home Last night and been cluster feeding nearly all evening, hasn’t slept more than 20 min at a stretch. She’s quite windy and had a few massive belches as well. Is she sucking in air with cluster feeding? Im knackered, what do I do? Xx

That is sadly exactly what cluster feeding is like and it is normal and good. She is doing exactly what she ought to be doing to really get your supply going. You have my sympathy. It can be exhausting. As long as she isn't distressed, don't worry about the burps. As her mouth gets bigger she will feed better.

Well done, you are doing a great job.

Well done mama, you’re doing a great job 👏
when you’re in it it feels horrendous, but people tell you it sounds normal.

Keep going! She’s building your supply, I found my milk took about 3 days to come in after my ELCS. It’s tough going but very normal. Get comfy, have lots of snacks to hand and sleep when you can.

If she’s taking in lots of air just check that she’s latching properly and take the time to make sure she is.

You’re doing amazing, it will be hard but it absolutely will get easier.

Congratulations!

If you have a partner at home get them to bring baby to you for feeding so that you can rest in between. It is tag team Olympics time.

PS sniff baby's head for us [heart eyes]

sounds normal but its extremely hard. lying down feeding is one of the best things I learned in terms of feeding! if you want to try, have a look for some videos on YouTube and also look up safe bedsharing in case you fall asleep.

Check the latch, take her off and start again if it looks wrong. You can see videos of good latches online.
The first two weeks are the worst. It gets a little better after that.
Feed lying down, it’s also good for your healing from surgery.

Normal and so hard but also so fleeting. Sit on the bed/sofa with a box set, if a partner there, pass the baby to him after a feed. Ensure he’s providing food and water for you - and do nothing but rest and feed

Thank you all for the encouragement. Her poo is changing from meconium, more thing and green-yellow and I can hand express some colostrum so I do think she’s getting something in (but perhaps lots of air as well?

any suggestions for a deeper latch? I do the finger to break suction but she always goes back to the same position, hard to get more Arellano in her mouth.

Congratulations!

My son is 7 weeks old and is EBF. Cluster feeding is extremely tiring and time-consuming but as others have said, it's the baby building up your supply.

If you can and want to continue to breastfeeding, stick with it. It doesn't last long and I promise you it gets easier. I'm nearly 8 weeks into our BF journey and loving it despite many hurdles. Also, the many benefits far outweigh the downsides!

Well done, mummy! Enjoy your baby snuggles.

For a deeper latch I changed how I held both baby and breast slightly. If baby is feeding, for example, from your left breast, support baby's head in the crook of your left arm and support their back with the same arm. With your right hand, form an upside-down V shape with either your thumb and forefinger or your index and middle fingers and gently squeeze your breast near the edge of the areola to form a better shape to fit baby's mouth. They need a mouthful of breast as well as nipple, for a deeper latch and more effective transfer of milk.

Feel free to play around with positions too. As long as baby is well supported, can breathe through their nose and both of you are comfortable, anything goes. You might like to try the rugby hold position which is lovely for eye contact, and also side-lying too (which took me a few attempts to succeed!).

Enjoy!

You’re doing amazing! Keep going! I sympathise? My dd is 2 weeks old.

try the “flipple” technique, and feeding cross cradle position. If you use Instagram, I recommend following mamas.milk she’s a lactation specialist and very active with lots of help. I’d also find any local breastfeeding groups to attend!

my dd is also struggling with trapped wind, my oldest I never wonder once, whereas this one I have to wind mid feed and after each feed! I’m going to get some infacol to try as I’m confident her latch is good. Some babies just struggle more!

congratulations, and stay strong, the cluster feeding is brutal! But my best advice is accept it, get a nest on the sofa with a range of snacks and drinks (including hot ones in a thermos) and stick on a good series to binge through. I watched all of Downton abbey with my eldest during the early cluster phases. This time I think I’m going to watch all the Harry Potters haha!

x

The first few days at home following my CS were so difficult with baby wanting to feed constantly. Then it was like a switch, and he suddenly became the chillest baby imaginable, feeding every 4-5 hours. Yours will calm down once the cluster stage passes, you just have to push through it!

Thank you again, after the first night of cluster feeding my milk has come in. Learning how to latch and digest but doing well!

This is really hard but you're doing brilliantly. Get onto google or a local mums FB group and try to find a breastfeeding drop in session. I volunteer at one and we're always having new mums who just want to check their baby is latching ok.

Make sure you are supporting her neck and shoulders but no fingers on her head. Start her with her nose opposite your nipple and as soon as she opens wide, quickly bring her onto your breast. You want her top lip just above your nipple and her lower lip/jaw covering lots of breast.

It can help to shape your breast with a U hold so your thumb is parallel to her top lip, as babies sometimes struggle to open wide enough at first. Good luck!

Not much advice its been many years since I finished breast feeding (at least 20)
But wanted to say a huge ‘congratulations’

I do remember that it gets so much easier as you start relaxing. If it hurts then baby hasn't latched on
From memory I think I would ‘drop’ breast into mouth so baby latched then as soon as feeding would get comfy

@Bigslippers thank you for the rrassurance xx

@CocoPlum thank you for the suggestions! We’ve gotten the left side sorted but somehow are struggling with the right. I will have a look for local groups. Midwife was round yesterday and said latch was fine and she just needs practice, but I suspect it is a bit too shallow still!