Shameless traffic-seeking post about breastfeeding

[MolliciousIntent]

DD2 is 12weeks. Usually sleeps for an hour, is awake for an hour, rinse and repeat from 6am to 9pm. But today, she's fallen asleep on the boob (v normal) and slept for 2hrs, every time she rouses a little she gets my nipple back, has a microsuck and goes back to sleep. Should I take the boob away and let her wake properly? Or let this keep going?

I used to be a sensible, confident woman who made high-risk decisions easily. I am now an exhausted lunatic who can't decide what to do with her own nipples.

YABU - let the baby keep your nipples.
YANBU - those are your nipples, put them back in your bra.

I wouldn't take the boob away as she will be getting the fatty hind milk at that point. They get that when they do the flutter sucks while they sleep too. If you can just let her boob as much as she likes, I loved having one newborn just set up a box set, Snacks, drinks and enjoy just feeding (you dont get to do this if you have other kids too so it's only a one baby luxury!!)

Don't worry OP, we've all been there! (I mean being the confident woman who is floored by a simple baby related decision!)

Around 12 weeks, a lot of babies stop sleeping so much during the day and start getting into more of a routine. I would try to encourage this by removing your nipples now to start differentiating between feed time and nap time.

She's definitely not getting any milk, zero swallowing happening, barely any sucking! She's just using me as a dummy. Bit concerned about this monster nap buggering up her sleep.

This is my second baby so I'm very happy to soak up the rest and snuggle, but don't want to throw off a good routine. She's been sleeping since 9.15!

Also I have no snacks or drinks because I was woefully unprepared for this marathon snooze. I am PARCHED and I desperately need lipbalm.

What would you like to do right now? Have a nap with her and let her nurse even if she’s not getting any milk? Go and get a cup of tea? Put her in the pushchair and go for a walk? Pick something you’d like to do and deal with her waking up/sleeping longer when it happens.

Oh cross post. Put her somewhere safe and get lipbalm snacks and a drink!

Usually I feed her when she wakes and then just before her nap to get her back to sleep (often then requires sling as well) but today she woke, fed and went straight back to sleep.

Change makes me nervous! Good thing babies are so static.

I love the style of your post OP! Really made me smile. The answer is no firm answer really! It's entirely up to you. If you're happy to leave your nipples out, rest assured it's perfectly normal for babies to have a sleeping/half awake feed. In fact, it's often recommended for mothers who are having problems getting their babies to latch on. For a baby, waking up a little, skin-to-skin with their mother, triggers newborn rooting/latching reflexes, and so it can help a successful latch. In your position, with no problems in that department, if you'd like to leave the nipples out and let your baby sleep, that's absolutely fine.

Just seen your update,in that case, pop her down and see to your own needs too 😍

I would 100% go with this easy flow, put it down to a growth spurt, and enjoy a day on the sofa with Netflix and books and a slab of Dairy Milk, thanking god for magic nipples.

I'd give her a dummy.

That's not something I'm considering at the moment. Apart from chapped lips I don't have a problem with the current situation, and if she wants to suck for comfort I'd rather she got that comfort snuggled up with me, dribbling milk all over my clean clothes, than from a piece of rubber. If I was struggling with the sucking I'd consider a dummy but I don't actually have an issue with the sucking, just not sure if I should let her keep at it or not.

As you'll see from the answers on this thread already- there is no right or wrong answer. Everyone does things differently and every mother and baby is different.

What feels rights to you? No matter what the books or the people around you say, do what is right for you and right for your baby. If it's working for both of you, don't change a thing. If something isn't working for either you or baby any more then it's time to change.

Enjoy the cuddles and from now on keep a stash of snacks around the house

@addler my next post will likely be "my toddler found the secret bag of chocolate-covered coffee beans I had stashed in the living room and ate them all, should I call 111 or lock myself in the bathroom for my own safety?"

DS would do this or suck his thumb. Thumbs can cause major development problems further down the line ( I’m a dentist so fully aware of the problems) so I gave him a dummy early on. Dummies can be removed, unlike thumbs.
Breast fed babies do like to comfort suckle, as they get older they also like to massage your breast. A bit like kittens need the mother cat. Probably encourages milk production and flow.
You can tell a breast fed child, they often slip their hand into your bra when you pick them up for a cuddle years after breast feeding has stopped. DS was 6/7 before he stopped doing this when cuddling up. Even at 14 he would rest against my chest. Obviously it does stop but I do miss the closeness we had. He’s now 17.5 and has transitioned the no contact years. I still get the occasional hug, mainly when he’s had a few beers. The dog gets the most hugs and sleeps with him every night.

Update from my thrilling existence - latched the baby on, picked her up, retrieved chapstick and chocolate chip shortbread and went back to the chair. Couldn't pour myself a glass of water with the baby en boob, but luckily the toddler's sippy cup was full so I'm drinking that.

I'm watching Meghan Markle kick arse in Suits and am blindsided by how similar our lives are in terms of glamour and high-stakes drama.

That level of glamour sounds all-too familiar. Well done!

My two year old still occasionally does this...wakes up, roots and whimpers, has a few swallows and goes back to sleep. It's infinitely harder to remove nipple when teeth are involved. (and yes I still let him nap on me when he's at home. He's small and squishy and smells nice and is at nursery every weekday!)

"small and squishy and smells nice" is right on the money. Mine currently smells terrible, but she is really excited by her own hands and is laughing like a drain.

Add in some live feed reporting from the Wagatha Christie trial and you’ve got yourself the perfect afternoon!

So glad DD had a piece of rubber rather than my nipples

She'll be getting ready to have some longer naps and longer time awake, if the boob helps her do that then all great.

Give the kid a dummy
At 12 weeks baby should be able to sleep longer blocks then just 1 hr

A dummy is fantastic for soothing a baby in many situations. As they get a bit older, they can get comfort from it without depending on their mum, which is a great thing. No need to snottily call it a "piece of rubber".

Mine refused the dummy 😫