Premature baby falling asleep on the boob!

[clarejane]

DS is 6 weeks old, born 6 weeks premature. 8 days in NICU for observation then home. I'm exclusively breastfeeding and he's currently 7lb 8oz from a birthweight of 4lbs - so we're thrilled!

Past few days he has started feeding more frequently, basically cluster fed from 11pm - 6am last night, aaargh! i know i have to feed him on demand to maintain my milk supply but I'm wondering if there is a way to get him to take more milk at each feeding so he can go a bit longer between feeds? He often dozes off & it's a struggle to get him to take the 2nd side. Any ideas?

If he does fall asleep on the boob it's usually only for a few minutes, he wakes up with trapped wind, we spend ages trying to help him with it by which point he's hungry again - bit of a vicious circle!

Any help or advice gratefully received, thank you :)

No you cant get him to take more at each feed

He will naturally take more in time

Some people swear by tickling feet, stripping babies to wake them up and get them to feed more. If your DS has wet and dirty nappies and is alert then don't worry - some babies do not take two sides per feed

My DD didnt in the early days and then she would maybe have a mini feed not the second

Cluster feeding is good and usual breast-feeding behaviour and will boost your supply

Feeding is very intense in the early days

He has an immature digestive system - hence the wind

It sounds like you are doing a very good job indeed

My DD was nine weeks prem and exhibited very similar behaviours.

Once she was the equivalent of about 38/39 weeks gestation she became a bit of a nightmare.

It would regularly take me till 4-5 am to get her to settle. She just went from side to side to side feeding. I completely lost track of which side I was supposed to be feeding from and just put her on whatever side felt most full.

She was also awful with wind. I would sit for ages trying to burp her, think it was ok, put her in her Moses basket and within ten mins or so she'd be screaming and pulling her legs up because of wind.

We didn't actually do anything to make this stop, it just gradually got better by itself.

Sorry I can't give you a magic solution but just wanted to post to say you're not the only one, and it will pass. I look back now and can't believe I functioned on such little sleep. But I somehow got through it and you will too.

Just to echo what rubyslippers said, I don't think you can make take more at each feed, it will just happen naturally with age.

Forgot to say, fabulous weight gain. Well done you

The cluster feeding all a sudden can be entirely normal pattern of feeding. it's a way of boosting your milk supply ready fora growth spurt. You'll prob find in a few days he'll settle back down again :) god luck and hope all goes well.

my advice practice feeding lying down! that way you can relax in bed and still rest with bubba beside you.

DD1 was two weeks early but pretty small at 5lb 7oz. I did the tickling feet which helped get a little more in each time, but I also winded her several times during the feed, otherwise she was prone to bring the whole lot back up again. But it was still "little and often" for quite a while, then it eventually spaced out.

do you give bottles at all? My Ds was 11 weeks prem and came home at 4lb 14. We gave bottles for one feed usually at about 7 or about 11 depending on circumstances and he would take more as a bottle of EBM than he would from me. I know that its not recommended as it may interfere with supply etc but DS was often a bit too weak to take a full feed before he was tired again and it worked for us.

We also used to cycle DS legs to help with wind mid feed, which he still finds fun as a game

I would often (but not always) express the milk at the same time my DH gave it, but it did mean he spaced the feeds out a bit more.

I am stil BF at 10 months so the supply managed. But it does get easier

I'd recommend feeding lying down too.

Kellymom has some info. As other people have said, it's totally normal.

Supplementing with bottles will reduce your supply.

Congratulations on your LO :)

Thanks very much for all the reassurance! Even though I know he's thriving and that the cluster feeding, sleepless nights etc are completely normal it is good to hear from other mums who have come out the other side :)

Last night was much better with almost 3 hours between feeds and he managed to settle really quickly. Possibly me being more relaxed after reading all your stories helped!

Topped up a bit with EBF in bottles after the NICU but we phased that out at abut 3weeks - trying not to go back if we can...

I haven't figured out the feeding lying down because I am nervous in case I fall asleep with him right there - although I guess that's not the end of the world. Last night he slept on my chest for a few hours, no harm done...

Truly, thank you - I love mumsnet :)