Help! Is anyone awake?

[cordiality]

Should I wake a newborn up to feed? Dd was born at 3.30 yesterday morning, I didn't manage to breastfeed her as I have impossibly flat nipples and big unwieldy boobs, and ended up giving her formula . She drank about 40ml, which apparently is a lot? Then at about 10am she had a couple of ml of my colosseum from a syringe. Later, at around 3pm she had another 20ml of formula.

I'd love to try breast again now, and have all sorts of plans with nipple shields and/or niplette, but she simply won't wake up. I am starting to worry that she really needs to feed, it's been 7 hours. Does anyone have any advice? Am I worrying over nothing? Would you wake a brand newborn to feed her?

Thanks in advance, feeling a bit lost here...

your mwife shd be out the day after you are discharged from the hospital but yes, as MamaChris says if you have questions call the postnatal ward of your hospital.
Get some sleep / rest
well done you

gor blimey, 20/30 mls of formula that is alot for newborn tummy. you need to see someone in real life.

good page www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/bf-links-concerns.html for info but really you should be being looked after - demand breastfeeding support! mw should come to see you! how many poos/wees and weight more important than how often they feed - babies different. some take lot at once, some need little and often. some very efficient, some feed for hours not getting much. is your baby pooing??

not all newborns have to be woken so much! my DS fed every 3/4 hours for 45 mins or so - didn't lose any weight. don't rush natural process and create problems! lots of skin to skin and encourage self attachment whenever your baby seems interested. one four/five hour stretch ok if rest of time feeding more frequently but again, every baby different (google biological nurturing)

[http://www.drjacknewman.com/help/Is%20My%20Baby%20Getting%20Enough%20Milk.asp also good info]]

you need to SEE someone to help you - ask how much experience they have with successful breastfeeding! where are you? if you say where you are, someone might know good breastfeeding counsellor, lactation consultant...

cordiality just seen - your DH loves mumsnet lol! lovely that you lying back and your baby rooting for boob - best way! babies very clever! watch poo - input = output.

isn't that funny - people only care about labour - if you have a good one - off you go...

keep her close, watch for rooting/boob interest, keep eye on poo/wee as this indicates input/output and whether she is hydrated. is she good colour - pinky, not too yellow/grey? alert when awake? (difficult when babies sleepy lol!)

thing we often forget - mum knows if there is something wrong with baby - particularly if breastfeeding - very intune.

last point, don't listen to me, go and see someone - where in north london are you?

Oh good! Glad you're all ok! many congratulations!

Well done! It'll get easier.

Hope you can get some face to face help to check the latch etc. If you're feeling wobbly instruct your DH to be assertive on your behalf.

BTW re: input = output, AFAIK it isn't the poo you need to look out for to check she's getting enough milk, it's the wee that's important, so check she's getting wet nappies. BFing babies don't poo as much usually.

(unless there's something particular about BFing and meconium coming out? Can't remember - I was a wreck for the first few days, certainly wouldn't have been lucid enough to post on MN!) :)

FreudianSlippery - defo the wee you need to look for as this indicates she is hydrated but at this early stage newborn should be having at least 3 x 10p piece size poos every day. should be looked at if not the case. can have one big one (needs to be pretty big but this is more unusual) but if not having at least one a day jack newman recommends getting real life bf support. bf babies start to poo infrequently a bit later on - around 6 weeks i think but not sure of exact number...

Good stuff cordiality- stick at it!

This lack of support from your mw is one of the downside of women leaving hospital so soon after giving birth.

But if you need help you must ask for it, don't feel like you are being a nuisance or pestering them. You shouldn't need to be asking a chat board for advice - you should be able to access that in RL.

Here is the NCT nappy advice sheet.

Have a good day

oh that link is much better crikey ...

Bored on holiday, I was just browsing through some old threads and came across this one!

It makes me feel incredibly emotional to see all the support that the wonderful people on this thread gave me when I was exhausted and overwhelmed.

That teeny baby girl never really did get the hang of breastfeeding - I tried and tried, had her tongue tie snipped, went to all the classes, but ended up exclusively expressing breast milk for her to take from a bottle for four months! It was exhausting, and stressful, but fulfilling and I have no regrets. She's 12 now and just brilliant.

My son, born 18 months later breastfed perfectly from day one, despite my unhelpfully sized boobs, so you just never can tell!!

If anyone on this thread is still around, thank you so much for your gentle advice and wise words. Taking the time to help a stranger -especially one who may never come back to thank you!- is a truly wonderful thing.

🫶🏼