Flucloxocillin, mastitis and feeding for 7 hours constantly ....

[megcleary]

...am I doing something wrong. Dd is 3w/o and I am on the a/bs for mastitis. Last night she started feeding at 9pm and just kept going for boob to boob all night the previous night she went from 12-6am.

Every time she seem done I popped her in her Moses basket and she would wake in seconds wailing and only settle with new boob.

By 3am I could not see I was so tired so i said to dh she is going inberween us and lo and behold she slept till 6.

Any suggestions as to what is happening? Is it the a/bs, do I just suck it up and keep feeding. Is resting her between us "false" sleep and am I ruining my supply by doing it. Advice appreciated.

Oh I hope you get a rest today. I'm sorry to hear about your mastitis. Ouch!

I'm no expert but 3 weeks is a classic growth spurt, and you will be feeding more for a few days or so while your supply adjusts. Co sleeping is actually the best thing IMO you could do to ensure you are well rested but DD still gets to feed. You are certainly not spoiling your supply this way, you might be helping it with skin to skin

Carry on, it seems your instincts are treating you well :)

And someone who knows more will be along shortly..!

Sure more qualified folks will be along soon too but my response:

• at 3wks she still wants to be held/cuddled/close contact, give up on the Moses basket for now, maybe just use it for daytime naps so you have your hands free and she starts to get used to it

• feed her with a blanket/muslin wrapped round her so when you put her down it's not onto a cold sheet

• co-sleeping will not interfere with your supply at all, in fact will more than likely help boost supply as she is nearby and may nuzzle even in your sleep

• it may not be the deep sleep you enjoyed pre-DC but tbh that won't happen for a while, lol :) take whatever sleep you can get IMO

• the ABs should be ok to take when bf but i don't actually know that for definite, maybe worth checking with someone who does, but assuming your GP knew what they were talking about you should be ok and they shouldn't be affecting her (may give her dodgy nappies though)

• she is not 'feeding' for all those hours but she is feeding for some of them (as much as she needs) and that will build your supply, it's important to let her feed on demand right now to establish bf

• she is however seeking contact and comfort, if you felt that she'd had a full feed (ie starts with short quick sucks, moves onto longer deeper sucks, has some pauses, more deep sucks, gradually slowing down, maybe some more short sucks at the end) have you tried taking her off your breast but still cuddling her?

Good luck & you're doing brilliantly so far:)

We pop a hot waterbottle in the basket while feeding to warm it and have a jumper of mine in there to make it smell of me.

Just know she slept after her feed at 6 until 9 (in bed with us) co sleeping makes us v nervous as dh big lad and a deep sleeper.

Just wish she could feed and sleep with this 3 hour gap at night. Am probably expecting too much.

Would the a/bs affect my milk much is it why she fed constantly.

I think she is feeding constantly because of the growth spurt. Google 3week growth spurt ( sorry can't link on iPhone) and you'll find out a bit more. The ABs might affect supply but she also has to increase your supply by feeding more often. in a few days it'll pass. And she's still sorting day from night too, so that'll get better soon as well.

When my DD was 3 wks she would sleep from 3 hr periods in the day and two at night, it was frustrating. Our growth spurt lasted 3 days and I remember feeding constantly too!

Shes feeding like a loon again today am so tired.

A checklist for safe co-sleeping by Elizabeth Pantley

www.motherandchildhealth.com/Children/pantley/cosleeping.html

Your LO shouldn't sleep next to your OH anyway. We got a bed guard for when DD can roll.

Dh has been trying to get to rest in Moses basket all afternoon to no avail I have fed her off and on for what seems forever. Can you die of tiredness.

Oh dear Meg :(

What about if you go to bed with her? maybe you'll both get some rest then?

Meg :(
This will pass, it will get better, and quickly.
Are you concerned that she won't sleep in her basket and it'll make a habit? Because she really is too young to worry about that. If she sleeps better on daddy during the day, or in a sling or a pushchair, it really doesn't matter. My DD is nearly one and she changes her preferences all the time still.
Can someone -DH or a friend take her out for an hour while you snooze?
Chin up. :)