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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Baby wanting BF hourly... advice please

7 replies

Shhhh · 01/04/2011 17:07

Hi, wanting advice for a friend.. (im off out so if I dont reply straight away I will be back shorly..)

My friend has a newborn, 10 days old. She is BF only and is usually feeding 2 hourly. She has over the last few days struggled with one breast which is v sore, cracked nipples is what I think she has atm.

She has expressed from the sore breast to keep milk coming but not to have the discomfort of baby feeding from it.

Obviously I am aware babies feed often and the initial bf is painful (Im a mum of 2..) and I have suggested if she wants to that she needs to keep going as there will be light at the end of the tunnel.

She has just text me to say that her lo this morning had 6 feeds between 3am-8am.. so roughly hourly Shock.

I guessed maybe a growth spurt and I also suggested maybe she is being used as a dummy/comfort iykiwm.

What do I suggest now..? its been 4 yrs since I had a baby so I can't recall what I did in the haze !

Can anyone advise me please....

I have also suggested that maybe she could look at offering a formula feed tonight to try and give her a run of sleep... then at least if she has 4 hours or so it will give her the rest she needs atm...

OP posts:
japhrimel · 01/04/2011 17:42

Sounds like a mixture of a growth spurt and LO not yet knowing the difference between night & day.

Any formula top-ups could cause more issues as her body won't get the stimulation needed to up supply to meet the growth spurt needs. Expressing is also not as efficient as a baby feeding properly so could lead to lower supply, so the baby will need to feed more to up supply again. If she wants to express one side, she needs to be expressing at least as often - and possibly more often - than the baby would feed.

If she's getting cracked nipples, then there is a latch issue. Frequent or long feeds won't cause cracks if the latch is good. A latch issue could also effect the efficiency of feeds so the baby needs more feeds

I'd suggest she gets to a BfN clinic or sees a BFC asap.

WoTmania · 01/04/2011 20:03

I would second getting a BFC to check latch etc cracked nipples and pain are a sign that all is not right. For immediate help she could call one of the helplines (don't have them by the computer but LLL, NCT and BfN all have them)
A 'rest' with formula would probably be a double edged sword. Maybe getting DH/DP to cuddle and jiggle the baby and just bring in for feeds would be better or share some safe cosleeping info so she can snooze while nursing.
She could also look up Jack Newman for the videos showing how to recognise active swallowing.

Original poster
Shhhh · 01/04/2011 21:21

thanks everyone, im back. Thanks for the advice so far.......
I just wanted to try and help my friend as much as I can, she isn't local to me so its not like I can support her by visiting etc..Sad.

I will get back to her with the info you guys have passed on. BFN, clinic.. is that like the helpline..? are they any good..? I vaguely recall calling a helpline with dd about 6 yrs ago and tbh didn't come away feeling confident or even like my problem had been solved... are there places she can go to iykiwm..?

OP posts:
bumble34 · 01/04/2011 21:42

ask the health visitor or check out the local childrens centre for a breast feeding support group or who the local breast feeding advisor is they should be able to visit at home.

Sounds like a poor latch could be causing the problem of cracked nipples get that sorted and hopefully the rest should follow.

harverina · 01/04/2011 21:58

Agree with the others that if your friend is in pain there is likely to be issues with the latch and it may be helpful for a trained bf supporter to watch your friends baby feed. Helplines are good but the best thing your friend can do is to see someone in person.

Feeding hourly is not necessarily a sign of a problem...it is actually natural for newborns to feed frequently. It is the pain your friend is experiencing that is highlighting that there may be issues with her babys latch.

Agree with the others...offering formula could simply create more issues. It could affect your friends supply and skipping breastfeeds could leave her engorged and in even more pain.

Albrecht · 02/04/2011 10:35

You can search for local groups by postcode here Its really really worth trying to go along - moral support if nothing else.

japhrimel · 02/04/2011 15:47

The Breastfeeding Network also has groups/clinics on their website.

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