Breastfeeding 'milestones'

[rooks14]

My DS is a week old today :) I've been having a relativley okay introduction to breastfeeding, lack of sleep and sore nipples aside.

On the fith day I just wanted to give up! As my milk came in my boobs were so hard and swollen, DS couldn't get a proper mouthful, meaning he was sucking on my nipples which made them raw. Breastfeeding counsellor came over the next day and said that was 'classic day five' and it would get easier over the next few days which it has.

She also mentioned between day 14 and 16 baby usually has a growth spurt meaning he probably won't stop feeding then!

I wish someone would of told me about the 'day 5 syndrome', so I didn't feel like tearing my hair out. Is there any other big milestones to look out for to stop me going crazy? (No idea what, but maybe less feeding at a certain amount of months or a change in pattern you've noticed?)

I remember it as being Day 2, Day 6 and Day 21, although maybe I'm misrememebring Day 6. I, too, was really grateful to have known about those, because man the BC wasn't kidding.

After that, nothing until 4 months which was more of a general shake-up: sleep went wonkier than it already was, breastfeeding seemed difficult, 4 months was just tricky all round. Brain development stuff, I guess. So if that happens, you haven't broken the baby, I promise.

Everyone is different but in general, milk comes in around day 3-5 (can be anywhere between day 2-6), and then there is a growth spurt at weeks 3, 6 and 12 (give or take a few days either side).

Growth spurts can be exhausting particularly if you're not prepared for them, when one hits stay confident that your milk has not dried up, but that baby is just 'ordering in more' and relax and put your feet up. Get a flask and a bottle of water along with a tray of snacks and camp out on the sofa/in bed and feed, feed, feed. The more you feed the faster your supply will catch up with demand.

They continue having growth spurts all through childhood though, and sleep regressions.

The worst one IMO is 4 months as most babies have just started sleeping better when everything suddenly goes to pot (these sleep regressions do not only affect bf babies btw, ff babies also have them).

The other 'milestone' that makes many mums think that their milk has dried up (which is really, really very rare) is that at some time between 3 and 6 months supply becomes locally regulated and (it can be quite sudden) your boobs feel soft and no longer get as 'full' between feeds. Don't worry about it. The way in which your body is making the milk has just adjusted so that you are making it more immediately when baby feeds and not as much is made in advance.

Some babies become very distractable as they get older, classicly arround 7 months, and often mums think the baby is self weaning, they aren't but it can be a challenge getting them to feed during the day when there is lots of interesting stuff happening. there are things to try to help at this time though, and not all babies go through it. :)

I remember sometime in the third month, thinking something was wrong cause ds wouldn't feed. After a bit i realised he just wasn't feeding like a newborn anymore. It wasn't constant and distinct feeds appeared (as opposed to constant "on the boob, fall asleep, back on the boob") which were also much more efficient and so shorter.

Great thread idea.

Both my DDs went through a massive growth spurt at around 5 months. Many people mistake this as a sign that they need solid food but it only lasted a week or so both times. I wish there was more info for new mums on growth spurts.

Been a bit busy, what with the school hols, and course work etc. x

Sleep regressions are usually a month (or up to 6 weeks or so) before developmental leaps at roughly 19, 26, 37, 46, 55, 65 and 72 weeks after the LO's due date (not their actual birth date) - that's 4 months, 6 months, 8/9 months, 11 months, 13 months, 15 months and 17 months. They often coincide with children wanting to bf more often (day and/or night) and often lead to them being clingy, cranky & crying during the day. Sometimes they cause children to fuss and cry when feeding.

Kellymom has some info on growth spurts. It's helpful to realise that in growth spurts, the child may not seem to be feeding that much more often, but they may be fussing, crying, appear hungry but cross when you offer feeds and generally stroppy. That's perfectly normal.

Distractibility is really common at around 4 months, then again at 8-10 months.

How your LO is affected by all of this is very individual. DS's feeding and sleeping pattern changed a lot at 3 weeks and 6 weeks, but he didn't have the 12 week growth spurt that other babies I know had.