Getting thru the first few wks of breast feeding a hungry baby!?

[twogirls1more]

This is my 4th baby and have been here before 3 times! I seem to have v hungry babys and DS4 is no exception! He is now 5 days old and currently the only way we can get him to settle is by giving a top up of formula. :(
He has been grazing the last two days almost 24/7. For eg, yesterday I fed almost constantly for 7-8hrs during the day and today similar. Tonight he fed from 5pm-8.30pm (typically in spells of constantly latched and sucking well for around 10-15mins on each breast, rest and doze for a few mins then suck a bit more etc..and just graze on and off for hours!!) At 8.30, as he still wouldn't settle, we gave him bottle and he automatically necked 3oz's!!?
Have taken to giving him two top up bottles in 24hrs, (one at about 9pm then another when he wakes about 3hrs'ish later,) just to get some sleep and give my nipples a break! Would love to make this work but it won't when DH goes back to work if it doesn't get easier, particularly as I have a v active toddler to deal with too. Anyone any tips?!

Hello and congratulations!!
I too have a toddler to entertain! My ds is now 21 weeks and this is my first time to establish bf! I have 3 older kids( under7). As an experienced bfer, you will know that this phase will pass, but my tips for u are to set yourself up for the day from early on. That is food, drinks, snacks for you and toddler, all to hand. Have games, blocks, toys all in the room. Limit kids tv to those times where your toddler won't sit and you need to sit them down for 1/2 hr. I also found that reading a book to my toddler, babe in arms, helped her feel involved and special while i bf. It can be done! Forget the housework etc. Also try to phase out the formula- just adds to the hassle and won't help to up your supply (which is what your baby is trying to do). I'm not an expert by any means, but I'm sure one will come along with brilliant advice, but they are my tips. Oh, and dont start potty training ( I did!!) as it added to the stress. Please try to enjoy your little one, as time goes by so fast!

Great advice! I never managed it but some peoPle swear by feeding in a sling? Even if you can't feed in it just carrying them might give you a break? Dd1 seemed to settle between marathon feeds in hers. Evn get dh to use the sling if he's about?

Ive never used a sling but some people swear by them! Maybe someone will advise, or you could start another thread for advice on that?

be aware that your breats need stimulating more in the evening night, so in oreder to establish breast feeding you need to feed at these times.

yes it IS ehausting, and i dont know how people manage with a toddler as well (i have a 10 week old hungry breast feeder) but his sucking is telling your breasts to make more milk, and you need to let his sucking tell your breasts this so they learn to make enough

Are you soure? It may help if you have some one look at your latch. Yes tinny baby's do feed very frequently but if the latch isn't really good then this can make them feed more often. Seek help from you midwife and or local BF group or even give one of the helplines a call.

Thanks all for your kind advice and taking the time to reply :) Will think about what you've said.

Oooof, it's hard itsn't it. Small babies tend to need to nurse lots (and lots and lots and lots) so your babies proabbly haven't been 'hungry' but normal :).
Our society seem to expect babies to go for quite large gaps between feeds which they aren't designed to do and unfortunately the formula top ups will be impacting on your supply as your body is not learning how much milk to produce.
As far as settling between feeds/after a feed goes some babies just need lots of contact with a big person even if not hungry so maybe a sling would help (dad can then carry baby while you get a rest).
How do you feel about cosleeping? Many mothers find it really useful in the first few weeks/months just to get a bit of extra sleep.

I did reply to your other thread too. I stopped BF my first two DS's as they were big babies (second son 10lb born at 38 weeks) and fed constantly. I put it down to them being big and hungry and midwife agreed with me. However, now I know that is just how BF babies feed at first, it's designed to set up your milk supply and get it established, plus, breastmilk is easy to digest and we only feel babies should go longer because as a society we are so used to FF.

It gets better, for me it got a lot better after the first 4 weeks, for some people it's a bit longer, but the feeds get less and then one day you'll feel like there are huge gaps in between feeds.

I know you said on your other thread cosleeping wasn't for you for a variety of reasons. I ended up partilly cosleeping with DS1 and DS2 and have mostly coslept with DD1 (my baby now) She has just gone into her cot, which is next to our bed, at 5 months old and you'd think she'd slept in there every night since she was born, we've had no problem at all. I preferred cosleeping and got much, much more sleep that way, but DD has started rolling onto her front persistently to sleep and moving around the bed a lot and I just wasn't comfortable with it. 'Proper' cosleeping is actually very safe and FSIDS and UNICEF jointly publish a leaflet on safe cosleeping for BF mothers.

How do you know if you have a hungry baby as opposed to a baby with a normal appetite?