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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Newborn feeding for hours, am I doing this wrong?

21 replies

mashpot · 28/11/2011 16:59

Hello, my first ds is 5 days old. He wouldn't breastfeed when he was first born and I had to give him formula. Yesterday he started breast feeding and I had a god day and night feeding him every three or four hours for around an hour, waking him up if he fell asleep while feeding.

He woke up at around 12.30 this afternoon and has been feeding on and off since 1pm, coming up to 4 hours! I keep stopping and have tried to put him down to sleep a number of times, plus changed his nappy twice but he keeps crying and routing around and sucks when I put him back on the breast.

I don't know what to do, I feel really under confident after the bad start we got off to and I can't believe he needs to eat this much so does this mean he's just sucking and there's no milk coming through?

I have been hand expessing and know there is milk there, but maybe not enough?

I'd be so grateful for advice, I don't know what to do and was pleased yesterday when I thought I could ditch the formula.

TIA

OP posts:
belizabus · 28/11/2011 17:01

Are you sure he is latched on properly?

belizabus · 28/11/2011 17:02

I think you need to ask your HV to watch you feed him to make sure he is properly latched on, are his nappies wet? Is he pooing?

tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:04

mashpot - it is fabulous your baby is feeding like this now!

This is exactly what needs to happen after that difficult start, and he is doing a great job, working out that he needs to feed, feed, feed to get your production line started, days later than would have otherwise happened.

Babies of this age and stage also need to be close to their mothers, snuggled in skin to skin - imagine, he was inside you a few days ago, so your taste, smell, voice and warmth are all he really 'knows'. His 'hard wiring' is making him protest at being put somewhere else to sleep and settle, and his wimpering and fussing is having the right effect....ensuring you pick him up and reassure him that the world outside is a good place. Babies whose needs are met in this way become confident, happy, and less likely to be whingy when they are older.

Babies get comfort, reassurance and love at the breast, not just milk.

Snuggle down together, get someone to look after you, and enjoy getting to know your lovely, clever, new baby :)

A good book to read when you have a chance is 'Baby Moon' by Caroline Deacon.

Hope this helps!

thisisyesterday · 28/11/2011 17:05

well... i would say stick with it.
breastfed babies like to feed little and often and every 3-4 hours is not that frequent for a fully breastfed baby.
so it may be that he was just used to the 3-4 hourly feeds and carried on like that to start with but has now realised he wants MORE!

the good thing is that the more he feeds the more milk you will make. you can, and will, make enough milk for him if you stick with the demand feeding and let him up your supply naturally.

that said, I think it would be a great idea if you called one of the BF helplines or (even better) find out if there is a local NCT or LLL group near you that you could go to just to get your latch checked and to make sure he is transferring milk efficiently

tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:05

Aw, belizabus - why say that? What indication has she given that there is something wrong with his latch??? :( :(

tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:06

You, too, thisisyesterday - what could be wrong with the latch??

ShowOfHands · 28/11/2011 17:07

It is normal normal normal behaviour. He's putting in his order, telling your body how much to make. In general terms, if you ride it out, he'll settle back down again.

BUT...

This all assumes he is weeing, alert etc and getting enough milk and not fully dependent on formula. This sort of behaviour alone is not a sign of a supply problem. How are his nappies? Has somebody checked your latch? Can you tell he's transferring milk ie long pulls/swallows? How much formula have you been giving and were you bf alongside this throughout?

When the milk's just in they do feed A LOT and it's for comfort and reassurance too. They love to be close to you.

Have you seen a breastfeeding counsellor at all? I'd recommend it tbh as it's hard for us to know what's happening and while I can assure you that this is normal for a bf newborn, I can't know the ins and outs and how much formula he's had and whether he still needs it.

belizabus · 28/11/2011 17:08

Sorry I should have also said don't be put off and don't give up! Breastfeeding isn't always easy (believe me, I know!) but I think it is important that you seek advice from someone professional; your midwife or HV will be able to give you all the help you need.

belizabus · 28/11/2011 17:12

Sorry to offend Tiktok, it was truly truly not my intention, so sorry I was only trying to offer a suggestion and I really didn't mean to offend. I only asked because with DC3 she was not latched on properly and I didn't realise, and wish I had asked for help sooner.

Original poster
mashpot · 28/11/2011 17:13

Oh gosh, thanks for such quick responses. I'm not sure he is latching properly, not sure about anything! But he is sucking hard. The MW was happy with what she saw yesterday and she is back tomorrow so I will see what she thinks then. His nappies are wet and he is pooing, lots of very small amounts of poo.

tiktok I'm reassured by your comments and will let him carry on. I am just stressing about never getting off this settee again!

OP posts:
tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:13

OK, ok....yes, check it out with the midwife (who would be visiting routinely anyway) and ensure the midwife is happy with your baby's progress and health.

I actually don't think this is a case for bringing in volunteers to check the latch or getting the mother to go to a support group (just yet - the baby's 5 days old and feeding lots and lots, hurrah!). The baby's behaviour is so normal, and the baby is so new....the less intervention and inspection the better, IMO (unless there are other concerns, of course, or unless the midwife is worried).

:)

tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:18

No offence taken at all, belizabus , you obviously did not intend anything but good support and help :)

I agree with you, that too often mothers and babies are not bf as well as they might, and that this is missed - but in the case of a baby as new as this who is being seen by the midwife (and it turns out the midwife is happy) the main thing is to affirm what is happening now...which all sounded 100 per cent normal, and you agreed :)

OP - good news the midwife is happy too, and that he is weeing and pooing. On day 5 you will be looking for several (1, 2 or more) soft yellow poos (not skid marks, proper poos, but very soft and unformed), and when you get those, you know milk has started to get in the top end :)

ShowOfHands · 28/11/2011 17:19

I only asked because the op mentioned having used formula and only starting bf yesterday. Just worth checking how much formula he's got used to having and whether he's transferring milk properly as good practice. I know checking my latch every time in the early days and having a decent midwife check it meant that I didn't end up with cracked and bleeding nipples like I did first time round.

ICanTuckMyBoobsInMyPockets · 28/11/2011 17:21

I'm not a breast feeding expert, but I just want to say congratulations! Enjoy every second of him wanting to be close to you, just make sure you're eating and drinking enough and the tv remote is close by. Nothing worse than settling down for a big feed then realising the tele is stuck on some awful afternoon film!
xx

Original poster
mashpot · 28/11/2011 17:23

I was in hospital for the first couple of days after birth and every change of shift a new bf counsellor would come and give me different advice about what to do to get him to feed which has left me feeling apprehensive about seeking more advice but I do appreciate there's only so much help you ladies can give me over the Internet!

Show so I should be looking for long pulls to know he is swallowing milk, not just sucking? Thanks, that is useful.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 28/11/2011 17:26

tiktok i said that because we do not know from the OP if she is in pain, or if there are other signs that milk transferral is not good.

it would be presumptuous of us, at the end of a computer, to assume all is hunky dory and tell her to just hang on in there, even if we truly believe that's all that is needed.

it's always worth getting it checked out if you're worried, and of course it is partly for the benefit of the mother... to have someone look and watch and say "yes, it all looks ok, just carry on as you are"

thisisyesterday · 28/11/2011 17:29

and let's be honest. while there are some fantastic midwives out there, there are even more who don't know much about breastfeeding.

you've been posting here long enough to know that there are regularly people who come on and say "the midwife says he's latching fine...." but there is a problem.

plus BF groups are a great place to get support and make friends! it's as much for the mum as it is for the baby

Original poster
mashpot · 28/11/2011 17:30

Mmmm, I think the poos are more like skid marks than proper soft poo atm. Until yesterday he was having 40mls formula every 4 hours plus whatever I had hand expressed from breast through a syringe, which wasn't much as milk was just coming in.

So I just need to keep feeding to build up supply now by the sound of things. I was leaking milk yesterday which I haven't today but maybe that's just because he has fed more.

It does hurt my nipples when he is on so again I don't know if that's a sign he's not on right.

OP posts:
tiktok · 28/11/2011 17:40

Yes, I do see what you mean TIY :)

mashpot may have issues she did not post about and we should prob be cautious about assuming hunky-doryness after that tricky start. I'm with you on never making assumptions and giving mothers signposts.

mashpot - honestly, all sounds fine, but get the midwife to confirm it all. The skid marks rather than larger poos are likely to change, and if they don't, ask the midwife tomorrow. You can ask her if your soreness is just the usual tenderness that many people experience or if you need some care in latching him on without pain.

thisisyesterday · 28/11/2011 18:08

i would also like to say

congratulations on your new baby op Grin

and a big well done getting him to breastfeed despite his initial refusal :) you rock!

Original poster
mashpot · 28/11/2011 19:18

You're all great and I really appreciate your help and advice.

He's asleep now so no doubt in an hour or so I'll be fretting about why he isn't up feeding!

OP posts:
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