Supply issues? Or just need a kick up the butt

[flyingcloud]

DD is ebf and 3.5 weeks old, I know early days and all that.

She is fed on demand and has been since day 1. She was very sleepy to begin with and took about 10 days to really wake up. She has put on weight (at 12 days she had passed her birth weight, not been weighed since). Output is good, lots of wet and dirty nappies (although very green at night and yellow during the day).

She is my second so I am aware of how time consuming this all is, but still struggling. She feeds constantly during the day. I often can't do anything else. I am struggling to take care of DD1 (have had lots of help up til now). She starts a feed around 1pm and generally wont get off the breast unless I put her in the sling/pushchair. She'll fall asleep for five minute cat naps and as these feeds wear on (can last for four or five hours) will get frustrated and start pulling at my nipples (ouch!).

Four hours is about my limit and that's when we go out, but it doesn't always work and she may sleep for 20 mins before howling again. Sometimes she'll sleep for 1.5 hours (only in pushchair if it's in motion)

She makes a clicking sound, but other than pulling on the nipple when let down really slows down, there is no pain at all. The clicking coincides with let down and isn't there all the time. I am fairly sure she doesn't have a tongue tie (but no-one has checked)

She is good at night - 3 hours between feeds, feeds quickly and settles well. But why are daytimes so hard? I am trying everything: switch nursing, giving in and letting her feed for four hours at a time, breast compressions, etc. She doesn't settle at all during the day from about 1pm to 8.30pm (unless in the pushchair, as above)

I know most of this is normal, but please tell me it's going to get better! I think I am stressing as MIL is coming to stay and she is a firm believer that 'some women just don't have enough milk to breastfeed successfully' and I need some confidence before I am faced with this.

You are making enough milk if she is growing and her output is good. Simple as that.

However. While the amount of time that she is spending feeding is well within normal limits, it might be that she is not transferring milk as effectively as she might. It might be that seeing someone qualified and trained (I say that as too many untrained people feel they can give advice on position and attachment...) may give you some ideas of how to tweak things to improve how she's latching on to make her feedings more efficient.

What makes you think she doesn't have a tongue tie?

At 3 1/2 weeks old this kind of behaviour is usually not only normal but desirable as she'll be really setting up your milk supply. But - and it's a BIG but - it can from time to time be actually linked to her not effectively milking the breast. It's impossible to tell this from a forum and it is important that if this is the case it's dealt with, as it can lead to supply problems in the future - not to mention that if it is an attachment problem improving it will make life sooo much easier for you.

If all is checked and deemed to be ok then the chances are that once you get through the 6 week growth spurt, which isn't too far away, things will really start to settle down.

Good luck with the MIL. That's hard to deal with :(

Thanks for your reply.

I need to find someone qualifed to and trained, not sure where though (am abroad).

Depending on what country you could try the LLL www.llli.org/ they are international and have groups in many country's.

Thanks, spoke to a lady from LLL tonight, she was lovely but not a whole lot of help.

I am wondering if DD is colicky, she was really unsettled again today.

This evening 3hrs into cluster feed and pulling at my nipples, I gave her a bottle of EBM which she wolfed down (except for the last 5ml) before demanding a final comfort feed on the breast. She has been asleep since...

Feel like I am doing this all wrong and I so want it to be a success :( just wish it wasn't so hard.

Have you tried a sling at all, this can really help some baby's settal.

A good place to have a look at video's which show a good latch it JackNewman website www.breastfeedinginc.ca/content.php?pagename=videos and the best beginings website to www.bestbeginnings.org.uk/watch-fbtb

This mite give you an idea as to wearther the latch is an issue or if she's just being colicy.

Thanks again!

I had her weighed today and she has put on 460grams in 15 days, so I think is doing ok and I just need to chill about a little bit! Equally, when the tiredness is at its worst, I tend to stress a lot. I still wish it was a bit easier and I didn't feel like I was struggling so much.

:( :(

Sounds to me that you are expecting a lot of your baby and a lot of yourself :(

Your baby is very young, and had a difficult start, taking 10 days to perk up. Despite that she is doing very well and thriving and is sleeping well and feeding well at night. All that is great :)

In the day how about going with the flow? If she needs you to be close and to have the breast on offer a lot, accept that, and change what you do to accommodate it. It is a whole lot easier to change what you (the grown up) is doing than to change the need of a tiny baby. This might mean using a sling or baby carrier to leave your arms free; it might mean not putting her down to sleep only to have to pick her up again when she cries for you; it might mean stopping all the fussy stuff with breast compressions and switch nursing - they are for people who have problems making enough milk and you happily do not :).

If you just adapt to her needs you will find them easier to cope with. Your MIL can be assured you have plenty of milk for your baby to grow.

Thanks tiktok for the encouragement, which I need. I am feeling better today, but I think I get overwhelmed with tiredness at times.

I stopped at 5 wks with DD1 (went back to work early) and felt so much guilt and disappointment, so that successfully bf DD2 has become an obsession, but I also thought it would be easier second time round.

Thanks for your help and advice.