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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

BF in the middle of the night thread...how to stay awake!

999 replies

MummyPigandDaddyPig · 16/06/2012 01:59

( distributes tea biscuits and nursing pillows allround....)

How do yo stay awake at night feeding??? Am struGgling to stay awake and have a sore thumb from playing solitaire on the iphone...alternates with reading muMsnet, daily mail and facebook....

What else is easy reading websites, games apps that dont require any brainpower that I cana entertain myself with? Any tips how to stay awake? Am seriously tired here!

Have cosleept with my dc's from approx 8-10 weeks, which makes night feeds easier, but I have weeks to go until then and wont dare to bedshare yet as older dc's still turn up in qour bed at night....

OP posts:
Susieloo · 12/09/2012 18:39

Yep!! I had a few of thoseGrin it's exhausting and I felt like I was going a bit demented some times, lo is building up your milk supply ready for a growth spurt I would think, that's the advice I always got when I posted in the b and b thread. It does sort itself out. You could always ring a midwife or hv if you want some more expert advice or call one of the la leche advisors, I called them a couple of times in the early days. You can google for the helpline number.

frillylemons · 13/09/2012 00:51

Milk is coming in and DD has been feeding almost constantly since 10pm. Do I just keep offering her the same breast between burps to ensure she empties it?

BabylonPI · 13/09/2012 00:56

She'll never empty it sweetie Wink

I offer alternate boobs between burps to make sure that I don't end up engorged on one side - but yes this is all normal for building your supply up and will settle in a day or two. Smile

frillylemons · 13/09/2012 01:00

Thanks. Also, I don't really know what to do with her between feeds! Do I risk putting her in her Moses basket or do I let her sleep on me? The time between feeds is so short and I worry she'll wake if I put her straight down!!

Susieloo · 13/09/2012 01:50

I used to wait until I thought babyloo had gone into a deep sleep and then put him down so I could have a bit of rest.

Susieloo · 13/09/2012 02:16

Horrible vaccination daySad babyloo seemed fine when we got home, had a nap for an hour and then woke up and screamed and screamed, I have never heard him sound like that it was awful, we gave him some calpol and he fell asleep then woke up and screamed again, he went to sleep at nine but was up at twelve and we are just going back down now, think he will be up again soonSad

frillylemons · 13/09/2012 02:21

That's horrid Susieloo Sad

Susieloo · 13/09/2012 03:12

And we're up again, horrible nappy too, poor little babylooSad

frillylemons · 13/09/2012 03:22

I'm worried that I can't do this. Been up feeding constantly since 11pm and I really don't think I can do this. My milk is coming in and when I try and put her down she wakes up and wants more Sad I'm feeling really low Sad

Susieloo · 13/09/2012 03:50

You're doing amazingly well and I do know how you feel, it can be totally exhausting at times, can you speak to a hv or midwife if you are still under a midwife and ask for some advice tomorrow, it can be really hard going

Lush17 · 13/09/2012 04:11

Hope you don't mind me joining in on this thread. My daughter was feeding on and off from 1.00 yesterday afternoon until she fell asleep at 8.30 last night, one good thing is this is her first feed during the night, but I would rather her wake for her usual 2.00pm feed than cluster feed the whole day. Let's see what today brings!!

Hi Susieloo, after discussing bottles with you before I see you have had some success, we are still trying, but she still preferring mummy. I just think on long cluster days and if am somewhere that I can't breastfeed a bottle would be handy. I feel a bit restricted on where I go during the day!! Hope your little one is ok after there injections.

MiniPopsMum2012 · 13/09/2012 04:28

frilly sending you lots of sparkly breastfeeding dust to help you through your mammoth feeding sessions. I cannot imagine how tough it must be, do you have DH supporting you? (or at least bringing you chocolate /drinks?)

poor babyloo :( Minipop was the same after his first jabs - just slept then woke screaming inconsolable :( hopefully all will be better tomorrow.

I think Minipop knows mummy is going out tomorrow night for the first time in 5 months, as he's been a little monkey & waking every two hours :( and not feeding properly.

Just managed to get a proper amount of milk into him, so fingers crossed for a 4 hour stint (please :))

MiniPopsMum2012 · 13/09/2012 04:30

Ps :is anyone else cold? I have got my fleecy dressing gown on as I was cold, my warm bed is really calling me but gotta keep DMP upright after feeding for 30 mins to... Brrrrrrrrr....! (and it's not even winter yet)

missingmymarbles · 13/09/2012 04:31

Up again Sad!
Didn't settle til 10, fed 1.30 and now. What's happened to my 5+ and lengthening hours?? (Enjoying having sleepy baby in my tummy though Wink

missingmymarbles · 13/09/2012 04:54

Awww Susie! Poor Babyloo, it is only for a day or two though, then it settles down again. I downloaded the wonder weeks app - its good. Isn't it? Smile

Yes Mini! I am freezing too! I put Missmarbles in a thicker sleeping bag tonight as well.

Hello LushSmile

Frilly, you're doing really well. You're about day three or four now aren't you? This is a really hard day. Your milk comes in and your hormones are haywire so you feel rubbish. But it is normal. Take to your bed with baby or do whatever you have to do to rest up. It feels like you're feeding constantly without a break and your boobs are agony but it does settle down. Honestly, it does. It's just really hard at the beginning. Accept whatever help is offered for meals, cups of tea, snacks etc. to keep your energy up and do you can rest and only think about feeding. It feels like it last forever, but a few days from now will be easier than today, and another week on from that will be easier again. Set small goals and time lines and take one day or even one feed at a time. Stay on the thread for support but try and utilise rl support as well and speak to your hv/mw and the breast feeding helplines if you need to - that's what they're there for. Really, you are doing greatSmile

missingmymarbles · 13/09/2012 04:57

Sleepy baby ON my tummy not in!!!!!

Lush17 · 13/09/2012 05:03

Hello missingmymarbles I hope your little one has settled for a while for you.

MiniPopsMum2012 there is a sure nip in the air this morning, is that our summer over with Sad

Well little one is fast off so am going to see if she will lay back in her cot without waking and see if I can squeeze another hour or so in bed!!! Grin

frillylemons · 13/09/2012 12:49

Thank you SO much for encouraging me last night. I would've responded but I was just too tired. I really appreciated all your encouragement, it made a big difference. I apologise in advance if I post another HELP ME I CAN'T DO THIS post tonight Blush

Susieloo · 13/09/2012 20:09

Hello lush, totally agree re bottles on cluster feeding days and being able to have a bit more freedom now and then, I'm starting to feel like I would like to be able to leave him for a couple of hours.

It has gone cold minipop, I'm spending loads of time hovering over babyloo's cot with an extra blanket debating whether to put it on him, I've settled for a cellular blanket and a muslin doubled over. Yay for you going out, I'm getting excited already about a night at my friends in December!! Still not sure what to do about going to see George Michael in October, it means being away for about ten hours and I'm not sure I can do it yet.

I like the wonder weeks app marbles it's useful to be able to have a reason for the crying for no reason phase!! I'm also wondering where my five plus hours have gone.

Good luck tonight frilly and post away, it is really hard going at times. I've posted loads of times when the going has got really rough.

waves to everyone

Babyloo finally went to sleep properly at eight until eleven and then was awake and grumpy all day, finally went back to sleep between three and five and has been feeding well ever since but he's still fairly miserable. He's over tired which is always a joy. The hv who I called today agreed I can give him one more dose of calpol tonight, I tried to give him a second dose at about three this morning and managed to miss half his mouth with the syringe and then just squirted it all over his face!!! He wasn't happy and because I didn't know how much he had got in his mouth I didn't dare give him any more. I'm only going to use it if we have a repeat of last night.

Really hoping he settles well tonight but I'm not hopeful!!

Lush17 · 13/09/2012 22:10

We have had a long day as well, I have been thinking and am wondering if she's sleeping to much in a morning after she has also slept most of that night as well, so by the afternoon she is getting crabby and fussing with her feeds so it feels like am feeding all afternoon!! Bless her she fell asleep at half 7, so am wondering what time am going to be up later.

Hope you all have a good night. xx

missingmymarbles · 13/09/2012 22:49

We have had cluster feed frenzy tonight. More than normal. Normally in the crib by 9.30 is still in my arms. Not for the want of trying either, but she's waking as soon as I put her down, needing boob to settle and then sleeping in my arms. So hoping that this much feeding means at least 8 hours HmmGrin I know that is ridiculous.

Susie that wonder weeks thing is interesting as it says at this age they might feed all day without actually taking anything. I have certainly found Missmarbles clustering more intense over the last couple of days. That combined with the fact I think she has my cold an I'd probably feeling very sorry for herselfSad

Lush17 · 14/09/2012 01:23

Well this is the first feed of the night so she has gone from 7.30 - 1.15, trying different things today like looking at latching on, we have problems with the right breast!! When they advise you to wake the baby if they fall asleep on the first boob to offer them the 2nd boob, does this apply at night as well? It is one thing I havnt been doing even during the day as I think if she's a sleep to leave her but we going to give it ago today Grin

BabylonPI · 14/09/2012 01:35

Tonight is my last night home alone withe DCs. We've done well all week, been at school on time etc and I'm quite proud Grin

Baby Babylon is up having his 2nd feed since 7pm Hmm
I think I can safely assume a growth spurt!

I had him weighed on Tuesday! He is 20 weeks tomorrow and now weighs 18lb14oz Grin

The HV was really pleased I am still breast feeding him too - but I'm now worried it's only 6 weeks til I start weaning him Sad

I'm going to miss the precious feeding time with him as we've always been really chilled out and cuddly while feeding.

Lush17 · 14/09/2012 03:15

Not sure if that was a good start to a new day or not Sad I started feeding at 1.15 by 1.45 she had fallen asleep and let go of the right breast, I picked her up and she woke up I made sure she didn't have any wind and then offered her the left breast. After about 5 mins feeding she kept pulling off, tried a few times to put her back on, offered the right breast, winded her, nothing she just laid chewing her fist and staring at the dimmed light, when she became fidgety I offered her the left breast again without look, until now she just fed for about 5 mins and has fallen asleep!!! Am just hoping when I put her back into the cot she doesn't wake up and that she has had a good feed!!

Hope the rest of you have a good night!!

missingmymarbles · 14/09/2012 03:19

Well feeding for the first time tonight. She didn't really wake but I could hear her rooting. 11 til 3. Hope this means we are getting back to longer stints at night again; either back to an earlier bedtime and feed at 3 or later bedtime and getting further through the night. I guess we'll see what happens tomorrow night, but at least I have reason to hope again instead of the return to 3 hourly we had last nightHmmGrin