This is normal/okay for a 1-2 day old, isn't it?

[AngelDog]

DS2 was born at 9.30pm on Sunday so is 1.5 days old but I'm feeling a bit twitchy about the gaps between some of his feeds.

Last night he slept for 3 hours, then every 15-30 mins over the next 4.5 hours. He slept for about 3 hours again.

I'm offering a feed every time he wakes, any time he gets his hands in his mouth, gets restless or fussy. He is in the sling or being held for most of the time during the day (mainly by me, but a bit by DH).

Feeds aren't long but are getting longer - originally about 5-10 mins, but now probably 10-20 mins. His latch was uncomfortable for the first 12 hours but since working on positioning following advice from someone at the hospital. I can hear him swallowing when he feeds.

I didn't change his nappy overnight and it had lots of wee in this morning. He had one meconium nappy yesterday morning, but no bowel movements since.

I take it that it's okay for him to go 3 hours between some feeds when the interval between others is much shorter? In the day he's not been going more than about 2 hours between feeds, sometimes less.

What's the midwife say, Angel?

Only thing that sounds unusual in your post is no mec. for 24 hours + - that's a long time.

YY - better to see more meconium now. Did he pass some of his meconium before birth? Or lots and lots in his first 12 hours?

How are your nipples feeling now? Are feeds entirely comfortable?

If you want him to feed more (which it sounds like you do? I'm not sure he needs to feed more - but feeding more certainly won't do him any harm!) then holding him is great, and skin to skin is even better - so have him in just a nappy, on your chest, with a dressing gown or whatever around you both ...

Yes, 3 hours between feeds at a time is fine, even for a newborn. Especially if it means you can get some rest then.

If the nappies are wet, I wouldn't worry too much about the lack of poo for a day, all babies are different. Are you seeing a midwife soon for a check and a chat anyway?

PS congratulations

Nothing you have said about the feeding has concerned me, however I do agree with Angel that the lack of meconium is a little strange. Is the MW out today? Have a chat to her about it

I thought it was up to 48hrs for meconium to appear- that's what it said in hosp literature for ds3 who us 6wks now. If he's had some in first day, along with wet nappies I can't see any cause for concern here.

I would, however, try to go no longer than 2hrs between feeds in these early days, the colostrum acts as a laxative to get things going. The more you feed the quicker your milk will come in & the better your supply

Congratulations.

Mobly - I think the 3 hour stretch was just once overnight, in the day the OP has said it is 2 hours or much more frequent. Don't go getting her setting an alarm clock for every 2 hours in the night, she'll go mental!

Mobly, you must have misremembered the hospital leaflet - 48 hours for mec. to appear? I hope not....

The fact the baby has passed mec. is good and shows that there is no horrible lower intestinal blockage, and that everything is functioning ok :)

But babies should be passing mec. once or twice at least in the first couple of days - once and then nothing is at the far end of the spectrum, and while a long gap is not a problem in itself, it does indicate things should be investigated to make sure the baby is transferring colostrum and not just 'hanging out' at the breast with nothing much happening.

Thanks, everyone. He must have known I was posting as he just did a big meconium poo. :) Yesterday's was quite a big one too.

The midwife is coming at some point today.

His sucking is definitely getting faster and he is mostly enthusiastic about starting feeds / having the second side, whereas yesterday he took a bit of persuading to get going. The latch feels good now (my 2.9 y.o. also feeds so I know what it should feel like).

There you go then....hurrah for the poo arrival :)

I bet your midwife says all is well!

Glad all ok angeldog.

Tiktok, it didn't say 48hrs for it to appear, it said anything up to 48hrs, meaning after that it was a cause for concern.

I remember well because ds3 (6wks) didn't do his first poo until late the second day & I queried it and checked the literature. Ds1 & 2 both pood while still in the hosp.

Funnily enough ds3 lost a few oz of his birth weight whereas ds1 & 2 didn't lose any. Ds3 was 2 weeks early & Tongue tied so his latch was tricky to get right at first & he was sleepy do easily explained. (should add he gained 15oz at next weigh in 7 days later due to my 2hrly waking him to feed).

Yes, all well according to the MW, and several more poos since. :)

Glad things are going smoothly and wanted to say a big congrats!!

Fill us in with all the details when things have settled down a bit.

Yes, all good. My milk's coming in now, and his poo is changing accordingly. He managed to squirt it all over my leg this morning.

He's obviously a faster and more frequent feeder than DS1 was, though DS1 fed pretty infrequently until he was past the newborn stage.

Eau, it was a bit eventful, but a postive experience overall. My waters went whilst doing the garden; contractions started 4 hours later. Midwives arrived, DS1 went into meltdown which DH had to deal with. Just before DS1 went to sleep the MW examined me and I was 7cm and started having HUGE contractions. Thankfully DH was able to join me at that point, and DS2 arrived all in a rush. It was only 2.5 hours from start of cx to delivery.

Unfortunately I bled a lot at once (I was on all fours and managed to spray the walls and the sloping ceiling ). The MWs couldn't work out what was causing the bleeding, or really stop it, so I had to be blue-lighted to hospital. It turned out to be only a small tear, but near an artery, so it was quickly stitched.

DH and baby had to follow by another ambulance which unfortunately was rather slow to arrive so we were separated for most of the first couple of hours, which was a shame. They kept me in overnight to make sure my blood tests were okay (they were fine) and we came home the next afternoon. The benefit of being in hospital was that I then had lots of time to give DS2 skin-to-skin without DS1 being around.

DS1 managed to sleep through the whole thing which was great. Thankfully my parents were able to be here, and my lovely mum had cleaned up all the mess and done a couple of lots of washing by the time we came home. :)

DS1 is absolutely besotted with DS2, gives him kisses and cuddles and gets upset whenever DS2 is in the sling because then he can't see him properly. I'd expected him to get upset about sharing the milk, but he keeps insisting that I wake DS2 to give him milk, and this morning voluntarily stopped feeding, "because DS2 is starting to cry so you need to give him some milk instead." :)

We have had lots of tantrums & food refusal from DS1, which had started a couple of days ago, and the first night I was home, he was awake for 4 hours at once in the night as well as DS2. Me co-sleeping with both is clearly not going to work yet as having enough light to feed DS2 wakes DS1 who then gets very excited.

DS slept in the spare room with DH last night and it was much better (though he was still up & wailing at points) so hopefully things with DS1 will calm down a bit more from today.

I had forgotten how gorgeous newborn babies are. I'd do it all over again tomrrow (well, almost).

Crikey! Sorry it didn't go as smoothly as it good have done but obviously am glad you are OK! Your DS1 sounds like a sweetie :) I'm sure things will settle down and you'll figure out sleeping arrangements that work for you . Congrats again!