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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Newborn sucking ALL NIGHT - help please!

67 replies

WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 20/10/2012 04:53

Ds has literally sucked on me all night. It's our first night home after one night on a ward where he fed ok but slept a lot (I didn't sleep at all). I am beside myself with tiredness, my nipples are agony (his latch is ok but not perfect), he refuses to settle unless actively sucking and I am not feeling positive at all!

Any words of wisdom, please? :(

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Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 20/10/2012 11:10

Thank you again - lifesaving thread!!

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piprabbit · 20/10/2012 11:21

My main memory of my DCs first 3 months of life was sitting on the sofa (maybe in a dressing gown, maybe having got as far as T-shirt and joggers) with a pint of water, a snack, the TV remote and a baby who was either eating or sleeping.
At bedtime the whole lot would move upstairs - but the rest of the details wouldn't change much.

I have been assured by DH and my DM that this phase didn't actually last for 3 months, and that I did get out and about and achieve other things. It's just the way it felt. And I did enjoy cuddling my baby, stroking their soft, soft head and smelling their wonderful smell.

Right, I'm off to do some RL stuff before I get too broody and DH has a heart attack.

forevergreek · 20/10/2012 11:22

I think by day 5 you will notice a difference ( sorry)

Baby and you and doing exactly what needs to be done. Constant sucking will establish milk supply well, I would at maybe by the end of tomorrow even your milk may come through and he will settle a bit

A dummy isn't recommended yet as can affect milk supply but fine in a few weeks.

Try and get naps in as and when you can. Personally with a little one of this age I would wake after 2hours. 3 hours in a week or so as you want him to fill his little tinny as much as possible over the next week during the day more than at night. I would say an average feed is 20-50 mins. Moving to roughly 10 mins each side in a few weeks once supply established and he is settled into life

OctoberOctober · 20/10/2012 17:53

CrazyHorse - I'm in exactly the same position as you and was just about to post something similar so thank you to all those who have posted, it has been great to read!

We had first night at home last night and I was shocked at how much DS wanted to feed ie all the time, and the state of my nipples by this morning. All the MW in hospital reckoned he was latched on ok but I'm finding BF incredibly painful so far - not sure if this is normal or just that I had no expectation that it would be painful, at least to begin with.

Caved in at 7am and have him some formula and he gulped down 40mls which immediately led me to think that I had been starving him before, but don't think that was necessarily the case, milk consumption is v different to colustrum.

Thought I'd ruined everything when I couldn't then get him to latch this morning but seems not thankfully and the MW who came out today was v reassuring. She also mentioned that although he didn't look tongue tied exactly, he did seem to have a 'short' tongue in that it didn't really poke out of his mouth so that might cause difficulties. Not sure what to make of that. Confused

Going to see BF specialist at hospital on Tues to check out how we're doing, at least feel better having a date in diary to get support - can you go somewhere similar?

Best of luck with it, it really helps me knowing that other people are going through something similar, can feel like you're the only person in the world feeling like this othewsie which is of course ridiculous!

Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 20/10/2012 19:27

Hi October! The advice on here's so helpful isn't it, glad you've found it. I had a major wobble today, lovely midwife came out and pointed out my latch is completely wrong so that won't have helped!! Was fairly despondent but am trying to rally. DS is looking increasingly yellow so I'm thinking I'm now going to have a very sleepy baby to add into the mix but will see how tonight goes regardless. Just off to have some lasagne for strength(!) but will no doubt be back to this thread later, good luck to you!!

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Iggly · 20/10/2012 19:30

My dd sucked constantly and never seemed happy. Turns out she had tongue tie.

Ds, my first, was happy feeding every few hours so I knew something was up.

Iggly · 20/10/2012 19:33

October get him checked for tongue tie. Alarm bells would ring of the MW said that (this is with the benefit of hindsight).

I was fobbed off so many times including by BF counsellors. In the end I had to get a lactation consultant in (they're trained more on the practical side of BF) who diagnosed an 80% restricted tongue :(

SarryB · 20/10/2012 19:37

Hope you're doing ok.

Just like to add, I introduced a dummy after about a week. Still BF six months later, and he still uses the dummy all time. The dummy saved our lives. We'd sit with our fingers in his mouth for up to 30 minutes at a time. I figured a dummy was better then fingers as they can be sterilised!
Also, he would push the dummy out if he was actually hungry.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 20/10/2012 20:22

How are you both getting on now whoah and october?

Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 21/10/2012 08:13

Well a mixed night - ds fed non stop from 10-12, I was absolutely knackered so lay down with him on my chest then and he slept for a couple of hours. Tried to feed him at 2ish, and he was really really fussy and wouldn't latch on at all which was new as since the midwife had corrected our technique earlier in the day he'd been feeding beautifully. So persevered, he had loads of trapped wind so brought that up and fed a bit, but also then puked what seemed like a lot, wouldn't feed any more then went to sleep at about 3.45. And now I'm pretty concerned as he's still really sleepy. I've been trying to wake him to offer feeds from 6 onwards but he will literally take about 10 swallows then go back to sleep, and he's brought up more yellowy sicky stuff too. Feels as though he hasn't fed enough at all.

If anyone has any more advice on this new chapter I'd be very grateful!!

October I hope you had a successful night?

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nameuschangeus · 21/10/2012 08:17

As far as I remember this is a normal way of your baby getting your milk supply to kick in. It is tiring and a bit sore at first but if you can hang in there it is the loveliest thing once you get it right.

Be nice to yourself, drink plenty, and let anyone who offers help help you. Don't forget your body has had a major upheaval . And congratulations!Smile

Wormshuffler · 21/10/2012 08:25

It does get easier after the first 6 days I found. It is the milk supply being stimulated. I wouldn't introduce the dummy til a couple of weeks in though as it does delay feeds by up to10 minutes a day which could amount to a whole feed in a 24 hour period.

JiltedJohnsJulie · 21/10/2012 08:26

Try to relax a little, he's fed from ten to 12, he's fed again before going to sleep at 3.45 and it sounds like he has had small feeds. Grab a shower and some breakfast and I'm sure he will be asking for feeds again soon.

Don't know about the yellowy sick though? Is it just sick? If you are concerned about it, I'd give the MWs a call this morning.

Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 21/10/2012 08:35

Thanks JJJ, it's the sick that's concerning me too, we're due a mw visit today so have texted to see if they can make it earlier rather than later.

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JiltedJohnsJulie · 21/10/2012 08:38

Oh good. Hope they sort it out for you.

SarryB · 21/10/2012 08:44

My new nephew was throwing up yellow sticky stuff too - some sort of mucous that he'd swallowed I think. Hopefully it won't be anything for you to worry about!

Grab a shower while you can. And although people say 'nap when baby naps' it's not always that easy. If you can't sleep, just grab a cuppa and a bit of cake, sit on the couch and stare out of the window. Sit outside if you can!

SoftSheen · 21/10/2012 08:47

Congratulations on your new baby!

My DD fed continuously on the third night (we were still in hospital then) and I felt desperate! However the next day my milk came in and things got a lot better- though the first few weeks are usually pretty demanding. Hopefully your milk will be in soon!

This is obviously anecdotal, but in the early days I often found that my DD would feed on/off for a 3-4 hour stretch (so about 3 45 min 'feeds' in that time) and then sleep for 2-3 hours. We had no problem getting 12+ feeds into 24 hours. So providing your DD has just had a really good feeding session, I wouldn't worry too much if she sleeps for the odd 3 hour stretch- just enjoy it and make sure you use the time to eat/sleep/shower yourself! Or like I did, do none of the above and just stand over your new baby gazing in wonderment

sayanything · 21/10/2012 09:08

OP DS fed non-stop for the first 5 days, round the clock, he seemed permanently latched on to my breast. Then my milk came in and I have the opposite problem!

With apologies for crashing the thread, could I please take advantage of your collective wisdom? DS is 6 wks old, he feeds at least every 2 hours but he doesn't stay on the breast for more than 5 minutes. Has anyone else had this? It's impossible to make him feed for longer, I've tried everything and a lot of the time he brings up milk too. I'm desperate to get him to sleep a bit longer, but I suppose that such short feeds mean that he's not getting enough to last him a while longer. Any advice? Thanks a million.

OctoberOctober · 21/10/2012 10:04

DS here was also having yellowy sick in the night, I assume from having too much colustrum from mammoth feeding sessions? It looked a bit different to the mucous sick he had early on in hospital, thinner.

Gotta go, will post more later, thanks for support.

Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 21/10/2012 11:16

Wowsers, yellow sick all round then. October when was your Ds born?

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PollyIndia · 21/10/2012 11:32

My baby is 10 days old and the first 5 days were really tough. It still is, but one night I fed him for 7 hours.. I guess the tiny bits of colostrum might be nutritionally brilliant but they aren't very satisfying, it has been better since the milk came in. Though he had a growth spurt I think last few days so feeding as been quite relentless again, plus my nipples are really blistered.

It really isn't easy breastfeeding! Anyway, I read this thread with interest. Hopefully whoahthere and Octoberoctober, your milk will come in soon. It is much easier to satisfy them with the milk. They collapse with a drunk look on their faces. Though this growth spurt thing is a bit relentless.

I might try a dummy as last night he fed from 2-5 and I am sure he was just comfort sucking, though the la leche league lady said I should let him comfort suck. My poor nipples! She also said I should wake him and feed him every 2 hours. Mw said 3. Any ideas which is right? Sorry for mini hijack!

Softlysoftly · 21/10/2012 11:34

Whoah was he born early or fairly fast? DD2 was a quick birth on the pavement bloody hypnobirthing and coughed/sicked up gooey yellow. MW said as she was born fast she won't have cleared all her mucus during the labour so it was that clearing through.

Assume that was accurate as she stopped about day 3.

She also fed constantly for about 6 weeks, day and night. Just settle in and go with it!

Softlysoftly · 21/10/2012 11:35

Polly I think three is fine normally however if there are supy issues or jaundice then every 2 hours helps.

Softlysoftly · 21/10/2012 11:36

caveat I'm not a professional you bed Tiktok et al

Original poster
WhoahThereCrazyHorse · 21/10/2012 11:51

Softly pretty quick here too - bit of hypnobirthing then just made it to hospital and he shot out 40 mins later!!! Thanks for sharing the info, reassuring to know. Still struggling to get him to wake up at all now so will just have to see how we go, midwife coming at 1 thank goodness

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