Newborn sucking ALL NIGHT - help please!

[WhoahThereCrazyHorse]

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? :(

Brilliant isn't it hypnobirthing!

Is he just sleepy or actually difficult to wake/floppy? Def get mw to check anyway as floppy not feeding could indicate an illness even though the mucus is normal.

Just sleepy - has just woken up and fed - but for all of 3 mins and a total of 22 swallows now back asleep...

Wouldn't worry then probably tired himself out ready for another nights feeding marathon. They quite frequently get day and night mixed up in the beginning. then decide to ignore the difference

Ds did this for the first night home too. He's just trying to get your supply up. It won't last. When your milk comes in he will calm down. Agree with advice re contacting NCT etc for advice. I found that bfing lying down meant I could get some sleep yet ds could feed too. Good luck, and congrats :)

Whoah - DS born on Thursday morning 4am, can't believe I'm saying this now but birth feels like the easy bit now in comparison to BF!

Polly - thank you for acknowledging that BF is bloody hard work - Icertainly feel that way and feel incredibly underprepared. I really do want to persevere but can't help feeling such a failure at times

October you're not alone, this is my second and I'm not finding it any easier this time around. The only saving grace so far is the advice of my genius midwife who took one look and changed my whole latch and bf technique - so my top tip is to make sure you seek expert help, even if you don't think you need it. That said I do find the whole thing really, really hard and am not completely sure I'll go the distance without resorting to formula. Hope you have a good night.

Oh and ps the mw confirmed that last night's yellow sick will most likely have been mucous, and wasn't concerned at all. Unfortunately as I thought though ds has gone very yellow so I'm now dealing with extreme sleepiness - would really welcome any tips on rousing a baby that's fallen asleep at the boob!

Whoah yey I got a question right, mucus could be my mastermind special subject .

As for waking sleepy baby I found foot tickling, nappy changing, squeezing/jiggling breast, laying baby on bed with no swaddle all work and if they fail cold flannel to back of neck, sshhhh I neverr suggested anything so cruel!!

After my first night on the ward I told my husband not to come in without a dummy. No nipple confusion with either of mine.

Woah - try cool water soaked cotton wool pads on feet. Important to keep getting milk into them to alleviate jaundice and avoid photo therapy (breast is fine, colostrum etc) - strip naked. Feed in a cold room.

Cluster feeding marathons will continue. Go with it. No need for formula. Dummy may interfere with being able to read their cues, suckling - as much as pos, should be at the breast rather than on a dummy - can mess with your supply otherwise.

Best of luck and congrats x

You need hydrogel breast pads kept in the freezer with Lansinoh. Oh the relief

Have you tried a nipple shield? I found the Medela ones the best.

October how are you getting on? We had our worst night last night, have asked for an additional mw visit today... :(

Sorry been off here so long, have had baby permanently clamped to (sore) bosom.

Have had a couple of mw visits and they have really helped with demonstrating correct latch position.

But I think the thing that has made the biggest difference is my milk coming in which means baby is getting more and possibly the fact that my boobs have toughened up!

crazy hope the mw visit was beneficial?

Not so good here, baby getting sleepier so feeding getting harder and although milk is in it doesn't seem very plentiful! Formula is beckoning, I'm just trying to get my head round it.

Ps sorry meant to say I'm glad things seem to be on the up for you Oct

Whoah - have you tried hand stimulating your boobs before offering to baby? One of the mw suggested this to me and I have to say it helped get the milk flowing so that it was both easier for baby to get the milk and less painful for me as baby didn't need to suck as hard to get supply going.

I had this - all through hospital (they took DD away for 2hrs to let me sleep - first I had had for 4 days!) and then as soon as we got home we opened the 'emergancy only' dummy for nb's. Worked a treat and haven't looked back. DD uses them now only at nap times and bed, but had it full time until about 7/8 months. I was hoping not to use one, but really there was no other option for us. Lanolin on nips btw, works a treat :)