Too long between feeds?!

[GanglyGiraffe]

DD is 2 days old. Trying to feed on demand, but the problem is the lack of demand!! Last feed was at 14.15 and she hasn't feed since, she just won't wake up for long enough.

Yesterday she went about 8hrs between feeds. Midwife came thismorning and told me to give her a bottle if still not feeding regularly.

Shall I? Will it stop me from being able to breast feed if I give her a bottle?

Her latch is good when she does feed, she just isn't interested.

Please help

[crackcrackcrak]

Needing to wake nb to feed in the first few days is quite common I think. Your instincts were right though that 8 hours is too long. Some babies need a bit of encouragement but thru get there. Utterly agree with others that mw advice re bottle is frankly bizarre!

When I had a bf hiccup with dd1 I rang NHS direct and a fabulous nurse rang me back with v good advice. She was entirely right too and probably saved our bf relationship give them a go if you need to

[GanglyGiraffe]

I rang the ward and they just said to ring the community midwife...and her phone was switched off.

But as I say she's fed now and I will be waking her every 2-3 hours through the night. Plan to call my midwife in the morning and get her to come and give me some support.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Exemplary post-natal support where you are

You're doing the right thing. Let us know how you get on.

[GanglyGiraffe]

Currently on our third feed since my OP; well done DD!

[mathanxiety]

Do whatever it takes to wake her every 2 hours to feed her -- cold water, cold breeze at an open window, whatever. You will feel exhausted. Well done for the progress though . Keep at it.

The alternative is dehydration, weight loss and jaundice -- and hospitalisation.

[mathanxiety]

So three feeds in about 8 hours -- that is fab!

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Good job! Another Mumsnet success story!

And you don't have to keep up the waking to feed for long, BTW. She'll start waking of her own accord for a feed. Like mine. Three times so far tonight...

[ThreeWheelsGood]

The support you're (not) getting sounds terrible, OP. We had this same problem a few days ago - my first dc was born on Tuesday. On Friday she wouldn't feed at all - community midwife visited (helped me with latch on) so had afternoon feed, but then ended up at midnight without feeding.despite trying solidly since 5pm! Baby was either asleep or crying, no inbetween, so wouldn't keep breast in her mouth - me and DH were besides ourselves with lack of sleep and frustration.

The midwife led unit where she was born said to call anytime when is been discharged so we did, early on in the evening they advised more skin to skin, but when she still didn't feed they said to come in and a midwife helped me get get to latch on and stay on, had hour long feed! Such a relief. The midwife got her to latch on and kept her awake by rubbing her feet and hands, great idea.

she has been feeding on demand happily ever since. The problem was my breasts were engorged and rock hard, they'd changed shape and needed massage beforehand to make it easier for her to latch on.

all the best OP, this is tough isn't it? glad it's not just us!

[GanglyGiraffe]

Yes threeWheels it's really difficult, glad it's got better for you now.

Thank you all so much for your help. DD is feeding again now so had a really good night. I think it was a mixture of her being too sleepy and me not being thorough and 'mean' enough when waking her up. (I also found a really good app for monitoring her feeds!)

Thanks again

[Olympicrock]

Hope she fed well overnight

[crikeybadger]

Glad to hear things are getting better Gangly- she'll probably not stop feeding now.

[timewastingonhere]

Glad to hear things are better for you both

[Pourquoimoi]

Oh brilliant, glad it's going we'll now .

Take care.

[Meglet]

With DC2 I was a mean mummy and always woke her for feeds. Probably every 90 mins to 3hrs, depending on what I was doing (showers / eating / dozing). It seemed to work well as she shot up the weight charts.