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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

arg night 1 bf - so hard!

12 replies

soandsosmum · 10/12/2012 00:15

Having bf dd1 I expected this to be easier but I'm struggling to get a good latch esp now with blisters from bad ones!

Anyone out there to encourage me?

OP posts:

skandi1 · 10/12/2012 00:21

You will get there. I had a period of adjustment the second time as well. Remember you have bfed before but your baby is brand new and hasn't so needs help along the way.

I recommend lots of MNing, cups of tea and lansinho.

Original poster

soandsosmum · 10/12/2012 00:23

Oh and I'm struggling to get her to sleep not on me. I'm planning to attach her cot to our bed tomorrow but tonight even when I give her a good
15
mins she still wakes up when I put her I'm her basket :(

OP posts:

MsInterpret · 10/12/2012 00:28

Evening - up feeding dd2 (9wks). Had similar probs early on.

MW reminded me of trying various positions - rugby ball, lying down. Rugby ball helped bc there was on side she latched on better so on other side, rugby position meant she was in same position she liked, IYKWIM?

Second Lansinoh to help cracking. Do you have any? Also unlatch ing and starting again if her mouth not big enough gap. Hard in night when you're sleepy I know.

skandi1 · 10/12/2012 00:32

My DS was like this. Would nod off on me after a feed but wake as soon as put in basket. Argh. It's trial and error really. With DD I could just gently pop her in cot, basket, stroller and she would stay asleep.

I found with DS that he would stay asleep if when I put him into the basket, I would leave my hands under him for a few moments, perhaps a minute or so. It sort of seemed to fool him into thinking he was still on me. And after that minute or two I would very gently slide my hands out from under his head and body. Give that a try.

ThreeWheelsGood · 10/12/2012 00:34

That last tip sounds like a good idea skandi - I'll try that after this feed!

skandi1 · 10/12/2012 00:36

Yes do. No doubt other will come with sensible tips to try.

After DS arrived I did feel a bit lost. He was so different to DD so it took just as much time to work it all out as first time around.

I had sore nipples second time too and struggled to get the latch right initially. All worked out in the end though.

Hope you get some sleep

orchidee · 10/12/2012 00:42

Same here with the waking-on-laying-down. Almost like the startle reflex was easily triggered. What I found worked was rocking horizontally while lowering into the cot (rather than just lowering the baby vertically) and ensuring their feet touched the bed first, before their bum did, then head. Lowering the baby such that they felt their head level with or lower than their bum meant instant waking and crying.

Also, continued contact for a few mins after being put in the bed e.g. hand on baby's body. Tummy and head worked well. Tbh though mine has never settled well sleeping on his back, but of course that's why we're to do that, so they're at less risk of SIDS as they wake easier on their back.

orchidee · 10/12/2012 00:44

Re: latch- have you tried the nipple flick? I posted on another thread here about it recently. It helped us, that and practice.

BitBewilderedChristmasTree · 10/12/2012 00:47

It took a little while for DS to get the idea too, and I'd expected it to be easy because I'd fed DD for ages. I think the rugby ball position and lying down definitely made it easier, but give it a night or two and your DD will have a better idea. Just keep going for a bit longer ... it'll will get better. Get busy with the Lansinoh!

As for getting her to sleep, I ended up being slept on all night every night for the first 10 weeks for both DCs, so I'll be no bloody help there!

Congratulations!!

Original poster

soandsosmum · 11/12/2012 07:54

Thank you so much ladies

Just survived night 2. Baby slept for a lot more of it ?! So it was easier. And having latched more in the day made that a bit better too. Got lansinoh. Will try the rocking and hands under tricks later ;)

OP posts:

MaMaPo · 11/12/2012 07:58

Great news soandso. I'm a first time mum to a 6 day old - we are all going through this together.

skandi1 · 11/12/2012 11:20

Great to hear!! Things are looking up
Already. And as a taste of things to come here is what my 17mo DS has done this morning: fashion a makeshift climbing device by stacking toys and ripped 3 plants of a shelf (my eye level and I am 5'10"!) and chucked the earth all over the place including mushing it into a basket full of clean washing. I was cleaning up from breakfast at the time and was in the same room. It was done in the blink of an eye and silently. Argh. This made DD late for pre school and she was crying.

Taken DS to Starbucks to calm me down. He promptly kicked the table over with my coffee which went everywhere.

I want to cry and hide under the duvet

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