Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Keeping newborn awake to feed

16 replies

RhubarbCrumbled · 15/01/2013 08:36

Hello, I'm quite new to this board as although this is DS2, i didn't breastfeed DS1. So, DS is 8 days old and we're doing pretty well with the EBF so far. Aside from a couple of ff (I was asleep, DH thought he was helping) we're only breastfeeding.
I'm just a bit concerned about how much DS is eating each feed. He latches on for at most 10 mins and sucks on and off then falls asleep. I wind him which makes him come round then he goes back on the same breast for another 10mins at most then falls asleep completely and there's no rousing him for any more food at all so he rarely gets offered the 2nd breast. Then the next feed I start on the other breast and repeat.
So is he feeding enough (there are loads of wet and dirty nappies and I'm feeding him on demand) or should I be trying harder to wake him for more food?

OP posts:
amazingmumof6 · 15/01/2013 12:28

he probably takes in enough for now, he could be an efficient feeder (was going to say suckerGrin) - dirty nappies and weight gain will indicate this

you can check for tongue-tie just in case he's not able to feed well and keeps stopping coz he's tired from trying to hard

ways to keep him awake:

  • strip him off so he's a bit cooler, but skin to skin to keep him warm
  • change nappy
  • burp him (as you do) (some suggest tickle feet, but I don't like to do that, makes them jumpy and come off breast!

as he is dropping off to sleep take him off (by sliding your little finger in his mouth thus breaking the latch) then repositioning/re-latching him straightaway

read Tracy Hogg - The Baby Whisperer

check out Priscilla Dunstan Baby words/language (or Dunsten?) on the Oprah show on youtube - this is brilliant!
she's studied babies' crying patterns and identified 5 sounds/cries that all babies make, each signalling a different need.
if you figure out what your baby's cry mean you can decide whether he needs feeding/burping or is tired/has wind or is uncomfortable (cold/hot /wet etc) and act accordingly.

I only discovered her "system" with my 6th and it worked like a charm!
I just wish I would have known this on day1 with my eldest - would have saved us soooooooooooooo much to avoid overfeeding/sleepless nights/frustration / listening to a screaming baby hopelessly....

amazingmumof6 · 15/01/2013 12:30

also you can check how much he might take in by using a breast pump and measuring the yield.
ask breastfeeding experts on length and frequency of expressing, I can't remember the specifics

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 15/01/2013 12:34

If he is pooing, weeing and putting on weight it sounds like he's doing fine.

However if you think he is falling asleep during a feed (very normal for a baby so young btw) and feel happier if would take more, when he falls asleep unlatch him and put him on the other breast. The rush of milk with another let down will stimulate him to feed again. You can keep changing breasts, it's called switch feeding if you want to google.

ILikeToMoveItMoveIt · 15/01/2013 12:36

A breast pump will not reflect how much milk you are producing, that way madness lies. Am I producing enough? Aren't I?

amazingmumof6 · 15/01/2013 12:48

iliketo

I said he "might " take in.
never said "reflect exactly"!
checking the yield is is a good indicator, not exact science, and not madness!

I was advised to do it and it reassured me time and time again - OP can take it or leave it!

no need to badmouth ideas and experiences of others, especially as you seem to have misunderstood what I said!

tiktok · 15/01/2013 13:52

Checking the yield is not a good idea - ever. Bags of evidence on this. At best it is a waste of time, and worst it messes up your confidence and your breastfeeding. Not badmouthing the idea, just making sure the OP knows the score :)

Rhubarb not enough info in your post. You need to know your baby's weight, and share with us how many times your baby is feeding, and what sort of poos he's doing :)

What does the midwife say?

Nothing in your post sounds concerning, though - the time on the breast is within normal.

Original poster
RhubarbCrumbled · 15/01/2013 14:02

I didn't really know what you needed! He lost 8% weight in the first week and to me he looks healthy. There are wet and dirty nappies with yellowy green poo. The midwife is coming over later so will talk to her too. I think I was just concerned that he wasn't feeding by the textbook, but he is feeding lots even though he does drop off so I think maybe I've been worrying too much and need to calm down and just keep feeding. Thanks for all your help with this!

OP posts:
WantAnOrange · 15/01/2013 14:20

He sounds pretty good to me. TBH I would stay away from certain books such as Baby Whisperer because they are not evidence based and in some situations can do more harm than good.

If he is having wet and dirty nappies and his weight loss is within expected ranges (ask HV ir MW) then I wouldnt worry. Smile

tiktok · 15/01/2013 14:37

Yes - great that midwife is coming, as you will be able to get a good idea of what's happening (which sounds perfectly ok!). You'd be looking for him to have stopped losing weight now, but many babies are not yet up to birthweight by 8 days. Yellow poo is a good sign - green tinge usually stopped by now, though in a healthy baby all colours are known!

Not sure that there is a textbook on how long babies should be on the breast :) The Baby Whisperer certainly gets it wrong, as does Gina Ford - neither evidence-based as Orange says :(

amazingmumof6 · 15/01/2013 15:50

if he's lost weight and has yellow-green poos he's not getting enough milk.

check he doesn't have tongue-tie

amazingmumof6 · 15/01/2013 15:56

I actually meant to say if he's lost weight AND not putting it on back on ...

my DD took 6 weeks to get back to birthweight, she had severe togue-tie and other feeding problems, had greenish poos for weeks,breastfed constantly but dropping off for 10 min naps

feeding constantly can be a sign of tongue-tie

tiktok · 15/01/2013 15:56

amazingmum, he has lost weight within normal limits - 8 per cent.

This baby is only 8 days old.

Original poster
RhubarbCrumbled · 15/01/2013 16:40

Everything is fine! MW has been and I'm feeling more reassured. He's regained his birthweight exactly and did a beautiful yellow poo while she was here. I checked about the green poo and was told that it's fine so long as it's not every poo. I'm heading to the bf cafe tomorrow to have a chat with the mums there too, but overall feeling much happier. Thanks for all the advice and I'll no doubt be back for more.

OP posts:
peanutdream · 15/01/2013 16:42

x post - good news!

tiktok · 15/01/2013 16:43

Great news, rhubarb :)

New posts on this thread. Refresh page