Frequency of feeds in 1st 24 hrs + sore nipples

[CityDweller]

How many times should I feed my brand new baby (breastfeeding)? She fed 4 times in first 4 hrs or so then again at about 12 hrs old, but other than that she seems happy sleeping and has slept for most of the last 12 hrs! Also my nipples are incredibly sore (think her latch may be too shallow), so I guess I'm happy to give them a bit of a break... But I'm worried about her getting enough to eat/ stay hydrated...

You should be aiming for 8-12 feeds in 24 hours (or more!). Don't let more than 3 hours go between feeds. Baby will be weighed in a few days and if she has lost too much weight you may be readmitted to hospital so basically try to feed as much as possible.

Feed when ever baby wants but if baby hasn't signalled that they want anything, wake them to feed every 3 hours!

I was exactly the same and wasnt sure so I let baby sleep through at first, thought baby led meant you could throw the 3 hourly rule out the window sadly not

Have your midwife check baby for tongue tie! That's what hurt me as baby kept slipping off my nipple as if his latch wasn't strong enough to grip!

If you have any lansinoh nipple cream it really helps, keep up with it applying as much as is comfortable, and I gave the bras a miss as much as possible too!

Hope this helps
Oh and congratulations

Are you on medication for anything? If not crack open the paracetamol and keep taking it - it will numb the pain of the first few days while you both get to grips with it. Also lather your nipples in lanisoh as crocodile has said. My nipples were cracked and raw for about a week before we really got to grips with everything. Feeds every three hours are really important in the first couple of days so if you're worried your little one isnt taking anything give someone a call. Our little one refused food as soon as we got home from the hospital and got quite sick (turned out she had severe jaundice) and I put it down to sleepiness from the birth. We ended up topping her up with formula while we waited for my milk and for her to get better. It's always best to ask your midwife or doctor if you are in doubt - especially in the first few days. Best of luck and many congratulations.

Congratulations on the arrival of your DD!

Sleepiness in a newborn can be a vicious cycle - they're sleepy so they don't feed enough so as they don't have enough energy they get sleepier... Wake your baby if it is close to 3 hours since she fed - don't let her go longer. As others have said, you're aiming for 8-12 feeds a day. Ignore anyone who says "never wake a sleeping baby". That may be the case later but with a newborn that's never right.

Re sore nipples, it shouldn't really hurt (can be a strong sensation but pain is a sign that things aren't quite right) so you may well be right that the latch isn't deep enough. She should be getting a good mouthful of breast. The way to do that is have her nose opposite your nipple rather than her mouth - that way she has to tip her head back and open her mouth really wide to latch on, and it makes her to land her chin on your breast first so she can take a big mouthful. If her mouth is opposite the nipple she can just latch onto the nipple easily which will cause all sort of soreness, and make her less able to feed effectively. This leaflet has some good pictures of a good latch.

Mention the soreness to your midwife and get him or her to take a look to check your DD is latched on ok. A reclining, biological nurturing type position can help get a deeper latch too so may help with pain.

Good luck, and congrats again :)

Once you're confident the latch is good it may still hurt a bit - it's not something your body is used to. Took me a good couple of weeks for it to feel comfortable and I'd had all and sundry (MW, HV, Mum, MiL) looking at my latch, my nipples and my position etc - all said it was fine, I guess I was just sensitive.
Hope she's feeding well now, the first couple of days are crazy!

Hi again. Well, some major ups and downs over past 5 days... I've had help from local peer supporters a couple of times with the latch that was def too shallow and have had some desperate moments in the middle of the night. It got better, then worse, now better again, but I can only latch her on a kind of modified rugby ball. After her sleepy first day, I had a day when she fed for 8 hrs straight , now my milk is coming in she's settled to feeding every 90 mins or so. So, we're getting there. Although my nipples are still sore from the early days of shallow latch and are a bit bloody and scabby and get easily re-aggravated if I don't get the latch right first time. I'm hoping they'll heal eventually???

Are you slathering on Lansinoh after every feed? It's brilliant for helping healing.

Well done on getting the latch sorted and hope things continue to get easier!

It's great to read all the above advice. I'm bf my second DD and naively assumed I'd have no problems. It's been more painful than my first! My DD is a week old today and I find the pain at times excruciating. It gets me down at times as I love bf and its taking the joy out of it. Will try cabbage leaf, chamomile bags nd maybe some extra lansinoh. Had an emergency caesarean after 12 hours of labour and my body feels battered- could be my age (39) and first DD was elective c-section after a long labour. Any other tips for healing nipples are most welcome. I BF my first DD FOR 2.5yrs and a I'm aiming to do 2 for this one. HELP!!

Are you sure your latch is right, frendle? It might be painful at the start of a feed during letdown, for a few seconds, but it shouldn't be painful the whole feed.

Yes - I've been slathering on the lanisoh and breastmilk too to heal. And basically walking around with my boobs out as much as possible.

Unfortunately, I got mastitis a few days ago. I suspect from infection getting in from my bloody nips, as I can't feel any blockage or lumpy bits. After a couple of days of feeling like absolute death (flu-like + agonisingly sore boob + only a week postpartum + serious sleep deprivation is a rubbish combination!) the antibiotics have begun to kick in and that combined with plenty of boob massage with a hot flannel and hand expressing milk from my bad side and trying to persevere with feeding on that side even when it makes me cry with pain, I'm beginning to feel much better.

Oh the ups and downs of breastfeeding! The good news is that the baby is eating well and gained weight by her 5-day check. And we will crack this eventually. I'm determined to be one of those mums you see out and about casually and effortlessly breastfeeding. And when it works, and doesn't hurt, it really is such a lovely thing.

I've checked my latch with the midwife yesterday nobleG and she said it looked like I was doing the right thing. Plus, my little lass has put on 8 oz since she was born which she said wouldn't be happening if she wasn't latching on correctly. I'm fair skinned and the cracks/blisters are struggling to get a chance to heal but things are getting better. It is painful in he beginning and then the pain goes. Also, I'm mentally better this week now that my body doesn't feel so much like its been ran over by a bus although I'm getting severe wind pains after the cesarean! Anyone else? Tips? Thanks for checking NobleG.

CityD- I can't imagine what all that must have been like with mastitis on top. Your determination and guts to get through the pain is praise worthy. Well done! It all goes away eventually so there is light at the end of the tunnel. This is my second DD and I bf my first for 2+yrs..loved it after the pain went although I dont remember it affecting me this much. Good luck with it all!

Happy to report I'm in week three and nipples are much better and have toughened up. No longer feeling the despair I felt in the first week. Hopefully things stay that way.