3 day old not feeding well, milk has come in

[soupmaker]

I am sure this is normal but just can't remember how it was with DD1.

DD2 3 days old. Feeding been okay until last night. My milk has come in. She now crys and fusses at the breast and won't feed for more than a few seconds before pulling off. Did 4 hours of this in the night until DH took her to settle her and then another 4 hours of the same this morning. Now sleeping soundly but worried she's not getting enough to eat.

MW due later today but just need some reassurance that we can get through this. Am worried as MW yesterday was concerned about weight loss as DD slept for 10 hours the day before and wouldn't feed. Yesterday fed every 3 hours until midnight until milk came in then went 'baby bonkers'.

Thanks.

Did lots of skin to skin

Meant to add have done lots of skin to skin, been massaging breasts and expressing a little milk to encourage DD2. But to no avail.

Is she struggling to latch on since your milk came in? If so reverse pressure softening may help. But she is still very new, and it's got very hot again at least in my part of the UK, so if she still isn't really feeding, then could you consider calling the MW for a more urgent visit, or speaking to the postnatal ward?

Should have said, I had this with my DS1 (although I was a first-time mum, didn't really know what I was doing, and we'd been struggling a bit before my milk came in too). I didn't know about reverse pressure softening then, so didn't try it. He got a little bit dehydrated and had lost more than 10% birth weight, so I ended up expressing and cup feeding him for a couple of days. Which wasn't ideal, but we did get BFing sorted in the end. So even if that is what you need to do, you can get through this.

Is there a support group near you so you can meet other mums going through the same thing?

Make sure you are eating and drinking enough yourself - you need to look after yourself as well as baby.

Chocolate cake, a glass of wine, bananas, expensive squash - just get whatever you need to get your through the next feed.

Remember that breastfeeding requires learning, both by you and baby.

How is your let down? If the milk comes gushing out too fast she may be struggling to maintain the latch. If this is an issue then express past the initial let down then latch her on.

two things it could be, from first tell

Tongue tie (where the frenulum is too tight - you can ask your MW to check this)
or
Fast Let-down. If your milk has come in, then your baby could be getting a right gob-full when the let-down comes in. One thing you can do to help that is to express a little bit before you latch her on.

Thanks everyone. Will check out those links.

MW ruled out TT. She couldn't get her latched on either. She thinks DD2finding it hard to breath when latched due to swollen breasts . MW advised trying feeding lying down which was a bit more successful.

DD2 lost more weight - nearly 12% - so decided to dig out breast pump and expressed 60ml which I've bottle fed to DD. She is now calm and being cuddled. Not ideal but hope that we'll turn the corner over the next day or so.

DH being fab. Looking after DD1 who is 5 and made huge bolognase sauce this afternoon.

If you want to avoid nipple confusion, it might be better to feed her the expressed milk with a syringe.

But it might be the overfull boobs, so, yes, lie down, or express it out till you're a bit less hard.

Just because the MW has ruled out TT doesn't mean it's not there. You may need a specialist to have a look.

I had to express due to cracked/sore nipples (Tommee Tippee hand pump was fine) and I fed the milk using a tea spoon or sippy cup to start with. If you do find that you need to express the Haberman Medela teat can help prevent nipple confusion and bottle laziness.

Good luck.

Thanks World. Another MW visited today and has made us appointment for Tuesday at hospital to see TT expert.

Thanks for tip about teats. Been using what I've got which is tommie tippie. Worried DD2 already gone off breasts but going to persevere with EBM and trying to feed at the breast until at least we've been to the hospital.

Thankfully she's put on some weight.

At the end of the day having a healthy well baby has to be my priority. Just so disappointing if we won't be breast feeding together.