Help! Wake a 2 day old to feed?

[Rollermum]

Hello,

I am in hospital for the second night after a lengthy five day induction and difficult birth. The first night I was pretty out of it and didn't feed the baby after an initial first feed. I then fed four or so times during the day, of varying lengths.

One thing I can't get my head around (different advice from midwives and half crazed from tiredness) is - should I wake my two day old to feed? I don't want to dehydrate her, or ruin BF being established but also not relishing waking her because she's new at this too and sometimes doesn't latch as well as ideal, though I've had lots if advice in technique, I can't understand frequency before milk comes in. Also took a while to get her to sleep!

Congratulations Rollermum . Have you seen This kellymom page? Reccomends waking every two hours in the day and every four at night for the first week.

*recommends aarghhhhhhhhh

Six months ago we did three hours daytime and four overnight. That was based on midwife advice and books. Enjoy your lovely new baby.

Oh no, waking her - the horror! But thanks both for the very useful and prompt info. Even my sleep deprived brain can understand that!

That Kelly page is great for future points too!

Another q - did you do skin to skin for each feed? Or if some - what proportion/when?

Oh good glad it's helpful. I did skin to skin for some of the daytime ones or if she was having difficulty latching on but mostly couldn't cope with all the undressing/redressing (of DD) at nighttime.

Was going to suggest the Kelly's mom page. Ds2 never lost any birth weight despite being a very sleepy and undemanding baby.

The more you feed the more practice you have at the latch and the less sore it will be too. I would also recommend lots and lots of skin to skin. I don't think I did enough with ds1 as everyone else seemed to have their babies dressed nicely and sleeping in the hospital cribs.

Feeding more frequently at this stage will encourage your milk to come in more quickly.

Applying lansinoh cream after every feed will help. It has saved many a bf relationship.

Definitely do as much skin to skin as you can. It's an awesome way to bond with baby and help establish breastfeeding

Definitely do as much skin to skin as you can. It's an awesome way to bond with baby and help establish breastfeeding