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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

A breastfeeding 'routine' (i know, i know) for a newborn to enable a tear free morning school run

21 replies

littleducks · 01/10/2013 11:30

DS was born on Friday at 37 weeks, he was born tiny at 2160g/4lb 12oz. I have been told to feed him 2-3 hourly as a maximum (as in feed on demand but if he hasn't woken for a feed after three hours to wake and feed him). This is to prevent a big weight loss (he lost 90g at weigh in yesterday which they consider good) and to encourage his mild jaundice to clear.

He is my third and I have bfed the others, I'm happy to feed him as much as he wants.

However I really need the morning routine to work to get older kids to school. We need to leave at 7.45, to drop dh to train station then drive on to school to arrive at around 8.30. I don't mind if the baby is awake or asleep but just not crying!

He cried on Monday and I ended up feeding in playground at drop off. Today would have worked but his nappy leaked (after etting him all dresssed to leave) so then I was feeding to the absolute last second before leaving and dh missed his train to work.

I realise it wont be perfect but could do with some help working back the timings, as am naturally pretty tired at the moment!

OP posts:

BlackberrySeason · 01/10/2013 11:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

hettienne · 01/10/2013 11:33

If you feed him at 7am, I would expect he would sleep in the car til 8.30 and then you could feed again at school if necessary? How long do feeds usually last? You could get in a 30 minute feed 7-7.30 and then still have 15 minutes for nappy changes.

PedlarsSpanner · 01/10/2013 11:35

The most simple thing would be to end feed at 730 to allow last min grab everyone to swish all out. Feeding in the playground is a good solution at the other end of the frantics.

hettienne · 01/10/2013 11:36

I wouldn't feed a low weight newborn in a sling unless you can fully concentrate on safe positioning/airways being clear during the feed.

BlackberrySeason · 01/10/2013 11:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FrussoNeedsMoreSleep · 01/10/2013 11:43

Congratulations littleducks
I found that after a few days (2wks max) ds settled into his own feeding routine in the mornings, he'd feed just before I got up, (6-6.30am, and then he'd last (with a sleep in the car seat) until 9.20 when I got back. I just had to make sure he was burped before I put him in the car seat.

Feeding in the playground is okay. The only parents who said anything to me when I've had to do it (at pickup time mainly) is that they wished they could feed out and about)

If you don't think your ds can go that long, could you feed him in the car when you've dropped the older ones at school?

Original poster

littleducks · 01/10/2013 11:43

I am driving (which is why I really need him not to be wanting a feed) sorry if that wasn't clear.

Feeds for prob half hour as has had mammoth two hour feeds 12-2am and 3 something til 5.20am (you see why I am so tired I cant figure this out alone).

Just seems that if I am waking him to feed sometimes in the day I might as well try and manipulate it to get 45 minutes to drive calmly and safely.

OP posts:

fruitpastille · 01/10/2013 12:09

I will be in your position in a few months time so this is only theoretical advice! I would keep him in night time babygro for a start. Can you get yourself ready and fed by 7? Then wake baby with quick nappy change and feed (not sure how long this will be taking you) then straight into car seat (I would also out in car as it is on a drive) giving you 10 mins to grab any last minute bits. Your dh can breakfast and nag the other kids to be ready.

TerrorMeSue · 01/10/2013 12:14

Dh gets everyone ready to leave the house. You focus on you and baby, feeding baby right time before leaving to ensure time for a nappy change if needed. Then be prepared to feed again in the playground (or car after drop off it wet or too cold?). Wear a vest.

FrussoNeedsMoreSleep · 01/10/2013 12:15

Yes to staying in babygro.

legallyblond · 01/10/2013 16:42

Hi Littleducks! As you know (from Oct thread) I have three week old twins. DD is 3 and we need to leave to walk her to school at 8.15, and I get home at about 9.15 if I don't loiter or pop to the shops..... I have been on my own with all three DCs since last Thurs... DH is away for two weeks. The twins were also born at 37 weeks and were low birth weight... They also need to be (and indeed, now request to be) fed every 2-2.5 hours (although boy twin goes three hours at night).

My solution thus far has been to:

shower and wash my hair last thing the night before;
get DD's packed lunch and bag done the night before;
majd myself a sandwich for breakfast the night before;
leave twins asleep (or crying ) while I dress DD and get her breakfast;
while DD eats breakfast, FEED the twins, finishing 5 mins before departure time (5 mins to clean DD's teeth!) - I wake them to feed them by changing them out if their night nappy (and I don't bother changing their baby gro / getting them "dressed" - I put a clean one on them before bed);
get DD to school;
scoff my sandwich for breakfast on the way back!

Original poster

littleducks · 01/10/2013 21:10

Thanks for all the advice.

I was only really dressing him (well changing babygro) to wake him up but will try just a nappy change and leaving his legs bare for a bit instead tomorrow. It feels mean but he is hard to wake at that time.

My alarm had been 6.30 and waking kids at 7. Think I will move mine to 6.15 and get kids up at 6.45 so they have a full hour as even with cereal in Tupperware boxes in the car this morning dh still missed train.

How bad would introducing a dummy just for when I'm driving be? At the moment as he is in front passenger seat I have let him suck my finger for a few minutes which settles him...

OP posts:

Original poster

littleducks · 01/10/2013 21:12

And Legally your morning makes me tired just reading it at least mine are big enough to wash, dress and feed themselves its just nagging required

OP posts:

legallyblond · 02/10/2013 00:52

And can your DH get up earlier / get himself ready earlier so that he can focus 100% on the older DCs from when they wake? My routine above is just me, no DH - with DH about I could just do baby things!

Meringue33 · 02/10/2013 02:46

I think keeping a dummy in the car (if he'll have it) is generally considered to be absolutely fine.

Yy to feeding in car before trip home too. I used to keep a spare nursing pillow in the car, some drinks for me and a packet of chocolate hobnobs :)

Original poster

littleducks · 02/10/2013 09:38

Ok so am sitting in car bfing, morning was pretty successful. Kids in school on time and dh didn't miss train.

Feeling emotional though.

I parked up outside school and sent kids in with passing friends parents as baby needed feeding. Feeling pretty chuffed with myself.

Then road gets totally blocked up by drivers refusing to give way. One old man holding up about ten cars in other direction flat out refuses to reverse. As he won't budge man in other direction asks me to reverse back a bit to free up some space. I feel under huge pressure to do so even though I have been parked there about half an hour by that point. End up giving baby to kids friends mum to hold and reversing car feeling all reset and shaky. Then start panicking that audience will judge me got having given baby to her to hold.

I know rationally its just not a big deal but am really over emotional about it all.

OP posts:

CoolStoryBro · 02/10/2013 09:47

Ducks, you gave birth on Friday. Of course you're emotional, bless you! Congratulate yourself on getting straight back into the metaphoric saddle and give yourself a break. I doubt anyone is judging you, more likely they are in awe that you're running around like this 5 days after giving birth!

Congratulations on your new baby.

TarkaTheOtter · 02/10/2013 09:53

Still early days ducks, sounds like you've got it together amazingly. I'd go for making sure you've got time to nappy change, feed and if necessary nappy change again right before you leave. DH can be responsible for getting other children corralled and into the car ready for you. Then dummy in the car if baby needs it (and will take it). And remember it will get easier as baby gets older!

TarkaTheOtter · 02/10/2013 09:55

Also, I'm sure everyone was judging the obstinate git who wouldn't reverse so made a mother stop tending to her tiny baby to reverse instead.

TerrorMeSue · 02/10/2013 11:26

Well done, you did a good job . Everyone, including you and your gorgeous new baby, will get used to the new routine soon. No doubt occasionally dh will miss the train, sometimes the dcs will be a tiny bit late for school, sometimes the baby will cry -heck sometimes you will cry! But, this is all normal and part of the larger family you've become, and it WILL get easier. The world does not end because not everything goes to plan. Half the battle is learning to grin and bear it when things go awry. Oh, and of course take the praise on days when you fly and appear to be super parent .

Have a hug too x

ixqic · 02/10/2013 15:54

breastfeed him in the sling while you get everyone else sorted. learn to delegate responsibilities to others to help you out. Aim to get everyone out of the house 10 mins before you actually have to leave so that you will have a chance of leaving when you really have to leave by.

feed him again in the car after dropping off everyone and before you drive home. it gets the other cars from the school run out of the way while you chill in the carpark?

good luck

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