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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

1 day old and breast feeding expectations.

14 replies

Preggersandmelting · 23/10/2013 22:02

My DS is only 1 day old (literally about 36 hours). I am BF but unsure of how long a baby this age (8lbs 4ozs) should feed for at a time?
I am tickling his toes and taking a layer of clothing off but he still feed for long.

I'm trying to manage my expectations and stress levels!

OP posts:
Fakebook · 23/10/2013 22:18

I think carry on feeding until he drops off himself.

All babies are different. My Dd fed a lot during the first day but DS not so much and mostly slept.

As long as your baby seems content at the breast and has a good latch then don't worry. Bfeeding is done on demand so just feed as and when your baby cries and roots for your breast.

Good luck

Timpani · 23/10/2013 22:22

He needs to feed as often as he wants at this early stage. The more often he feeds, the better for establishing your milk supply, ensuring you have enough later on.

Once your milk comes in it will get easier. Once my milk came in DS only fed for five-ten mins usually but that's quite quick, some babies are for much longer.

Good luck, I'm sure you're doing brilliantly!

Hawkmoth · 23/10/2013 22:25

Just hang in there, waking after three/four hours if you are lucky. But otherwise it's up to the baby.

I have three DC. Day three is shit. Day four is shit. Brief your support in advance and be prepared. It's all a bit easier from there.

IME, giving yourself over to the baby at first is hard work for a couple of weeks, but the rewards after are so worth it.

Original poster
Preggersandmelting · 23/10/2013 22:32

Thank you. I feel that there is milk in my breasts but DS isn't taking it all. But maybe he has a small tummy.

OP posts:
Original poster
Preggersandmelting · 23/10/2013 22:35

hawk why are days 3 and 4 shit? What should I prepare myself for?!

OP posts:
Hawkmoth · 23/10/2013 22:40

Hormones + full breasts + cracked nipples + sleep deprivation

With each of my DC I have ended up in the foetal position, sobbing and wanting them to go onto bottles.

My current baby, in June this year, I was in a ball upstairs weeping while the midwives were downstairs weighing her and quite happy not to see me! I then screamed at DH to go out and get formula for her and I was crying my heart out before every feed.

She's now 16 weeks and on the tit. Again.

Have you got Lansinoh? It's the shit.

crikeybadger · 23/10/2013 22:42

Don't worry preggers, they are not shit for everyone Smile. But day 3 is usually when the milk comes in and the hormones are crashing around a bit and you can feel a bit weepy.

Don't go by timings, just go by what your baby needs....feed from one breast, then offer the other. He may want a bit more, he may not.

You're right that he has a teeny tummy. The size of a marble right now and he is just getting used to drinking milk so he won't need much.

Hope all goes well and don't forget to seek out help and support if you're struggling or unsure.

Original poster
Preggersandmelting · 23/10/2013 22:42

Goodness-i'll brace myself for it-sounds worse than labour!
No I haven't but I'll get some tomorrow!

OP posts:
jkklpu · 23/10/2013 22:45

Congratulations. Let him feed as long as he wants and have loads of pillows around you. My ds1 is 8 today and exactly one year ago was the longest night of my life when we were both new to bf-ing, only colostrum and he fed all night long, crying if he was ever put down. Oh yes, and those meconium encounters.

I learned this is totally normal and to try to make myself as comfortable as possible and try to enjoy it - cracked nipples and all the rest notwithstandin. Ask your OH to bring you a tube of Lansinoh in the morning (purple nipple cream, available from Mothercare and some other places) - it really does make a huge difference, as does asking a midwife to help you with every feed, if there's someone available.

Best of luck, it really will seem less overwhelming soon.

Hawkmoth · 24/10/2013 08:22

Hmm. I'm sorry if I was scary. But for me it was definitely the hardest part of the whole breastfeeding journey and I wish someone had told me it would get better after that... Even when, on DC3, I knew it would.

Was having a wobble last night.

prettybird · 24/10/2013 08:29

Ds took forever to latch on and forever to feed. He had a really gentle latch which was then compounded by getting jaundice and getting sleepy.

He lost a lot of weight initially (over a pound - but he was 8lb 15lb to start with) but apart from the initial sleepiness was happy, healthy and alert.

I went on to fully breast feed for 13 months, despite ds taking 7 weeks to regain birth weight.

Laquila · 24/10/2013 11:43

For the first three weeks or so my son never came off the breast by himself but I started taking him of after 25 mins or so, as it was just so painful for me, and he was losing interest anyway or falling asleep. After a while he started coming off himself - I was soooo proud! Someone said to watch the baby, not the clock, and they were right :)

gamerchick · 24/10/2013 11:47

your babys not getting milk yet.. he's getting colostrum to prepare his tummy for milk and is only probably getting enough to just cover the bottom of a bottle.. so a couple of tablespoons. All normal. just let him feed feed feed.. it's not really about filling him up atm... more to get your supply established.. he'll come off himself (or not in my case)...it was like having a nipple tassle.

ameliaandme · 24/10/2013 13:59

My daughters feed constantly in the first few weeks, totally normal .

It was a shock to me though as i worried i wasn't producing enough but like the other ladies have said their tummies are only tiny.

take care x

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