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Infant feeding

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

Difficulty feeding overnight

7 replies

highlove · 12/04/2014 09:47

My almost 5 week old is EBF after a difficult start - struggled to get established, lots of pain, slow to regain weight, pushed into formula top-ups causing some nipple/test confusion, a two-hourly feeding programme, etc. However with lots of perseverance and support we're not quite there but well on the way and after moving quickly to express top-ups, in the last few days I've got her back to only feeding from me and on demand.. Lots of nappies and her weight gain is now good. So all good and I'm really proud we've managed to get this far - three weeks ago I didn't see how we'd be able to carry on and I was a real state.

But our overnight feeds are a bloody nightmare. She bobs on and off but will cry when she's off, will latch on then suck a few times then stop, often gets cross and starts grunting and writhing around (while latched on - ouch) and will eventually nod off having not taken much. I try to wake her but it often becomes very difficult so I put her down...and ten minutes later she'll be chomping at her hands and crying for more. She has two feeds in the night and because of all this each one can take 90 minutes or more and I'm still not convinced she's getting all that much. I'm at a loss as to what the problem is or what to do - we're fine in the day. And right now I'm sat up in bed (in the usual position I'm in overnight) and she's feeding well.

Any thoughts or advice? It's really stressful and we both end up in tears. I'm starting to dread bedtime because I know what's coming. Also worried that her not feeding well through the night will affect supply. Can anyone offer any advice at all? Thanks.

OP posts:
TheScience · 12/04/2014 09:53

Maybe she just wants to cuddle up to you at night? Can you feed lying down?

puddleduck16 · 12/04/2014 10:00

I've had a nct advisor ask me about dropping off and suggested making sure her sniffly nose was clear as she might be dropping off to breathe properly. But if you lo hasn't got a snuffly nose then that's not your prob!!!

highlove · 12/04/2014 10:03

We already co-sleep so not sure she just wants a cuddle. She chomps at her hands so I think she's hungry. We've tried lying down and we do sometimes to get her off to sleep but I can't seem to get the position right and it's a bit painful. Might be worth persevering I guess.

OP posts:
highlove · 12/04/2014 10:03

Oh yes - she had a sniffly nose - has done for a week. So saline drops?

OP posts:
Dannygirl · 12/04/2014 10:08

Not too sure why you are having a different experience feeding in the night vs the day but I do recognise the grunting/writhing whilst latched on! At least in my DS aged 8 weeks it means he has wind. I have to stop and burp him and then he usually goes back on OK. Hope that helps and congratulations on your baby and the Breastfeeding! Xx

PeaceLillyDoge · 12/04/2014 12:08

Sounds very familiar and my baby is five weeks also. Feeding was a nightmare to start off with.

Have you tried expressing and then having a bottle to feed her when she's like this? Might not be a good idea of you've already had nipple confusion but is what we do and it saves my sanity.

PeaceLillyDoge · 12/04/2014 12:11

And if it's any consolation we had the worst night of feeds ever lat night. Baby wanted feeding on the hour, every hour for just five/ten minutes before falling asleep again.

I've expressed a load and gone back to bed whilst DP feeds her.

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