Breastfeeding newborn - how long?

[porcito]

My DD is 5 days old and we're having some trouble with BF. I'm waking her every 3 hours but then it seems to be taking up to 2 to feed her! We're also FF supplementing as she was low weight, so between the two she has no time to sleep!

Do I just keep BF her til she's full or do I do it for a set time? And do I switch sides or do one side per feed? It's a minefield this feeding business!

I am no expert but I would say to offer both breasts, until she is showing signs that she has had enough. And yes, it's normal that it takes longer. Has your milk fully come in yet? When are you giving her formula - in between BF or you alternate?

My guess is that you should try to BF her for as long as she is hungry. It's not easy! In your shoes, I would probably try to express in between feeds so that your supply of milk increases, and then she will feed more efficiently and quickly.

Can I ask you why you wake her up? Is it what the hospital recommended?

The current advice is not to time feeds, but to leave them on the breast until they're done, then offer the other one. Just remember to start your next feed with the boob you finished the last one with, to avoid engorgement.
They take aaaages to feed at the beginning (especially when they nod off in the middle!), but don't worry, they get a lot more efficient. It's normal in the first few weeks to feel like you're constantly feeding, my best advice would be to buy some box sets and plonk yourself in front of the telly (with tea and biscuits to hand).

Thank you both!

They recommended I wake her as she was sleeping constantly in the day and they were worried about her blood sugars. (I'm not in the UK so not sure how much of their advice is current!)

I'm giving bottle after breast if she wants it and expressing to not affect the supply. The milk only came in yesterday so we're both getting used to it!

Will open up Netflix then! Thanks again.

I'll get the box sets out then!

porcito, I think it will help to seek out real life knowledgable help and support.

While formula is sometimes a needed supplement in a crisis, it makes no sense to give formula and then express - why not just keep your baby on the breast, swapping sides? As you point out, giving the formula is time consuming, too. I would be highly suspicious of advice to supplement with formula as early as this, to be honest. If your baby needs supplementing and is unable to transfer breastmilk directly in sufficient quantities, then you can give her the expressed breastmilk.

Three hourly feeding is not usually sufficient for a baby of this age .

It would be better to ensure effective, frequent breastfeeding, on both sides, every time.

I really hope you find someone who can help you. Being buffetted about by conflicting advice is horrible :(

Thanks again all.

I had a woman from La Leche League come by last night to help me out. I now feel much more confident not supplementing (she thinks the pediatricians here are really behind with their BF knowledge). DD's latch and technique is fine. so now just on wet nappy count. Finding it hard to tell what's a wet nappy and what's absorbed liquid from soiled ones but hopefully we'll get there!

We've done much better today, though still struggling with falling asleep at the breast after a few minutes. It's tiring business I suppose!

My MW told me to count soiled nappies rather than wets (I called her to my house in frantic worry over it) as with a newborn wets won't be heavy yet, and with modern nappies it's hard to tell urine if they also soiled it.
Mind you mine is so ravenous it's 2.20 am and I've not yet got to bed. Because she slept through one feed earlier.

Thanks squizita . She's definitely doing plenty of those!

Mine is part vampire, almost sure. She wakes about 10 and fusses about BF on and off til about 3, ugh. Hope you get some sleep soon!

Mine used to cry and feed all evening from 4pm-1am, it was exhausting. It all calmed down at about 8 wks though, when she became a lot more chilled, so hang on in there! I think it takes them a while to get your milk supply up, hence the cluster feeding.

I was told by midwives to put two tablespoons of water in a nappy (so 30mls, proper measured tablespoons, not just generic big spoons) to get a feel for what a "wet" nappy was for newborns.

I would definitely advise keeping an eye on the wet nappies and on weight gain. I was advised time and again over the first 6-8 weeks that I should try dropping formula supplements and just keep BFing to demand to boost my supply. Told not to worry about slightly sluggish weight gain. Then after 8 weeks suddenly we founded ourselves badged as 'failure to thrive' and whisked off to paediatrician. My DS appeared to be feeding non-stop but wasn't actually transferring much milk, and we actually really needed those formula supplements.