Breast feeding through the night

[Honeybear30]

Hi all, I'm hoping for some advice please as mumsnet has been very valuable so far! DS is only three weeks old so appreciate we may not have 'cracked' breast feeding yet and it'll take time for us both to get in the swing if things but I do need a bit if help. I'm really struggling with the nights, he's feeding every two hours and it's so exhausting. I'm trying to make it easier for myself so have a few questions.

I have managed to feed lying down which means I can snooze and feed but then he will need winding afterwards or will throw up his milk, how do others manage to feed lying down and not have this problem? If I have to sit up straight afterwards I feel like I might as well sit propped up the whole time. I sound so lazy...

I've been feeding on one side, then doing a nappy change to wake him and then feeding the other side. I was taught this by my midwife and it has been working so far, but means I have to get up every two hours to change his nappy. I do want him to take both sides because surely his tummy will be more full and therefore he'll sleep longer? Am I missing some secret trick to get him to take both breasts easily?

I'm so hungry in the morning it's ridiculous, I can only imagine what it's doing to my milk when I'm so hungry. I've been drinking juice and water in the night and snacking on raisins and mixed nuts at every feed to keep me going. Is this normal? What do others do about food? Should I be carb loading before bed or something?!

No doubt I'll have more questions to come but I think that must be long enough for now...any advice gratefully received, I feel like a bit of a lost FTM!! Thank you.

In terms of your hunger, I was like v that too. I used to eat energy bars and fruit (your choices are better but I'm allergic to nuts) and drink litres of water. It lessened over time until I wasn't ravenous all the time. Don't worry about affecting your supply. All the feeding will take care of that.

I can't help with the rest as feeding lying down never worked for us.

I've never changed a nappy in the night unless he's done a poo. I also have only ever fed from one boob at each wake up. If he fell asleep I would assume he's full. But if you do want to feed from both boobs I have found that pretty easy like this..

With the baby laying on his side facing you, feed him from the boob that is laying on the bed. Then when that is empty, lay a bit more on your front so that boob is under you, and the nipple of your other boob can line up with his mouth. It's easy once you get the hang of it. And you hardly have to wake up at all for night feeds.

Oh and I never winded him in the night and I don't think it bothered him much.

Have you tried not winding after feeding lying down? Sometimes whrn they are feeding all relaxed they don't swallow a lot of air so it might not be a problem. I only changed poo-y nappies at night and as they get older they stop pooing all the bloody time at night so you don't need to change at all until morning.

Ok I'll give feeding lying down another go, maybe without winding. Hope there will be limited vomit!

I guess once he's bigger I can drop the nappy change, every nappy has poo at the moment though. So any ideas on how to wake him for the second boob without a nappy change?

You may not need to offer both boobs at each feeding. My DS only ever drinks from 1 at a time. Remember that the end of the feed is full of hindmilk, which is more nourishing and fatty, so a little extra time on the first breast may be just as satiating as a longer period on the second breast.

Your own hunger is perfectly normal. My friend makes herself a packed 'lunch' for the night feeds

My DS1 is 6 wks and I'm feeding every 3 hrs at the moment, sometimes 4 hrs through the night. He's a really fast feeder, on average empties my boob in 6 mins before passing out in a milk coma....I feed sitting up so can't offer advice there but on the change thing, I try and do feed, change, feed but the rule of thumb I use is that if he is asleep ( or nearly asleep) after the change then I don't bother offering the other side, I only offer it if he is still awake after the change.

Love the idea of a full packed lunch! I will stick with the night snacks, I've also been getting up and having breakfast at morning feed and then going back to bed and if DS settles trying to get a bit more sleep. Also some whole milk before bed last night seemed to help.

I'm not sure about only giving one side, DS has only refused the second side on a couple of occasions. So I know he will take it I if I can wake him up enough, which in my mind means he will sleep a little longer as he is fuller? He's never asleep after the change, always grizzling for more milk! 6 minutes is fast, I thought we were doing well with two boobs and a nappy change within thirty minutes. At least it's over quickly for you and you can go back to sleep!

Just a bit of encouragement on feeding lying down, my DD never got the hang of it when she was young but she's 7 weeks now and I tried it again last night and we both found it so easy and I plan on doing the same again tonight. It was so much easier and I got much more sleep. Keep trying even if you haven't mastered it yet. I also only feed from one breast at a time and alternate through the night. My little one feeds every 2 hours though!!!

I was told to tickle his feet to wake mine between boobs.
(mine didn't eat well and slept too much so in the end we were washing him with a wet flannal to wake him to get the milk in, which was great fun for all every 2 hrs. )

I never offered both breasts, would feed on one until DD fell asleep, and if I put her down and she was still unsettled then I would offer her more. They will stop feeding when they are full. Never changed a nappy in the night unless it's a poo, otherwise they will get used to being changed every time they are wet. DD goes about 4 hours between feeds, we are teething atm though so been a few shitty nights But you do what's best for you, maybe try offering one breast and not disturbing him and see how long he goes before needing another feed?

I had to deal with this issue as I hurt my back and physically could get up and walk him etc.

I feed laying down, half way through feed I would lift DS so he was laying over my side (chest leaning on my ribs, head in the middle) then pay and rub his back until he burps. Then back on to the same boob.

He only ever took one side until he was about 12 weeks. Just leave him on til he comes off, unless you know they've stopped feeding and are just asleep using you as a human dummy.

Just alternate sides each feed like you would.

I assume you have a bednest/ cot adjoining your bed or that they are in a bed "nest" (of wrapped up towels) next to you.

I return DS (still feed this way) to his bednest cot. Put his dummy in. Stroke his head, then turn over to sleep. He very quickly just went to sleep with no more soothing.

After 3 weeks I have only changed a nappy in the night twice when he has done a poo. He is now 5 months.

When I do need to change his nappy I use a small plastic bib under his bum to change him on which I keep along with wipes and nappies at the foot of his cot. I change him laying down using my trapped, bed side arm to hold his legs up and my other hand to change. Always put a wipe over him when nappy is open/being taken off, wiped until new nappy is being put on. This catches any wee if needed.

This method has meant I have only occasionally felt really knackered.

I also read MN on my phone while I feed

Oh yes and lay a muslin over your "top" unused boob in case it leaks. This also catches any sick when you wind them.

I turn over to feed on other side or put DS on a pillow to feed him from my top boob when he was small.

A drinks bottle for laying down feeding every night (buy biggest you can find) and Jaffa cakes next to the bed too for an easy to eat/digest midnight snack.

Mine gets loads of wind during his daytime feeds, but very rarely needs burping when we do side lying nursing at night. He gulps in less air when he's half asleep I guess.

I only feed on one side if he falls asleep, and I never change a nappy unless it's poo. Worth trying to just deed one on side and see how long he sleeps on that? Seems almost counterintuitive to wake him up to get him to feed again so that he will sleep for longer. But that's probably just me being lazy.