WWYD? 1 day old too much milk > colic & everybody crying

[helloelo]

X post with post natal but need specific bf advice too please...

Baby T (DS1) was born yesterday early morning. My birth story reads as bad romcom childbirth, I'm sorry... and worst of all, I feel ungrateful for feeling horrid about it... Please please don't flame me. I really feel for worst labours than mine but I really could do with breastfeeding support...

Was a planned HB that ended up at the hospital as we didn't have time to call the MW and taxi there was quicker. I transitioned in the bathroom for 15min thinking labour had stopped (2h mild contractions 5 minutes apart & dancing in the shower, just before we were at a restaurant with friends) and ended up with back to back pushing urges, a very calm DH and a stoical uber driver who just ran a red light at the sound of "I can feel the head". I'm just getting over the shock of what seemed to me the most primal, sudden and painful 15 min of pushing ever. I know they can be awful and I'm sensitive to ppl with long labours but tbh I'm off to the see a counsellor asap as I was forced on my back in stirrups (baby HB decelerations) and threatened with forceps.

Baby T was rather shocked too but spent his first 12 hours very alert and happy. Then the night came and hell broke loose basically. Must sound stupid to non FTM but I didn't know your milk could come in so early and I was left with massive leaking boobs, a baby that needed suckling all the time because of colic and colic made worst by all the milk he was having without me realising. I realise my chance, I do, he has an excellent latch and I have abundant supply but after 4 hours of him screaming bloody murder and me crying my heart out, trying to comfort him by walking up and down the corridor with stitches still very sore, the night MW took him to the nursery and gave him a paci!!! I felt awful. I still do.

Now I try to space feeding to a min of 2hrs (shamefully using a makeshift paci made out of a nuk firstborn teat) and I got my DH to bring the caboo close which helps. I've not put him down since 8am but he's back to happy between farts. He's not had a BM or urine since 6am though so I'm getting worried.

WWYD in that situation? I'm dreading the night...

Couldn't read and run but I'm sure someone better will be among soon.
It's been a long time but remember the early days thinking I couldn't feed baby enough - they do feed all the time - let him - the more he feeds the better the milk supply.
I remember days of just feeding non stop - forcing 2 hour feeds is artificial.

I wouldn't try to space feeds, 2 hours is far too long for a newborn. Keep feeding him, boob is better than a dummy at this age.

I agree that you shouldn't try to 'time' feeds - newborn tummies are tiny and need feeding regularly. If you're finding that your milk has come in and he's struggling with the amount you're producing, try hand expressing some milk into a muslin / towel / something just before feeding. You just cup one hand under your breast and with the other hand gently press down across the skin towards your nipple, to produce the milk. If you express some off before feeding it should stop the milk squirting into his mouth. It should enable him to feed more easily and not be gulping it down, when they gulp they take in air which will make them unconfortable. Put him over your should and rub back gently but firmly to wind him after feeds, and in the middle of a feed if you hear gulping and think he's taking in too much air.

Thanks a lot. My instinct says keep him on the boob and feed... I hate the paci it makes me feel inadequate. But if I feed him on demand (20-30min for 5-8min) he vomits excess milk and screams with farting pain... Really don't know what to do...

Oooh slice thanks a million I'll try that right now and report back, he's rooting.

I agree with keeping feeding on demand. Have you tried baby massage for the farting? Gently stroke in clockwise circles on the tummy. Hope it works!

Whoever has been giving you bfing information, stop listening to them. That is your first step.

Your baby doesn't have colic. I mean, he might in future, but colic is a diagnosis based on a pattern of behaviour over a prolonged time. You can't diagnose colic in a one day old. So the good news is, you are not making it worse.

Your baby is brand new. He is confused by all the outside sensations. He has never experienced hunger before. Or not being held in a lovely warm bubble.

Feed, feed, feed. Don't try and stretch the gaps. Just feed. And snuggle. And if necessary sleep in shifts with your partner whilst he snuggles. It will get easier, even in a few days.

Cross posted. How much is he bringing up. Could be wind from forceful let down? Will he burp?

Hi love ( very un mumsnetty I know but have a hug). From my memories of pfb and a very quick labour it all feels like a bit of a shock! Go with your instincts, feed, feed, feed and take it easy.
Don't feel awful. My Ds was the same his first night and they took him to the nursery and gave him formular. I felt terrible about it but he was fine and is went on to breast feed for 8 months.
A newborns stomach is the size of a walnut ( or so I was told by a midwife). That's why they need such frequent feeds and afaik bm is digested much quicker than formular.
Keep up the great work, you are doing great.
I also recommend homeopathic arnica globules for your stiches.

What is your let down like. I remember my ds pulling off the boob and being showered with milk like fountains squirting out of my nipple.
He had terrible colic and would always bring up milk with little sicks after a feed.
I think that a very strong let down can lead to gulping and swallowing air. Perhaps you can take him off and wind after 10 minutes or so.

Colic starts at 6 weeks. A one day old baby is crying for hunger.

My DCs both vomited a lot at the very beginning, both were mucusy & docs said this was their way of getting it out, but they'd be getting some nutrition anyway from the feeds. I'm no expert but the advice you were given sounds v v v dodgy. Even second time around I was surprised and overwhelmed by how much dc2 needed to feed- every 2 hours sounds way too long. It settles down quickly though, try not to let it get on top of you & talk to a different midwife. Good luck!

Firstly, congratulations!
I'm sure there will be plenty of posters with much fresher memories than me (and better advice) but I just wanted to say that I found both my quick births quite a shock to the system, going from 0-60 so suddenly was terrifying. A lot of people find it pretty traumatic so don't feel silly for being shellshocked. Plus it was only yesterday, go easy on yourself!

As for the feeding, I had a really strong flow of milk both times, to the point I could see my dd's struggling to keep up and I would worry about choking them. They were always fine but if my boobs felt really engorged and I knew the milk flow would be too much, I always expressed it for a minute or so, until the flow had calmed down a bit. I don't know if it was the right thing to do or not but it worked for us and within a few weeks it had settled down to match my dds' needs.

I wouldn't wait 2 hours between feeds either, go with your instinct. They feed quite often when very little and breast milk is a lot thinner than formula so goes through them quicker. It takes a while to find your feet in the days after the birth (I'm assuming it's your first, apologies if not as I will be preaching to the converted ) so don't be scared to contact your midwife if you are worried about anything.

Finally, if you feel your ds would be happier with a dummy, just do it! Don't worry about what anybody else thinks - I used to hate them but I tell you, those things saved my boobs sanity when they were babies.

Can I ask what country are you based in?

Your baby will demand feed he will feed when he wants for how often he wants.

I'm surprised hospital gave you a make shift dummy especially while establishing bf. That's why I'm asking which country!

Congrats on your baby

I can't express how much reading you all is helping, many, many thanks.

Ok so I'll start over with BF then. I'm incredibly lucky he has a good latch, my nipples seem to take it fine and I have supply.
I can't seem to hand express though so surely my milk has come but it's not overflowing (just leaking when he cries).
I think my let down is fine, if I unlatch him he's got white foamy milk around his mouth but I'm not showering him with excess. I think he vomited more mucus than milk also so I'll try not to worry about that either.
I was told you didn't have to wind a bf baby though so I had omitted that part . He just spent 20min on my boob and I unwind him to a nice burp. I now have him in an upward position to see if he feels better this way. Next I'll try a vertical bf position, I'm off researching that.

Generally as a rule of thumb no you don't have to wind a fb baby!

My second threw up quite a lot of mucus over the first few days.

I'm in France, they haven't got a clue and I'm stuck in hospital for 3 days after a straightforward birth...
The teat is filled with a muslin and sealed, no 24/7 boots around. But it's now in the bin.

And thank you for acknowledging how traumatic quick births can be, I was worried it would sound precious to feel bad about it.

Vomiting could be mucous...will shift on its own after a few days. Most likely appears to be linked to feeding as he's actually vomiting shortly after waking up which happens to also be when he is feeding

I have just noticed that you don't think he has done a wee since 6am. Is that true? it would be something to speak to the hcps about if so. Bear in mind their wees are tiny - you might need a cotton wool pad in the nappy to check.

congratulations on your new baby :)
As a ftm when you don't know what to expect it can be baffling and its totally normal to feel like you do.
having a quick birth can be just as traumatic as any other difficult birth (both for you and the baby)
he (baby) is probably just as anxious about everything as you.
You are doing a great job so far so don't beat yourself up.
Some things t consider/try:

• have lots of skin to skin with baby, strip off from waist up (and dad too) and just have baby in nappy (can cover you both with a blanket or just turn heating up a bit) - this will help calm baby

• try having a bath with baby as this can be really calming too

• how are you holding baby whilst feeding? Have you heard of biological nursing? ( sounds funny but basically its just laying back on bed/settee with enough pillows/cushions to support ypu and make you comfortable and then lying baby on you and letting him latch on himself)
  google it to get some idea of pictures etc.

• if baby is very windy it could be that as your milk has come in so quickly baby is trying to adjust to the flow (its poss that you might have a fast let down) - would second the idea to hand express some off into a cup/muslin just the initial let down bit and then latch baby on (don't express too much though as this may lead to oversupply!)

*don't worry about spacing/timing feeds etc just be led by baby, they are clever things and by letting baby control how often and how long to feed your supply will settle to what he needs. (you cant overfeed a bf baby as he will just bring up what he doesn't need)

• the being sick wont necessarily last for very long as he will soon adjust to the flow

*try and find a local breastfeeding group to go long to when you feel up to it as you will find lots of support there (and maybe people in the same boat!)

fwiw my dc3 was like this (windy sicky etc) and with each week it improved a little.
HTH

ah just seen that you think I might be mainly mucusy, that is very normal and will pass.

defo keep an eye on wee output, would agree to put a cotton pad in nappy as wee's can be tiny at 1 day old.

He won't have colic at such an early age. Breastfed babies need to suckle all the time to get your supply started. For the first few days, he could feed about 22 out of 24 hours a day. If he is wanting to suck, keep him at the breast. Giving a pacifier could have an effect on breast feeding as he wont be keeping the same demand on your lactation. It will settle, and it's ridiculously exhausting while he's likethis, but it does stop, and just be comfy wherever you are feeding. It's completely normal, don't worry.

Also, as previous posters have said, he will still have mucous from all the gunk he swallowed at delivery. We see it as midwives with most babies. He will sneeze to get it up and vomit, sometimes it lasts for 72 hours, but usually settles after the first 24 hours.