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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

newborn breastfeding

16 replies

Loft653 · 04/12/2015 19:26

Our DD is 4 days old, we've had so many different midwives tell us about BF and none of the advice seems to be consistent!

She is pooping and weeing regularly and her latch seems fine so we aren't worried in those respects but she latches for a long time at any feed. If I leave her she'll happily suckle on one boob for an hour before naturally coming off. She will suck all that time, it isn't a case that she is falling asleep on it.
She then will go to sleep and won't take the second boob.

Now I've started taking her off the first boob after 20mins so that she gets to the second, is this the right thing to do?

Also, if she does have the second boob would you leave her on that til she comes off naturally which could be 40mins? I tried taking her off the second after 20mins and she was not happy!!

My community midwife said leaving her sucking past 20mins is pointless as she'll have drained the milk by then and is more likely to lead to sore nipples. Doesn't seem so pointless when you've taken her off and she has a crying fit though!

Any tips really appreciated!

OP posts:

kittyvet · 04/12/2015 19:32

I was told by all lactation support never to take baby off. Just follow her lead. Get to a breastfeeding support group - think midwives don't ways have that much experience with breastfeeding

DontBuyANewMumCashmere · 04/12/2015 19:39

Sounds like you're doing a great job. Yes I left DD on as long as she wanted. She often was on me for hours at a time especially in the evening but as you say it keeps them quiet! DH used to call it (my milk) Keep Quiet Juice.
I think swapping sides after the first 20 mins is good then letting her come off naturally.
When she's a bit older you'll be able to spot the difference between swallowing and sucking. I introduced a dummy early on, before 8 weeks I think, as she was so sucky. It worked well for us, I just give her dummy for sleeps and she doesn't always need it.
Congratulations,
Good luck, lots of and
Don't forget to eat plenty yourself, I was rubbish at making sure I ate and drank!

CultureSucksDownWords · 04/12/2015 19:41

My understanding of milk production is that it happens in response to the baby sucking. So continued sucking will cause your breasts to release more milk, so feeds will last longer than the time it takes to drain the milk stored in your breast ifyswim. Certainly if she protests at being unlatched, I wouldn't artificially stop her feed at an arbitrary 20 minutes.

bumpertobumper · 04/12/2015 19:45

I always just do one boob per feed. Want a decision to do so, just followed baby's lead. And currently feeding dc3, they've all been ebf and v chubby so works for me.
My advice is to go with whatever keeps baby happy.
Congratulations!

bumpertobumper · 04/12/2015 19:46

Wasn't a decision

Lj8893 · 04/12/2015 19:47

Don't stop her feeding, as she won't get the fatty milk at the end of a feed.

Let her feed till she stops herself, offer her the other breast and if she doesn't take it, make sure she has that breast when she next feeds.

YokoUhOh · 04/12/2015 19:47

OP visit this website - it will tell you everything you need to know about BFing:

Www.kellymom.com

It's the business, you can find out anything you need to know!

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 04/12/2015 19:48

You need to leave her on one boob for an entire feed. Then use the next boob at the next feed. I think you'll find she may be more satisfied, as towards the end of the feed, the fatty hind milk is released. By taking her of an popping her on the other, she's missing out on the more satisfying milk.

BuggerLumpsAnnoyed · 04/12/2015 19:49

Cross post Yoko!

CultureSucksDownWords · 04/12/2015 19:53

The foremilk/hindmilk thing is more complex than that, I think Kellymom has a good explanation. I think the thing is that you don't need to try and engineer feeds if you feed on demand.

RubberDicky · 04/12/2015 19:53

As the other have said, I just let my son suckle for as long as he likes until he decides to stop, when he wants to suckle again I put him on he other side. I just let him continue as long as he likes and in the first few weeks there were times when he would feed for hours. Then it reduces, until they need you to produce more milk so there'll be intermittent periods of just sucking forever - see it as them writing a note for the milkman letting your body know how much to deliver.

Sounds like you're doing really well well done - it's hard work and not easy!

daluze · 04/12/2015 20:48

A good introduction of what to expect in early days: kellymom.com/hot-topics/newborn-nursing/
Do not limit time on breast when actively sucking. If they are too sleepy to take the second breast, you can try waking up a bit by stripping down to the nappy, changing nappy, stroking feet. But if they manage to sleep an hour or two between feeds anyway, then you can feed from one breast only at the time (i.e. offer the second, but it is ok if they don't take).
There will be times when they feed nearly continuously for hours, most likely at night or in the evenings - it is normal in first weeks. I was baffled by the term "feed" in early weeks, I often wouldn't know when one feed started and when ended. Still not sure why it was important for some midwifes. Kindle was my friend - now I actually miss all that time I could read books (DS2 is 15 weeks and is really fast feeder).
And enjoy cuddles! And baby "drunken with milk", just after coming from the breast :)

Artistic · 04/12/2015 21:14

The foremilk (the one that sits in the front & drains first) is thinner than hindmilk which is full of fat and more beneficial to the baby. Infants can take a while to finish foremilk & get to hindmilk. And it's important that they have sufficient hindmilk. (Too much foremilk made my baby's Poo green!). So I used to give only one side per feed. In the early days it did take 40 mins. But as baby gets stronger & more efficient the time reduces. By 6 months mine was doing the same job in 10 minutes & she never went to the other side as her tummy was full on one side per feed. I've never forced baby to get off either unless she was falling asleep & using me as a dummy. If you check carefully & see milk on her lips you'll know she's still feeding & should continue.

Plantpot83 · 04/12/2015 21:37

My DD could suck for over an hour per side when she was very small, I wasn't advised to take her off the breast. She could (and still does in the evenings to an extent) feed for hours. My understanding (might be wrong) is that at this age whilst she may not be getting lots of milk during a long feed, just by being at the breast she is stimulating your milk supply. I used to wait for DD to finish then put her on the other side, if she didn't want it I just put her to that breast the next time she wanted to feed. I found breastfeeding clinics useful (although you can receive conflicting advice)

Original poster

Loft653 · 04/12/2015 22:26

Thank you all ladies, my instinct was to just to leave her until she came off naturally so it's nice to know that this is what many others do to

OP posts:

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/12/2015 05:18

Congratulations on your DD Loft

Im no expert but speak from my own recent experience (Ds is 4mo - he fed constantly for hours on end for several weeks. He then became much more efficient at getting the milk and there was a noticeable difference in the sucking/swallowing and how long/often he fed.

You might get sore nipples, i did for about two weeks. Apply lansinoh after every feed - you don't need to wash it off before feeding.

Good luck, and beware of conflicting advice from hv, mw etc. I had a lot and it ruined those first few weeks for me.

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