Newborn won't stop feeding.

[CDButler]

I just need some reassurance that I'm not going to lose my mind.

My DS is 5 days old and I am BF.

For the past 2 days he has been feeding continuously. I will get the odd half hour break through the day as long as I don't move him but he is pretty much attached to me 24/7.

The longest break I have had was last night from midnight until 2am. I've hardly had the chance to go to the toilet, let alone shower or try to do anything else.

I'm now so tired that I can't stop crying. My DH can only do so much and he's suggesting switching to bottle feeding so he can help more but I don't know what to do.

He's napping now but I know as soon as I try to move he will wake up and we start again.

I don't know how much longer I can carry on with this.

That sounds tough. Have you got any bf support groups you can go too to check latch?
Has your milk come in? He may be feeding and feeding to stimulate supply if not.
Make time for yourself to shower and eat though. You need your strength.

Sounds like he is stimulating supply. Most newborn babies fall asleep with movement - can your dh take him out for a hour or so? You have my upmost sympathy! Sounds incredibly stressful. A quick call to your midwife/health visitor (can't remember which one at 5 days) would reassure you, or at least get a house call.

I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Newborns often feed what appears to me constantly to begin with while milk supply get established and it does make you feel like you're going to lose your marbles (and your nipples are going to fall off!) It will get easier though - although it feels like it won't at the moment - just take it one day at a time and accept that you will be stuck under a baby for a little while!

You really have my sympathy though - my ds is now 4 weeks old and was just the same!

My boy is now 22 months but day 4 or 5 nearly killed me he was feeding the same. His older sister did the same but I had managed to completely forget. We are still bf today although only two feeds a day. It honestly does get better!

I remember the same about that stage it was so hard. Can you sleep with him on you? From my experience it got better very quickly.

This is within normal....you need a lot of tlc and support while it lasts.

Frequent even semi continuous feeding is good. It stimulates supply and it helps the baby adjust and adapt to life 'outside' happily and smoothly. Just five days ago your baby was a part of you, and your taste, smell, voice and 'connection' that he gets with feeding is familiar and soothing to him.

It should get a little easier over the next day or so.

Thank you everyone.

I've accepted it's best to just stay in bed today and try and doze while he feeds.

I knew breastfeeding was supposed to be tough but I wasn't prepared for this.

Totally normal. I know that doesn't help.

At day 5 you really are in the thick of it my lovely!

Can you just set up camp in bed and watch some box sets, snooze eat and feed. Those are your only jobs!

Get lots of snacks and water and carry on. You're doing great and it's going to get better soon. The gaps between feeds will widen.

My dd fed every 20 mins at that age. Now she's 5 months and it's every few hours.

You're doing really really well. It's incredibly tough the first few weeks, you just need to be realistic with what else you are going to achieve that day (ie not much) and restrict visitors a little bit and bed down. Eat and drink loads and make your OH look after you. If you can get to a BF group locally that will be a good source of support. With us, we turned a corner at 3 ish weeks where feeds started to space out a little bit and it felt more manageable. By 6-8 weeks, feeds lasted 20 minutes and were every couple of hours, every 3-4 hours at night.

Bottle feeding may seem like the answer but if you can crack BF it will reward you by being way more convenient while out and about, you don't have to get out of bed to make bottles and it's free. Your OH can do so much to help that doesn't have to involve feeding. You can always introduce a bottle a day when your supply is established (6-8 weeks) so you can get a nice long stretch of sleep.

Good luck!

Good luck with it, no more useful advice as you have been given loads! You're doing great!

If your baby is five days old are you still under midwife care? If so I would phone the ward and just speak to somebody. They may be able to reassure you and might even send somebody out to you.

Look up some guidelines for safe co sleeping and doze while you feed. Get DH to bring you drinks and snacks!

And yy, this stage doesn't last forever. It won't be like this all the time.

It's normal I'm afraid - I'm also in the trenches with DD who is 12 days. Yesterday she cluster fed from 9am-6pm and then most of the night too. It's absolutely exhausting but as she's my second I know it passes so I am managing to stay sane (just).

Just remember it's NOT because you aren't producing enough milk - it's the baby establishing your supply and putting in an "order" for more to be produced.

Keep up the good work

I wish someone had told me this was perfectly normal when my DD was a newborn. She fed for hours and hours on end in those early weeks. My local breastfeeding support group helped with her latch. But mostly I wish I had known enough to relax, get comfortable and let her at it. The worry made an exhausting time even more grim.
She's 9 months old now, and thriving. The constant breastfeeding stage passed. So my advice is to get comfortable and go with it. And it won't be the end of the world if someone holds her while you take 20 minutes to have a shower and change. A sling also helped, we got out and about and she slept.

Don't worry about doing anything apart from feeding your lovely DS. Get yourself comfy and feed, feed, feed. He is building up your milk supply and he just wants to be close to you.

My DS2 was attached almost permanently for the first weeks. He wanted to feed all the time, a mix of hunger and comfort. Most of the time I was fine and just followed his lead but I did cry a few times when I just wanted a shower or 10 minutes to myself. It does pass though. I don't think anyone ever tells you about these things.

With DS1 I expected him to feed every 3 hours and then settle in his moses basket. I was more prepared for the constant feeding and sleeping on me with DS2 and at 10 months I already miss those first weeks snuggled on the sofa feeding and watching box sets! He has about 5 feeds now and each one only last about 10 minutes.

To help me my DP took over most of the housework, he would bring me drinks and snacks, he cut all my meals into pieces so I could eat with one hand. He would walk DS in the pram if I needed some time.

It really will pass quickly. You've got the right idea today, doze, snuggle and feed. Make yourself a little pack of snacks and drinks for when your DP isn't there. It is tough but it will get easier.

Thank you all again for your responses.

I feel that little bit better already knowing everyone goes through it.. I've at least stopped crying

My local Homestart team and midwife have been out to see me and they've assured me I'm doing just fine but I just wanted to know others have been there and survived.

Thank you ladies!!

:)