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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

Feeding lying down: I don't get it!

29 replies

YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 03/08/2016 06:50

My DD is 6 weeks old and EBF. We have a co-sleeper crib. I keep reading about how BF makes night feeds so easy because you just feed them lying down so you can sleep and it's all great. I can't seem to crack this.

DD struggles to latch on when we're lying down and gets frustrated. I have enormous breasts (40H at the moment Blush) and she's quite small so maybe that's the issue?

In addition, surely if you did leave baby next to you all night to latch on and off, all the night feeds would be off the same breast? Is this not a bad thing? I can't see how I could feed her off the other one, as if I turned around she would be between me and DH in the bed, which would be unsafe.

Is DD too little for this to work? Will it get easier when she's physically bigger, and has more control of her own body? Is the one breast thing just not something I need to worry about?

OP posts:
Laquila · 03/08/2016 07:01

Feeding lying down can be more trouble than its worth, but for some people, once you crack it, it an makes things easier!

We had a co-sleeper but when I fed lying down I brought my son into bed with me and then put him back in afterwards - I think unless you have no bedside table it can be tricky to feed with the baby still in the co-sleeper. I have 34F boobs a scan feed from either boob with a bit of wriggling, bit it does take practice and it's easy to fall asleep with a teeny baby burrowing into your armpit and then war up terrified and confused! It's definitely something that gets easier as they get bigger though. Good luck 😃

Original poster
YouAndMeAreGoingToFallOut · 03/08/2016 07:18

Thanks Laquila. I don't know why I mentioned the co-sleeper actually as it isn't really relevant - I have been bringing her into the bed!

I guess I just have to keep practicing!

OP posts:
BathshebaDarkstone · 03/08/2016 07:23

My DC slept in the crook of my arm, I just rolled with them still there to swap breasts.

Paulat2112 · 03/08/2016 07:27

It can take practice, so keep going. We actually found it the easiest way to feed and during the day I would come up and lay in bed to feed or even lay on the couch lol. I'm a GG so I feel you

cuntinghomicidalcardigan · 03/08/2016 07:33

I didn't really crack it til ds was about 4 months and able to shuffle himself about a bit. Once I did it was life changing! I tended to feed predominantly on one side during the day to make up for feeding mostly on the other side at night. He is 21mo and he still enjoys night feeds even though it's driving me crazy

JasperDamerel · 03/08/2016 07:41

I found it very hard in the early days with DC1. I think when you have firm, milk-filled boobs in the early days it can be tricky because a little bit of floppiness makes it easier to get the position right. You don't need to move the baby to feed from the other side. You keep the baby where she is and roll over so that you are more on your stomach and your nipple is at baby moth height. Your top arm will be touching the bed to curl around the baby.

Orsono · 03/08/2016 08:05

I also have a six week old, and find it awkward to feed from both sides lying down, so I tend to do a feed somewhere around 1am sitting up on the side I'm not going to use lying down, put him back in the side cot after that one, and then bring him into bed lying down the next time he wakes, usually around 3am. That way it's not the whole night on one side.

Abrahamkin · 03/08/2016 09:26

It was life changing...once I cracked it Grin. That took a number of weeks though! Not sure how many, but definitely more than 4, probably a bit less than 8. I think it was more that my DC could then shuffle a bit and latch on rather than me doing all the work.

I used to move him from one side to the other. He did end up in the middle sometimes, and other times I asked my DH to switch sides with me.

ChocChocPorridge · 03/08/2016 09:33

Yes, DS1 was a bit small and floppy (he wasn't especially, but it seemed it) so we didn't crack it until he was about 3 months old and bigger, and stiffer.

Like others I'd sleep on my side, him in the crook of my arm, and to swap sides, I'd just clamp him in place and roll over with him to the other side.

HappyHeart87 · 03/08/2016 09:40

It took us a while to crack it as well but agree it was totally transformative! We cosleep and DD stays on my left (between me and the wall) all night.

In the early days I'd prop myself up on my arm - sometimes slightly uncomfortably - to help her latch on. Once she latched I could relax back as she could keep my nipple in her mouth.

Now I just sleep on my side facing her with both boobs out and she latches on and off through the night. I'm covered in bruises from when she's missed the target, but we're sleeping wonderfully so it's a price I'm happy to pay!

KneeKnee · 06/08/2016 21:50

Love feeding lying down. I do it most of the night and during the day to get the baby off to sleep.

I wake up about 2 or three times a night then get up and change sides. I can fall back asleep easily.

I also place a pillow between my knees and wedge a pillow under my bum and back.

It's really comfy and DD has the boob on tap.

I wonder if it's the reason she's so fat!

KneeKnee · 06/08/2016 21:52

Sleep is the reason I do it. I get some this way!

Wish I had been able to do it with dd1. This time round we've a bed to ourselves.

Tumtitum · 09/08/2016 21:13

Similar to others I didn't crack this until DD was a bit bigger and more robust! Also have big boobs (32G) so I'm sure once you've cracked it you'll be able to feed from both whilst lying on the same side. Depending on how much they feed during the night though I wouldn't worry about if they feed from just one boob, you must just wake up with the other boob very hard!! Grin DD is now 6 months and I find my back gets very sore if I feed her lying down and we co-sleep so I'm going to try those pillow tricks mentioned above!! :)

ZZZZ1111 · 10/08/2016 08:42

I also have big boobs. And found lying down feeding hard and frustrating until about 4 months when I just tried it again and it worked! And it has been a game changer as coincided with sleep regression which is still hitting us hard. So I get to feed and snooze throughout the multiple wake ups (and we co-sleep quite a bit too now) rather than having to sit up in bed.

I can feed off both boobs whilst lying on one side - you will be able to do this if you also have big boobs. Probably as others have said once your baby gets a bit bigger and knows what he's doing a bit more.

If I'm lying on my right side.. My left arm holds baby to me, nose to nipple.. My right hand makes a boob sandwich and puts nipple to baby's mouth.. Then once he is latched I move hand away (this took a lot of practice!) and put it under my pillow to get comfy.

There are some videos online you can watch, but probably it's just practise and your baby getting a bit bigger.

Hope that's helpful.

TriJo · 11/08/2016 14:03

I'm big up top (32J) and DS only really cracked feeding lying down when he was 3 months ish and still doesn't do it that often.

mellmumma · 19/08/2016 13:54

My 4 week old has mastered this for his final night feed which is somewhere between 5 and 7am when I'm not ready to start my day!
I get him out of the chicco and he sleeps in my nook until around 8 feeding on and off. It is my favourite time... Love the morning cuddles with him curled up where bump used to be!

I do feed him sitting up the rest of the night feeds though and put him back in the chicco as SIDS scares me so much and my mum was horrified when I told her he is in bed with me every morning Blush

The thing I don't understand for those who cosleep all night... Leaky boob milk and sick.... Don't your sheets get all wet??

Rainbowrhythms · 19/08/2016 13:55

DS is 5 months and hates feeding lying down. Also hates co sleeping!

BertieBotts · 19/08/2016 13:59

Have them on their side facing you. Lower on your body than you'd think. They need to look up to get a good latch.

Lower boob, I did need to roll to swap sides initially, but after a while I could have DS on his back or at 45 degree angle while I dangled the top boob over him. Affectionately known on here as the 'Mawbroon roll' after an old regular :)

BertieBotts · 19/08/2016 14:01

Mellmumma: feeding bra + breastpads and lying on a muslin which was changed often. Mattress protector and not v sicky baby helped.

mellmumma · 19/08/2016 15:01

Ahh so you do still wake up to whip it out for them to latch onto? I envisaged people sleeping through the night while their little one suckles away. If he falls asleep on it and I don't wake up to put the boob away we tend do get an uncomfortable wet patch which neither of us likes very much! Couldn't imagine the state of the bed if we co-slept the whole night! X

KneeKnee · 19/08/2016 21:14

Up until a few weeks ago, my baby was very sicky.

It's all about layers. I've a mattress protector, then a disposable bed mat, then the fitted sheet, then a baby blanket, then a muslin.

Boob stays out all night, until I put it away in my bra with a pad. At this stage usually the other boob comes out when I switch sides. I hardly ever get to sleep on my own right no!

So yeh there are leaks at times. Baby has dried sprays of milk on her face etc but I change the muslin after every sleep and blanket every few days.

FATEdestiny · 19/08/2016 21:40

Tip for massive boobs:

Feed from the top boob if lying on your side.

To feed from the lower boob, roll more on your back and let your lower boob slide round your side to baby's mouth Confused

LBOCS2 · 19/08/2016 21:45

Yep, that's what I do. I support my back with a pillow so I can get the right angle.

DD2 stays on pretty much all night. It's really tedious.

BertieBotts · 19/08/2016 21:57

Mell - I think you have a 4 week old from another thread? At 4 weeks defo I was waking up fully. Letting them latch on to open boobs comes later when you get more confident and also stop leaking quite so much.

Youremywifenow · 21/08/2016 10:47

Get some of the giant muslins to put under you. I have some double thickness ones which stop any milk getting through.
I'm a J cup and find lying down the easiest position to feed in. As someone said, you need the baby lower than you would think.
Mine comes into bed for the night feed and stays there. She slept through last night and I really missed her in bed.
I sleep with arm stretched out and a pillow between my legs to stop myself rolling over.

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