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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

How often should a newborn baby feed?

53 replies

asampras · 21/03/2007 14:57

Struggling breast feeding my 5 day old ( i know i know its still early days) but i am going frantic because she had her last good feed at 04:30 and then 20 mins at 11:20am. She's a bit jaundiced which is supposed to make her sleepy so i sat her by a sunny window, i have taken her right down to the nappy to get her to wake up, i try waking her up to feed, i try to feed her after a nappy change and later after a bath. She just won't stay awake. I'm worried this is because she hasn't eaten. She'll latch on half heartedly a break away and cry until she goes hysterical. She did the same Monday, yesterday she fed every 2 hours for 10 mins. I'm close to giving up and frantic she's not eating!!! HELP!!

OP posts:
cadburycremesquonk · 21/03/2007 15:03

They are all different, and some need feeding more than others. Is she ok in herself? I suspect that if she was hungry, she would be crying constantly, but it does seem that she's not feeding particularly well. Have you spoken to your midwife about it?

Original poster
asampras · 21/03/2007 15:06

I've tried calling the community midwives and can't get through, and i've tried to call my health visitor and can't get hold of her either. All i heard when i was pregnant was 'breast is best' and women should be breast feeding, but there doesn't seem to be much support.

If i were to use the bottle just to get her to feed, how much milk should i express and how oftern should she be fed?!

OP posts:
margo1974 · 21/03/2007 15:07

I know it's hard initially to b/f your newborn, she might need to feed little and often. I don't think that there are any hard and fast rules to how often and low long you should feed a baby contrary to some "authors" may think.

Do you offer her another feed after she unlatches herself?

It will get better and your little one will grow to be a bit more predictable as she gets older - I promise

I am sure there will be an expert on hand to give your proper advice soon, but I just wanted you to know that you are not alone

margo1974 · 21/03/2007 15:08

Have you looked up the La Leche League numbers? Look on one of the older threads under this topic

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:09

Aw, asampras....I can understand how challenging this is, and upsetting, too.

It may help to speak to your midwife, or to call one of the bf telephone lines.

It's not possible to tell if your baby is just having a temporary 'blip' or if you need a little more intensive help.

Is your baby weeing and pooing? Soft yellow poo on day 5 is a good sign she is taking in suficient milk.

Hold her skin to skin with you as much as you can, and this way, she will be able to communicate early feeding cues, before getting upset and it will also stimulate her instincts to feed.

Let us know how things go.

cadburycremesquonk · 21/03/2007 15:09

If you can express, then give her a bottle. She may not take that either though. She will stop when she has had enough.

I may get shot for saying this, but have you thought about formula?

I know breast is best and all that, but some women just can't. I managed a few weeks with each of mine, but it was clear that my milk just wasn't enough for them so I ended up putting all of them on formula and they were happier for it.

Keep trying your midwives, and the hv. You could also try the maternity dept. of the local hospital - if you had her in the hospital, great, but it won't matter if you didn't.

margo1974 · 21/03/2007 15:11

This was posted by Moondog on an earlier thread

A chat with a breastfeeding counsellor may help too.Try the lovely people at Association for Breastfeeding Mothers

0870 401 7711

Original poster
asampras · 21/03/2007 15:11

i keep trying and trying when she unlatches, until i get tearful. I don't feel a failure because i realise its early days or blame my baby because she is all new to this like me. But i'm upset and frantic because she needs to eat and i can't feed her.

OP posts:
tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:11

asampras, try the midwives again. Call the maternity unit where you gave birth and explain how much you need help. It's not clear whether you need to start expressing - it's a real hassle and you may be able to resolve things without doing it.

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:12

Trying and trying when she is upset makes it into a fight, and really doesn't help.....keep her skin to skin and calm, and try when she shows little signs she is not deeply asleep

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:14

Or even when you are upset

tortoiseSHELL · 21/03/2007 15:14

Hi, congrats on your baby! Sorry you're finding it tough - a sleepy baby is really hard work, 2 of mine have been sleepy.

Things I did - feed with both of you naked for lots of skin to skin. Feed in the bath with her (this is supposed to help milk flow I think, and also skin to skin), if she falls asleep, try switching sides, then switching back again - this was in the La Leche League book, and I think it gives them more of a 'gush' of milk to keep them awake. If she falls asleep, wake her up by putting her naked onto the cold changing mat, or putting cold water on her face.

Feed lots through the night - this is really important for building up supply I think. Don't go longer than 2-3 hours between feeds (start of feed to start of feed).

Is your mw coming today or tomorrow? Could she observe a feed?

How are her nappies? Yellow poo? Wet? I'm guessing you've not had her reweighed yet, but if you have, how was her weight?

Hope things improve, and hopefully someone more knowledgeable will be along soon.

cadburycremesquonk · 21/03/2007 15:14

asampras - you are right not to feel a failure, or to blame your little girl, but try not to get upset and frantic. You are going to sort this out.

kks · 21/03/2007 15:14

I gave up breast feeding after 5 days. It was too painful anyway but i didn't have a clue how much she was actually getting. I put her on the bottle and i knew exactly what she was getting and she has had an excellant feeding pattern since

tortoiseSHELL · 21/03/2007 15:14

oh phew, tiktok is here!

MrsBadger · 21/03/2007 15:15

Also worth trying:

National Childbirth Trust Breastfeeding Line 0870 444 8708
La Leche League Telephone Helpline 0845 120 2918

Kellymom.com might be worth a look as well, but I'd talk to someone 'real' as well.

nailpolish · 21/03/2007 15:16

i had 2 sleepy babies and used to worry about feeds

i used to strip them down to feed them and dh would flick their little toes

when they got to 2-3 weeks old they werent so sleepy

after a bath i found they were MORE sleepy

also changing the nappy halfway through the feed can wake them up a little

hth

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:18

Awww....kks, how does that help asampras?

twocatsonthebed · 21/03/2007 15:19

I had enormous grief in the first few weeks with dd - so my sympathy.

Tiktok is right - go to bed with her, skin to skin, for a day or more, to make it nice and easy for her to feed. And also do call one of the helplines - the NCT really sorted me out.

And yes, the level of support for breastfeeding - which isn't always half as easy as everyone makes out - is pants. Everyone talks the talk when you are pregnant, but then there are no resources to actually help when you need it. Makes me furious.

nailpolish · 21/03/2007 15:20

kks thats not appropriate

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:20

nailpolish, your experience with the bathing is not at all unusual! It can exhaust a new baby, and they totally zonk out

It's also a proper faff bathing a baby.

Skin to skin really does help - it really does support early bf.

tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:21
nailpolish · 21/03/2007 15:22

god yes tiktok, after a bath they are all warm and cosy and in cosy clean clothes - i would be sleepy myself!

(i secretly loved stripping dd off to feed her - skin to skin is hte best thing ever, playing with their little toes, their soft skin...)

Original poster
asampras · 21/03/2007 15:23

Thanks everyone - for the advice, support and telephone numbers!

She's had 3 soft yellow poo's today, 2 wee's. Is that a good sign?

OP posts:
tiktok · 21/03/2007 15:23

Correction: co-bathing is good!! You need another person around, obv.

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