Cluster feeding - I need sleep

[mrshadders]

Desperate for help. My daughter is 3 days old today and currently breastfed. She is good as gold in the day. Feeds every 3 hours or so although they can be long feeds. Today (Saturday) she fed 19 times for a total of 6 hours.
Since 9pm she has been constantly feeding. She will feed, fall asleep for 5/10 minutes, fuss and show cues before crying for the boob again. Since 9pm I have fed her 10 times (not an exaggeration - I'm tracking them on an app).
I am desperate for sleep. I'm not comfortable doing the side feed/laying down to feed.
Is there anything I can try? Do I just have to bear it? I'm exhausted and my husband wants to help but can't. For reference last night was our first night home from hospital and she was the same.
Any wise words would be much appreciated x

Have you tried a dummy?

Night 2 is always the worst. That's what several midwives told me! She is so tiny at the moment, she just wants the comfort and colostrum. In a couple of days your milk will come in properly and she will be able to go a little bit longer each time.

And the knackeredness fades; Adrenalin or something kicks in and you will survive it. I'm at week 11 and honestly it gets so much better and easier. I really found laying down feeding helped so much, but I had a fair few lost birth injuries and issues so didn't really have much choice. If you ask your midwife to show you how to lie down feed properly, that may help?

Just hang in there, and really try to nap during the day. I didn't and it was very silly of me!! A tidy house or having a shower isn't as important as sleep in those frat couple of weeks. I promise it gets better!

Oh I remember this well-I thought it’d never end, mine did this literally all night long for a couple of nights and then it stopped. Totally normal, get some lansinoh on stand by in case your nipples get sore and Binge watch some Netflix...hang in there, it does get so much easier.

It's a bit late for today, but tomorrow you should nap before nine in anticipation of the cluster while your DH watches the baby. For now, you need to make staying up less tortuous. Lights on, interesting box set and many snacks. This too shall pass and you're doing great. Send DH to bed with the understanding that he takes over the second feeding stops. If you start falling asleep go and get DH immediately- do not fall asleep holding the baby. Do you have a bedside cot like a next to me?

It is so hard, but I just wanted to say it sounds like you're doing really well. The breastfeeding does get easier! The lying down feeds (with something on the iPad so I didn't sleep) really helped me. Or do you have a comfy chair you can nurse in? Get lots of snacks and treats.

Do you have any breastfeeding support from the midwives? There are also brilliant phone lines you could ring tomorrow to chat it all through with. I've found them helpful and encouraging.

Keep going, and congratulations!

Thanks for your messages ladies. My husband ended up giving her a bit of readymade formula at 2am because I couldn't stop crying. She slept through really well after that.
I don't think my latch is right as my nipples hurt so much. She doesn't seem to get them deep enough. Going to pop back into hospital today and have them re check.
Thanks again

Ah, I had that. Do have them check but with me they were just sore because they had a baby sucking on them for hours! In my experience, the 'if it hurts you're doing it wrong' thing is utter rubbish.

They cluster feed to up your supply because they're hungry and you're not giving much milk yet. It can be a normal, if upsetting, phase. If so it'll be much better when your milk comes in.

Thanks @ReganSomerset. I read something yesterday saying if it hurts you're doing it wrong and it just shattered me. I've had midwives check my latch and they've said it's fine and it doesn't 'hurt' per se it just feels tender. Fingers crossed I get somewhere with the latch/milk coming in hopefully tomorrow.

The best thing I was told in hospital was that it will hurt for the first 30 seconds or so of each feed, and the "if it hurts it's wrong" is nonsense; if it's wildly painful beyond 30 seconds is when there's a problem.

Obviously if it's peel-me-off-the-ceiling pain that's no good, and break the latch, but tenderness/uncomfortableness at the beginning of each feed for the first few weeks is normal in my experience. Your boob is in someone's mouth! Of course you're going to feel it.

The first days and weeks are HORRENDOUS and you're doing brilliantly. It will pass.

Try and feed or offer to feed more during the day - 3hrs is quite a lot at 3/4 days old - during the day offer lots, with skin to skin cuddles - they can cluster feed evening time or afternoon time to build supply as often when milk is at the lowest.

She may also like to suck so a dummy can help.

But also nothing wrong with combine feeding and one formula at 10pm each night is not going to harm - if you stick to a pattern there where you body knows not to expect a feed then it all gets in tune quite quickly.

My DD is now 7 weeks and she cluster fed for the first few weeks. It was so hard! My DH now gives her a bottle of either expressed milk or formula at 9pm so I can get a few hours sleep and honestly it’s given me my sanity back. After that she sometimes sleeps for a few hours, which is bliss. Do what works for you but you need to look after yourself and if your OH can help with the odd bottle then go for it. Congratulations on your new arrival xx

That sounds tough! But by next week the extreme cluster feeding may stop :) baby is probably doing it to increase your milk supply.

I would strongly suggest getting an electric pump. Pump 150ml during the day then your husband can feed the baby for some of the night so you get some rest. I got the tomee tippee one from Argos and it's brilliant! The best one is the Medela one though, from what I've heard.

Fingers crossed you'll be getting more sleep soon!! x

By the way, they told us not to use a dummy until breastfeeding is well established at around 4 weeks.