7 week old breastfeeding

[gingingingingingin]

My DD is 7 weeks old. Breastfeeding was going really well until the last couple of weeks - she was feeding for 15-20 minutes every 1.5-2.5 hours.

Since 5/6 weeks, things have gone downhill.

She is now eating for a maximum of 7 minutes at each feed. It can be two minutes. I've tried switching sides, changing nappies to keep her alert, breast compressions etc.

She is often struggling to feed and getting upset - she seems to have quite severe wind at times. I started infacol yesterday.

Sleep has also been terrible - up every 45 minutes to an hour for a less than five minute feed then refusing to sleep in her cot.

Randomly, last night she passed out at about 8pm. I could only persuade her to feed for three minutes at 10pm. She has only woken twice since then and fed for a few minutes each time. I know I should enjoy the sleep but it just seems like she's given up eating and I'm worried!

I'm worried she isn't getting enough food - she started life just below the 50th centile and she is now heading towards the 9th. HV isn't worried 'yet'.

I had terrible problems with breastfeeding my son, and was so happy it seemed to be going better this time... whilst I don't want to switch to bottle feeding after such a good start I'm seriously considering it for everyone's sanity!!

Is this a weird phase? Will it get better? Help!!

Ok, so they do tend to go through a fusspot stage at this age. They’re waking up, becoming more aware, realising that they’re not actually a part of you anymore.

The main thing is keeping an eye on wet and dirty nappies, is baby alert when awake? The soft spot isn’t sunken. If all are fine she’s getting enough milk.

They also become very efficient feeding as they get older, so short feeds don’t tend to be anything to worry about, as long as the above is all still fine.

Do you wind during a feed? That helped Dd. Make sure you’re feeding topless if you can, skin to skin does help a lot.

A lot of what you say could be normal baby behaviour but I'd ring one of the BFing Helplines and talk all of this through with one of their BFCs.

Given the drop in centiles and wind, has anyone mentioned the possibility of Tongue Tie?

Agree too that they do get more efficient as they get older, if you are concerned that she's not get enough milk in the new quicker feeds, it might be worth trying Breast Compressions.

Thank you so much for your help!

She woke up at 6.45 this morning and at your suggestion I did skin to skin. She fed for 15 minutes (with lots of popping on and off) and then insisted on another 5 minute feed to help her get back to sleep at around 8am...

I have a feeling she does so many short tiny feeds that she is getting what she needs by snacking. I am a bit worried about dropping centiles, although my son did just the same - he dropped from above the 50th to 9th which he still tracks now that he is 2. With him the health visitors kept telling me to make him feed more and all that did is give him a complete feeding aversion - I have a feeling the 9th centile was just the weight he was 'meant' to be.

I'll definitely try get in touch with a breastfeeding consultant. All the support groups which I used last time are obviously not running at the moment which is a shame. I don't think she has a tongue tie, but I will get the doctor to check it out at our 8 week check.

Have you spoken to the National Breastfeeding Helpline? They're great.

www.nationalbreastfeedinghelpline.org.uk/

I really wouldn't get the GP to check the tongue tie, if I had £1 for every MNer who had been told that their LO definitely didn't have TT by their GP, HV or Paediatrician, well, I'd be a hell of a lot richer than I am now

Have a read through the link I posted earlier about the symptoms of TT and if you think it could be that, please get in touch with a Tongue Tie Practitioner https://www.tongue-tie.org.uk/find-a-practitioner/

And if you haven't already, I'd definitely call the National Breastfeeding Helpline

They do you get more efficient at feeding. I remember my eldest suddenly dropping the length of time it took her to feed quite dramatically. It worried me because it seemed so an normal compared to how long she’d been taking previously, she dropped from around 20/25 mins to 6 mins over the course of a couple of days. But when I looked into it, seemed to be fine because they do get more efficient. And babies do head towards not feeding in the night as well, that’s the dream scenario that lots of people hope for. So I wouldn’t automatically worry that they’re not getting enough food unless they seem fussy and upset in some way that would suggest they’re hungry and not getting what they want. As other people have said, keeping an eye on the nappies is an important indicator as well, making sure you’re getting wet nappies.

Thank you everyone.

Spoke to the breastfeeding helpline who were reassuring.

Extra winding and infacol has helped with the wind - when I was less militant about it the fussy behaviour returned yesterday but back to normal today.

Lots of wet and dirty nappies still and good alert periods with lots of smiles so I have decided to enjoy the sleep for now and hope that she has started to track a centile line when I go for the 8 week check next week. If not, I'll worry then!

Thank you all for the reassurance - I had such a difficult time feeding my first child, who had a feeding aversion and couldn't latch on, that I have no idea what is 'normal'! I made it to three months breastfeeding him despite massive difficulties so I really want to at least get that far with my daughter if I can!