Breastfeeding 10 day old

[MikeWozniaksGloriousTache]

I’ve had lots of problems breastfeeding and been offering bottles as well as trying to express (haaka). I want to really try with the breastfeeding but today has been testing. Baby currently has been on right breast for 40 mins and still rooting! Despite also feeding alternately since 4.50pm. She’s also had 2 bottles of 45mls each as midwife advised to offer her a small bottle after feeding. This is her feeding schedule today. She’s only slept 4 hours since 10am and 2 of those was in arms. I’m worried this prolonged cluster feeding is a sign I’m not producing enough milk. She still wants to finish the bottle but I don’t want to give her too much. I’m exhausted and don’t know what the fuck I’m doing.

When I was in those really early tricky days I rang the National Breastfeeding Helpline loads and they were really good - 0300 100 0212. Hope things settle down, you sound like a great mum.

Get comfy, drink and eat loads and keep going. She’ll be getting what she needs and the cluster feeding will help increase supply (do you have to pump or can you just let her feed on demand for a bit?). I remember the helpless terror and even seeing my boy hungry and losing weight but he’s here now, enormous and watching minecraft videos too loudly. Rest, feed, rest, feed, and you’ll both come through this.

Honestly the cluster feeding is sooooooo intense, but the baby is just “putting in an order” by suckling so your breasts make more milk - it’s a very clever system but no one really prepares you for it! Try to do nothing but feed, get others to bring you food, change the baby etc, so when you’re not feeding you can rest

Granted it was a few years ago now, but I remember clearly spending an entire weekend (when DS was around a week old) on the sofa feeding him. It was literally constant, and I too felt emotional, shattered, and like I had absolutely no idea whether I was doing the right thing.

Firstly well done for carrying on because hell breastfeeding can be relentless in those early days.
Is she back or about back to her birth weight? And during her awake periods today has she been settled or upset? If she's upset and getting annoyed at the breast then I'd be inclined to give her a small bottle and then put her back on after that. That way she's still stimulating your milk supply still, but you know that she's not famished.

Both of mine cluster fed which was on/off boob, size, cry, for hours every evening, sometimes all night during a growth spurt. It terrified me with the first, I was sure she had colic/reflux or I wasn’t producing enough milk. By the time I had ‘solved’ the problem she had grown out of it (6-8 weeks).

With my second I was prepared for it, drinks, snacks and left DH to sort older DC. DS just dozed and fed on the sofa. There was no worry/trips to the DC for gaviscon/ridiculously expensive colic drops. I knew it was normal. Doesn’t make it easy though. Handhold and best of luck. It does get easier.

First of all: give yourself a pat on the back. You really do sound like a great mum. I second PP’s suggestion about National Breastfeeding Helpline. I am now breastfeeding my 3rd (also 11 days old) and they were an incredible resource in my previous bf journeys.

There is nothing abnormal in itself about the cluster feeding- on the contrary. However, if you are worried talk to NBH. I also watched lots of bf videos online to check what a good latch looks like. You could also try and experimenting with different positions. But to return to my opening: give yourself a Pat on the back.

Thanks all. I feel a bit less emotional after a meal. DP is helping where he can but he feels helpless other than being able to hand me things and make food.

do you have to pump or can you just let her feed on demand for a bit?
I’ve not pumped today on advice of midwife. I only tried pumping as her latch had me in agony and hysterical on day 4 but it’s gotten better, it’s not hurting but on my left boob feels itchy almost? I’ve got ab appointment with a breastfeed clinic on Friday next week hopefully they can help but I don’t know if I have the stamina to get there.

Is she back or about back to her birth weight?
She’s only been weighed once she lost 6.9% of her birth weight but she was only 6lb 2oz. She will next be weighed by the health visitor but I don’t even have an appointment for that. Lots of wet nappies today though. And one poo.

And during her awake periods today has she been settled or upset? If she's upset and getting annoyed at the breast then I'd be inclined to give her a small bottle and then put her back on after that.
She’s not really having awake periods outside of being on the boob. This morning was settled in Moses basket in between feeds. From 12ish - 3ish and 5ish to now she’s either been on the boob or screaming to be on the boob. I’ve given her 2 half measures at about 245pm and she slept in arms and then at 6ish and it did nothing.

This is so hard. There are times where she takes herself off the nipple but then as soon as I try and hand her to dp to hold her she screams again. Or she needs a nappy change and by the time she’s changed she’s rooting again. She just pulled herself off, looked settled in my lap for 30 seconds and is crying again. She’s been on my left boob for 32 minutes 😭

It's incredibly hard, and flipping sore at this stage, but you're doing so much better than you think just by carrying on.

I've ebf all 5 of mine, and the best advice I can give is to offer her the breast every time she so much as whimpers, even if its every ten minutes while you're getting it established. Granted its exhausting and its hard but it means your milk supply should be plentiful. Remember that breastfeeding is comfort as well as food, and its absolutely normal that she wants to be glued to you at this stage. Hang in there it does get easier, and more spaced out, it just takes a little while for you both to get used to it.

The advice i found most useful, was ALWAYS offer boob. Baby just woke up? Boob. Baby needs a bum change? Boob. Baby just been changed? Boob. Baby wiggly? Boob. Baby sleepy? Boob. Always offer boob.

@cookiemumsters exactly that!

Honestly I would stop recording the feeds and analysing for patterns in feeds/naps too. It will just drive you potty.

Why did the midwife suggest giving top ups? Did she drop under 2.5kg?

The cluster feeding is a pain, sore, exhausting. But it will be letting your body know to increase supply. I always found that after two days of increased demand, there would be a corresponding increase in supply - just takes your boobs a couple of days to catch up. So hopefully an end in sight...
Meanwhile, keep drinking lots and lots of water - it's so dehydrating. Eat cake - by the handful. And if she'll only sleep on you, is it worth trying a sling?

Learn to distinguish baby crying for more food with crying due to trapped wind, I wouldn’t offer boob for everything. Not sure why your on top ups if baby not losing weight mind you I’d want weighed more than once in 10 days! Keep going it does get easier, so much easier. Sometimes they are just latched on using you as a giant dummy, you could unlatch them at this point for a rest. I’ve bf 2 till 15months and currently bf 4 week old. Once their weight was back on I’d feed by routine with the. Odd day of extra feeds during a growth spurt. Baby wasn’t attached constantly. Good luck!

If you contact your local La Leche League they can give you free support ahead of your appointment. They are utterly fabulous.

If you can afford it a session with a private IBCLC might save your sanity. I think I paid about £120 in London if that helps.

Cluster feeding is totally normal and not necessarily a sign of poor supply at all so don't panic. In fact many women mess up their supply by thinking it is too low and topping up with formula when there wasn't actually a problem to begin with.

Once you get the right support it will get easier. I had a horrendous start to breastfeeding. Baby couldn't latch properly and it took weeks to sort out. It nearly killed me, but I'm so glad I persevered as breastfeeding has just been the best experience once we got past that, not to mention convenient, and we're still going strong at 16 months.

With the right support you can do this x

Oh and if sleep is an issue I totally recommend Sweet Sleep by La Leche League for information on maximising your rest whilst breastfeeding. It's on Audible so no need to actually read if you can't manage it right now

I gave up breastfeeding because my son was like that, constantly feeding but it always seemed as though he wasn't getting enough. I wish now that I'd stuck with it but the midwife said he needed a bottle so I gave up bf'ing all together. I did the same with my daughter and I wish I'd known that mixed feeding was fine until my supply improved.

Thank you all for the advice. It was one handed frustrated typing so pretty garbled

Because I’d sort of given up and given her bottles the midwife was suggesting “top ups” not to top her up but more wean her off the bottles.

Anyway, after being almost permanently attached to the boob last night between 4/5pm and 11.30pm she finally went down in her Moses basket so I took the opportunity to sleep on the sofa (she never settled in her bedside crib so didn’t want to take her upstairs) slept from 11.39-3.30pm had a bit of a breastfeed and a nappy change and went down again until 7am ish. Feeling a lot more level headed after a decent sleep, and understanding that the cluster feeding won’t be forever.

I seriously tip my hat to those who managed to crack this and continue long term with breastfeeding you’re bloody warriors!

You're doing brilliantly - it is exhausting.

What saved my sanity was my midwife showing me how to feed lying down. And then cosleeping. It's worth a google to read up on how to do it safely.

Keep drinking water. Or hot chocolate. And cake. What she's getting all comes from you, so you'll feel seriously depleted.

And well done to your DD for giving you a little break last night - I hope you feel marvellous!