Newborn feeding every hour at night

[SickAndTiredAgain]

I had DD2 last week, she's 7 days old. Last night she fed hourly throughout the night - although yesterday and today, and the night before, she'd been going longer stretches.

I thought this was normal, but I've just had my day 7 midwife phone call and I just mentioned it in passing as a reason I was so tired today, and she basically said it wasn't normal, wasn't sustainable and I needed to fix it.
It's only been one night, she's so little, and I thought it was normal. And to be honest, the early hours of the morning are not the times I want to be hand expressing after a feed, or undressing DD to make her feed longer, which were the midwife's two instructions. Should I be doing this? Isn't DD just being a newborn?

That sounds entirely normal to me. Newborn babies have tiny stomachs that can only hold a little milk at a time, and breast milk is quickly digested so they frequently need their tummies to be filled. My baby was the same as a newborn.
If you are coping/ if it is manageable for you then I wouldn't worry yourself. It won't last, in a few weeks her feeds will have spaced out naturally without you doing anything special.

This is very normal. They go a bit longer after a few weeks x

At 7 days old I think it's totally normal. It won't last forever! My dd used to wake every 45 mins (she did have reflux and was v uncomfortable). Are you sure she's actually waking? I spent so long thinking any noise she made was her waking up, but in hindsight I probably should have left her as she was in 'active' sleep and I was actually waking her up.

Thank you. I thought it was normal. The midwife made me feel a bit shit about it, saying it was a big problem that I needed to "start working on now" or I'd get mastitis from it. That may be me being a bit over sensitive from tiredness though, she may not have meant to come across as harsh.

Yep normal.

the issue is with bf rates being so low in this country, no one has much of an idea of what normal is. Even HCP, so many haven’t actually bf and their only experience is formula.

best support I ever got was from a male HV. He had done his research and approached it from a “how is the baby doing” angle.

so as long as you’re happy baby is hydrated, peeing, pooing etc, crack on and just feed. And the best way to get supply established and get through this phase quickly is to feed as much as possible, at every squeak.

of course its not sustainable, but if the m/w knew what she was talking about she’d know it’s temporary until baby ups your supply. HCP always want to “fix” bf, when it isn’t really something to solve, you just need to get on with it.

saying it was a big problem that I needed to "start working on now" or I'd get mastitis from

fairly sure this is incorrect. Mastitis tends to occur when you’re not feeding or feeding is reduced. The treatment for mastitis- blocked ducts- is to feed more to get the milk flowing!

You're doing great op x

Her concern was the breasts not being drained properly I think. I've never been totally sure how to tell this beyond them not feeling engorged, being soft after a feed etc.

Sounds like your baby is cluster feeding. Mine has been doing this on and off and midwives said it’s completely normal, or actually good to get a good milk supply. As hard as it is being awake all night, it doesn’t last forever and will come and go in little phases.

I had a bit of a meltdown in the first week of my now 1 month old being born. She had a couple of nights where feeding was constant and I literally managed to get my head on the pillow for 3 x 10 minute stints. It was draining. My midwife said perfectly normal and baby's way of establishing supply. She reminded me to do lots of skin to skin, drink plenty of water and encouraged me to feed baby on demand. We still have nights like it now but much less often. Nowadays it's the evenings where she demands more rather than middle of the night. You are doing a good job. If you are happy and comfortable, keep going!