Big baby - feeding every hour at night, I'm exhausted

[ConnorTraceptive]

DS2 is three weeks and was a big baby (11 pounds) and he just seems to want to feed constantly at night, he rarely goes 2 hours between a feed sometimes only forty minutes.

I'm wondering if it's because he only feeds for 10 to 15 minutes at a time and rarely accepts a second side. Usually by the time he's finished feeding on the first time he's totally zonked out and nothing will wake him enough to take more.

He's so different to ds1 who was also big but used to feed for up to an hour and go much longer between feeds and was sleeping through at 6 weeks.

He's gaining lots of weight so obviously he's getting what he needs but is there anything I can do to encourage a longer stretch at night??

am desperately trying to think how I did it with dd2, also over 11lbs.

I DO remember at 15wks thinking enough is enough and giving her a dummy, dd1 never had one, as I felt it was more about the comfort than the feed at that point.

I used to tickle toes or gently blow on her to keep him awake for both sides but I suppose you'll have tried that

am at a loss at the moment and am now late for dentist but didn't want to read and run

will keep thinking and post later, in meantime hope someone more use than me comes along

and well done you on your lovely beautiful big babies

Thank you (big is definately beautiful!)

I haven't tried toe tickling so will give it a go. He's a very content little thing between feeds, in fact so far in his three short weeks the only reason he's cried is for food.

Hi congrats on your baby. What you say is absolutely normal at 3 weeks and you must try not compare to your first baby who sleeing through at 6 weeks for a breast fed baby is rare many will tell you on here I am sure. He sounds like he is content and happy and just hold on there as the gaps between feeds will get longer, my dd was exactly the same so exhausting but it does get better. I used to strip to a nappy for day feeds to keep her awake and at night my oh would pass her to me and put back in the cot to help.

Changing nappy between sides is a good idea. My first ds was 11lb7 and first 6 weeks or so were a nightmare with feeding every hour or so as he was always hungry. It will get better. Accept any help you are offered so you can catch up on sleep. Don't worry about the house or anything else, just sleep when he does. Good luck!

Thanks for the advice. I bumbled along in blissfull ignorance with ds1, plus I could sleep whenever he did. Oh the difference with children!

He's having plenty of dirty nappies and with a 2.6 year old about daytime is very noisy

He gained 8 oz in his first two weeks and is being weighed again on friday but I'm pretty certain from looking at him he's gained plenty.

8oz that's great he is a milk monster! You are doing an amazing job my 7 month old is a milk monster and I couldn't imagine having another one to look after I wonder if I will ever be ready to have another I just don't know how people do it I would like to but I don't think I'm super mum enough.

I think the term milk monster is perfect for him

Will try to encourage him to feed both sides at each feed. I certainly don't feel like super mum right now - just bumble along one day at a time!

ConnorTraceptive - nice to see you around - congratulations on DS

I agree the night from day thing is your problem atm. DD only ever fed briefly then would fall asleep for 45mins and wake wanting more It got better with each little stage - once she sorted out night and day. 6 weeks, 12 weeks etc etc. Some of them are just naturally like this, I am hoping for the next one to be different If I ever have the courage for 2 DC

You don't need courage overcautious just the right amount of alchohol

congrats !!! how was the birth? i know you had been worried

Hi Lulu - we had some fun and games!

my waters broke but labour didn't start so I went in to be induced, fortunately just as they put the drip in labour started anyway, although i had to stay on the bed so they could monitor baby, not sure why that was necessary though.

Fortunately labour was pretty quick, 4 hours start to finish, with just gas and air.
the not so fun part was shoulder dystocia and 1500ml pph. Had a second pph the next day when I went to the loo. But that said I found this experience a lot less traumatic than DS1 and have recovered physically much quicker. All credit to the wonderful midwives they really looked after me.

Ds2 is gorgeous and well worth it, but I think that's me done now!

My DS was exactly the same. In the night he fed every hour for the first two weeks and then every two hours for the next two weeks. He was big when he was born and it took him three weeks to regain his birth. Like your DS, mine fed for only 10 mins or so. Despite feet tickling, removing clothes and nappy changing I could not get him to wake up again for more food.

A few months after my DS was born I was looking at La Leche League website and I noticed that they recommend that if your feeds are less than 2 hours apart, you treat them as one feed and you do not start the next feed from the different breast. E.g. If you feed your baby at 12 and then have to feed it again at 1, then you feed it from the same breast. If it wants food again at 2, then you swop breasts. Now, I have no idea or not if this is what is considered good practice by midwives. However, when I read it, I wonder whether this technique might have made my DS go longer between feeds. I think my DS was getting a lot of formilk and not much of the filling stuff because I was swopping breasts at each feed.

That's interesting neolara, would be good if someone could confirm this.

doh! i do remember the waters going thread..

sorry about the dystocia and PPH. BUT glad you are feeling ok abour it, and even though you had another PPH , you are not feeling as raw or upset.

glad that you had wonderful care

Just rememeber thinking "god this is the longest wee ever" and then looking down and thinking "Oh shit!"

Must admit I was quite scared of going for a pee for a few days after that!

Sounds like it was a bit of a rough one.

The theory about feeding from the same side sounds good to me. I did not know that (because I know everything )

Have a look. And if it works let me know - I may have enough White wine to try for number 2

Congratulations about your baby, I was wondering how you had got on. The only thing I would suggest about the feeding is to try switch feeding so before he is totally zonked out on one side disturb him and put him on the other side in the hope that he will get more in to him. But take heart, it is early days yet and will not last for too long. It is much more difficult with a toddler isn't it!

hi connortraceptive- congratulations on your baby, he sounds lovely! not sure if am any help really but-
i had a ds about the same time last year and he was very big and chubby, and also fed constantly as you say. as he was my first, i just let him feed one boob until he dropped off, then the other. i didn;t disturb him by swapping or changing as he would just get upset and hang on to my nipples, spoiling his feeding. if he woke up properley then i would.
i do remember that this stage wasn't that long, although very exhausting- it worked for me just to go with the flow. brings back memories
good luck and hope he lets you sleep when he isn;t bf

Thanks for the advice, managed to get him to take both sides a few times last night, although he's still only feeding for a short time, but he did go atleast two hours between each feeds, which is a bit of an improvement. Think I have to be a bit more patient and persevere with waking him up to take more milk, but it is so tempting to put him back to bed after 10 minutes and go back to sleep!

He's been feeding like a monster all day today so am hoping his belly might be a bit fuller tonight!