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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Co-sleeping and breastfeeding lying down

3 replies

chatname · 26/06/2008 19:10

I wasn't sure whether to put this in breastfeeding or co-sleeping. I have a cosleeping cot,which I got because I didn't want to get up at night to feed. Since I am not getting up to feed, I am finding myself feeding in bed. We have a groovy, fairly low, modern bed without a headboard and the most sensible way to feed is lying down. My little one is not gaining weight very fast and I am wondering whether this might be to do with practicalities of feeding.

For example, I have quite large boobs, so there is rather a lot for the poor little fellow to latch onto, which might be more difficult in a lying down position than if I were supporting and directing him more.

I tend to doze off more than if I were sitting up to feed, and it might well be that Junior isn't feeding as actively with effective swallows etc, but I don't notice because I'm sleepy.

Also, Junior cries if I put him in his own cot and when I pick him up he is more interested in being cuddled and nestling up to me rather than feeding. And then we both fall asleep, which is not very effective feeding wise.

I would also be interested in knowing how this "dream feeding" works, of which you speak. Junior doesn't seem to feed as effectively at night even when he is awake, let alone when he's asleep.

Likewise, some mums say that their babies latch on all night, or feed on and off while they're asleep (if sleeping in the same bed). It sometimes seems quite hard for Junior to do that when I am fully awake and trying to encourage him, let alone when I'm asleep!
Would be grateful for any advice...

OP posts:
Quicksilver · 26/06/2008 19:37

Hi. My dd (now 18 weeks) and I co slept more or less for the first 10 weeks. She would feed on and off all night, but I would have to get her latched on first then we would both fall asleep.
She wouldn't just find my nipple - that I was aware of anyway!
I think it is the comfort and closeness more than anything that babies like.

When you say he is not gaining weight fast what do you mean?

I think it is generally accepted that as long as he has plenty of wet nappies and is alert and content he is getting enough food.

Dream feeding is when you pick your baby up when they are asleep say at 11pm and feed them with them never waking up. It is supposed to make them sleep longer.
I have never had the nerve to do this it goes against the grain to disturb a sleeping baby.

It sounds like you are doing a great job with him. It all gets a lot easier as they get older.
After initial weight loss my dd is now on the 98th centile on the growth charts and is exclusively bf. Iam sure your ds will get the hang of it.
Take whatever help is available eg NCT or LLL.
Hang in there!

chatname · 26/06/2008 19:44

Re slow weight gain, see here - I started a thread earlier. Someone said it can take up till baby's 4 months old to manage feeding lying down and I thought it would be interesting to know more about people's experiences!

OP posts:
Quicksilver · 26/06/2008 20:05

It must just depend on the baby. My dd could feed lying down from day one.

It must just be luck as she also just instinctively knew how to latch on. She was routing (sp?) when she was about 10 minutes old and had her first feed then.
It was amazing and nothing to do with what I was doing at all.

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