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Infant feeding

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

Is this normal newborn feeding?

5 replies

WaterGreen · 17/10/2009 13:47

Because although I bf ds for 18mo, he was tube-fed EBM to start, so I'm not quite sure what's expected...

DD was born on Weds lunchtime (cs), had her first feed just over an hour later. She fed a few times through the first afternoon and evening - maybe 6 or so - then went quite a long spell through the night, about 5hrs, without feeding, though I offered the breast every time she stirred. That seems to have been the pattern since, apart from a feeding frenzy of 4 hrs on night 2, when she was barely off the breast.

As a rule, she has spells where she feeds for a long time (30-60mins) and quite frequently (every 1-2 hrs), then a longish sleepy period of up to 6hrs where she refuses - not with crying, she just nuzzles and goes to sleep. Sometimes she latches, has 4 or 5 sucks, then goes to sleep, but she's definitely getting proper feeds too.

Saw the midwife today and dd has lost a little weight, though not 10%. Midwife said these long spells of no feeding were unusual, but might just be dd's "special style". She's not dehydrated, is weeing, pooing, etc, so I think I prob shouldn't be worried, but I would rather know if there was something I should be doing now to get her to be feeding more often.

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tiktok · 17/10/2009 13:54

WaterGreen - congrats and great your midwife is supporting you. This pattern is unusual but she seems ok, and that's good. If she is kept skin to skin/v.close to you, then this is prob just her pattern at the moment

WaterGreen · 17/10/2009 13:55

thanks tiktok, that's good to hear. we're doing skin to skin as i type

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LIZS · 17/10/2009 13:56

6 hours is not typical , and if she shows any signs of jaundice or lethargy then try to not go beyond 4 (try stroking ears or blowing on cheeks, undressing to rouse her,), but frequent and erratic feeding is normal in a nb. congratulations btw !

tiktok · 17/10/2009 18:35

I agree with LIZS that periods of 6 hours are not typical - if they persist, WaterGreen, then you would need to be proactive.

However, with a baby who is still only day 3-4, we can expect these long periods of sleep to disappear. I should add that your situation is only ok because the midwife is there and has seen your baby. Would not like anyone to generalise out from this - anyone with a baby having long sleeps at this stage does need to see a midwife.

WaterGreen · 17/10/2009 19:18

thank you both, am encouraging her to feed as much as possible and it looks as though my milk is properly on the way in - she's had 2 very satisfying, milk-dribbly feeds this eve (and is now asleep of course )

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