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Infant feeding

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

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Original poster

How much breast milk should I be feeding my newborn DS?

24 replies

Haleana · 07/02/2010 23:48

Hi,

My DS is 10 days old and whilst was quite happy a couple of days ago on 2oz of expressed breast milk every 3 hrs, is now crying to be fed every 2.5hrs and takes ages to settle afterwards. He's never completely settled (especially at night) and we struggle for him to sleep more than an hour and a half to two hours. We check his nappy, temperature etc and everything else seems to be fine.

Is it possible he already wants us to be feeding him more already? It does look like he's constantly rooting.

Help!!!

OP posts:

Habbibu · 07/02/2010 23:51

Quite possibly - 3 hours seems like a long gap to me for a newborn. If he'll take it, then I'd feed him. Is there a reason you're feeding him expressed milk - seems like additional work?

lemsiprocks · 07/02/2010 23:56

Hi,
he sounds hungry,2hrly feeding very normal at this age.You will have a busy few days whilst you do this but your supply should pick to match his demand.

Original poster

Haleana · 07/02/2010 23:56

Have flat nipples. He can't latch on. Shame but the only way he'll get the breastmilk.

We're only feeding him every 3hrs because that is what the hospital told us when we were discharged. Should we disregard this?

OP posts:

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 07/02/2010 23:58

I think he's expressing the 'demand' part of feeding on demand!
It takes a lot of getting used to and it usually comes as a huge surprise if not shock - but babies gave tiny stomachs which can't take a huge amount, and it's not unusual for them to want feeding seemingly constantly.
It can be tiring but frequent feeding is what encourages your body to make more milk - and it's only a short while in the scheme of things.
Is there a reason for you expressing rather than just bf?

Habbibu · 08/02/2010 00:01

Ah, I see. Good for you - must be hard work! I wonder if hosp meant "at least" every 3 hours - seems more likely. Offer more and see how you get on.

OurLadyOfPerpetualSupper · 08/02/2010 00:03

Sorry crossed post.

Yes disregard the three hour instructions!
If you feed him when he roots as has been said it'll help establish your supply - and it's so stressful to try and keep a tiny baby to a timetable.

Things might be getting a bit quiet here as it's late, so I'd suggest resurrecting this thread tomorrow if leaves active convs.
Lots of knowledgeable people can give really helpful advice.
Good luck.

lemsiprocks · 08/02/2010 00:04

I had to express 2hrly with my 1st who couldn't latch on,very tiring as have to sterilise everything and bottle feed.Good luck to you.It was worth it but not much fun.BTW he managed to latch on when he got a bit bigger.Hopefully you will find the same.

ShowOfHands · 08/02/2010 00:08

Just feed to demand. My dd was 7 months old before she could do 3 hourly feeds! As a newborn it was every 1-2hrs, more during a growth spurt.

chibi · 08/02/2010 00:09

I had to do this for prem ds. Keep having a go at latching on, he may get it eventually! Also you don't need to keep sterilising the pump- do it once in the am and then keep it in the fridge for the rest of the day. Good luck!

CrosswordGeek · 08/02/2010 00:32

Just a suggestion, but have you tried using something for assisting the latch? Lansinoh do a latch assist, here

Also, I'm sure they used to sell things that pulled your nipples out that you could wear in your bra, but I have no idea what they would be called.

Think the "3 hourly feed" thing is very old school. If your baby seems hungry, then feed him!

CrosswordGeek · 08/02/2010 00:37

This is similar to what I had in mind.

Hope things work out!

Original poster

Haleana · 08/02/2010 00:56

Yeah I've tried the latch assist but DS would latch then come off as nipple flattens immediately. Very frustrating for both of us. We've had five midwives and a breastfeeding specialist try and get him on with no luck.

I will try the 2 hrly feeds unless he demands otherwise. Do we think that I'm okay sticking with 2oz a time still or should I reduce it if I'm feeding him more often?

OP posts:

Casmama · 08/02/2010 01:07

I wouldn't reduce it, as he is so little it is important to keep building your supply so better to have a bit more than he needs rather than less.
Good on you for expressing, hard work but worth it for both of you.

belindarose · 08/02/2010 08:30

Just to offer the benefit of our experience - I have very inverted nipples and DD (5 mo now) couldn't latch on at first. I expressed for 4 weeks (double pump) and saw breastfeeding specialists twice a week (midwives/ HVs no help - just said don't bother). After all that time, she began to latch on at the clinic, then I became able to latch her on myself. From 5 weeks she was bf exclusively and directly. The pumping itself helps change the nipple to make it easier.

We offered 3 ml expressed milk at a time, about every 2 hours - she spat out the bottle if she didn't want it. No 'nipple confusion' by the way, so don't worry if HCPs tell you that will happen.

Hellish to express so often and care for a newborn - just wanted you to know that it was worth it for us!

joyjac · 08/02/2010 09:07

Haleana, what do your nipples look like after pumping? Not just being nosey, but for some babies it is easier to latch on after you have pumped for a few minutes.

Ah, just noticed Belindarose saying the same.
Most midwives and Health Visitors do not have the specialised knowledge needed. Good ones will admit this and refer you on. Not sure what sort of breastfeeding specialist you had, might be worth contacting local LLL or NCT.

littlemisslozza · 08/02/2010 09:15

I had flat nipples too and found that they stopped being so flat after a few weeks of feeding. Good luck!

Original poster

Haleana · 08/02/2010 17:39

My nipples become quite protruded after pumping. Have to have been pumping until they're pretty much empty for them to stay like that for any length of time though. That's the other frustrating part!!

I am finding all the expressing then warming bottles so often very exhausting I must admit.

There's a breastfeeding cafe in the next town every week so I'm going to start going there to see if they can help me too.

I'm determined to do this!

OP posts:

Habbibu · 08/02/2010 17:52

Your breasts are never quite empty, though - might well be worth getting her to try latching on after you've expressed - the action of her sucking should help your supply. Do you think you could express on one side, latch her on there, and then express on the other side while she's feeding? Logistically tricky, I know, but may help you express more and help her get better at feeding.

I really do admire your determination - keep us updated on this thread, and do post for help/moral support when you need to.

ObsidianBlackbirdMcNight · 08/02/2010 18:50

To make things easier why don't you keep the BM at room temp? IIRC BM can stay out of the fridge for really quite a long time so you don't actually need to be refridgerating your milk straight away.
You also don't need to sterilise your pump between expresses - once a day (with washing in between) should be fine.

Don't restrict the milk at all. Feed when the baby seems hungry and give as much as she'll take. Sounds like your baby is a bit hungry which is why she's not settling. I'm sure it's very hard with having to just express but if you are worried about not having enough you may have to mix with some FM. It won't affect your supply as you are just expressing.

I'm sure the idea of FM is pretty awful but unless you are producing more than the baby can drink you just need to feed her when she's hungry.

I'm speaking as someone who also had issues with BFing and who refused to feed enough FM and whose baby was always hungry so please don't ignore her signs of hunger.

ruddynorah · 08/02/2010 19:03

yes you can keep BM at room temp for 10 hours

Original poster

Haleana · 08/02/2010 20:49

I'm confused now as the breastfeeding specialist told me that BM is only good for 5 hours out of the fridge!

We're now feeding DS when he wants it and it's averaging at every 2.5hrs. Having some trouble getting his wind up too but eventially settles. More difficult in the early hours. Between 2am and 4am is his worst time. He's pretty much inconsolable and wide awake around this time. This will be the first night with us feeding on demand though so we'll see if it makes a difference.

OP posts:

BouncingTurtle · 08/02/2010 21:04

I am currently undergoing peer supporter training and the current guidance is that breast milk can be stored at room temp for up to 6 hours.

storage and information of breast milk - current guidelines
The above is the most upto date information I have seen and I would go by that.

Just wanted to tell you that you are doing a great job

Definitely think it would be a good idea to go to your baby cafe, there will hopefully be bfing experts there who can offer you some more guidance as to what to do about sore nipples.

belindarose · 08/02/2010 21:10

You are doing great, well done. It is extremely exhausting to keep this up, especially if you're pumping at night too. Hopefully we've given you some light at the end of the tunnel. With regard to BM out of fridge - I followed guidelines for a few weeks, feeding room temp BM up to 6 hours after. Then I tasted it... YUCK! Very different to how it tasted fresh (sorry if I sound weird - just thought I ought to know what I was giving her!!). My DD is so greedy she'd drink anything, so it didn't bother her, but it was definitely horrible! And frozen EBM if not used immediately after defrosting is disgusting (or mine was at least). The good thing for us is that DD will drink at any temperature, so straight out of the fridge was fine for her.

ruddynorah · 08/02/2010 21:18

here room temp 10hrs ie upto 22degrees. if you have your house hotter than that (!) then 6 hours. they are probably telling you 6 hours in case you have a very very hot house. which i suppose you might do!

there is stuff on there about expressing you may find useful too.

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