DD2 was born on Monday. She's absolutely wonderful and so far so good on the BF. MW weighed her yesterday and she's just inside the 10% 'acceptable' weightloss band, which I'm really chuffed about because DD1 had low blood sugar, struggled to gain weight etc and was prescribed top-ups in hospital from day 3, which I never managed to get her off. Mix-fed for 5 months but would like to BF exclusively this time if at all poss.
But it's all so different this time round and I have lots of questions. Because DD1 was having formula top-ups she slept for longer periods, fed far less frequently and would settle alone in her moses basket/chair etc. She got into a routine so quickly, not because we forced it but because she just settled happily and then slept for long periods, she's been like clockwork more or less since she was a few months old. By contrast, I'm feeding DD2 more or less constantly when she's awake, for example she fed throughout the day yesterday bar sleeptimes and went from one breast to another non-stop between about 7.45pm and 10.30pm, then fed again at 11.30 but I've no idea how long for because I've been co-sleeping and letting her just 'drop off when she likes', she then stirred again at 2, then fed at 3.30, then slept through til 7ish.
I had a c-section and found the first two nights (in hospital) a nightmare, they wouldn't let me co-sleep so I was getting in and out of bed throughout the night because I kept falling asleep feeding and was worried I'd drop her. She'd settle for 10 mins then want picking up and feeding again, which left me exhausted and sore. Plus I then developed a killer headache as a result of the spinal, which only fades when lying down. So, since I've been home I've just set her up in bed so that there's no risk of me or DH rolling over onto her and let her get on with it. It's working so much better and I feel I'm recovering faster because of it. Also, I've only cried twice since she was born - a complete contrast to the first few weeks with DD1 when I rarely stopped crying. So, I'm feeling a little bit smug and pleased with myself but also a bit anxious that:
(a) the fact that she feeds almost constantly when she's awake and also dream feeds a lot, meants she's struggling to get enough milk
(b) I'm creating the proverbial rod for my own back by not getting her into the habit of sleeping alone
(c) she might just be sucking for comfort much of the time and I'd have no idea
She's so tiny still that I'm happy to give her whatever she wants when she wants it but I also have a toddler who needs my love and attention and i"m not sure me spending more or less all day and night feeding is sustainable in the long-term. Plus I don't really want to have a six-month-old or worse an 18-month-old in my bed in the months to come. DH really wouldn't hack it apart from anything else.
Sorry this is so long but I could really do with some MN advice on any of the above: thoughts, experiences etc And in particular any advice on:
- how I can very gently get DD2 into the habit of sleeping in her moses basket at least some of the time and eventually (though not in the imminent future) wean her off co-sleeping
- any risks of/tips on co-sleeping that I haven't thought of
- any general tips on breastfeeding and when I should be concerned that a) she's not getting enough or b) she's feeding too much
- when newborns root and cry are they always hungry, I'm just assuming that it's always hunger and putting her on the breast, which she seems v happy with but should I be trying harder to see if there's another way of settling her?