Newborn - switch breast halfway through (and risk him losing interest) or just empty one side completely?

[koeda]

Hello

My DD is 3 days old and after a bit of a slow start (very very sleepy and not so great a latch) we are managing to bf fairly well. I feed him at least every 3 hours during the day and at least every 4 at night (he is still v. sleepy so waking him is a real struggle) and he feeds anything between 15-30mins at a time, and I am working on upping the feeds to ideally every 2 hours.

My mum said I should switch him halfway through the feed but having tried briefly I found he tends to lose interest in the 2nd breast as he is still quite sleepy and can find latching a bit tricky. I'd rather just have him on a great latch on the first breast and drain that until he is absolutely full and drops off, then use the opposite side on the next feed. Am I going to give myself problems with painful breasts if I don't get into the habit of switching during feeds now, or should I wait a few more days until we are both a bit better at feeding before switching? Do I even need to switch at every feed in the future?

Any advice much appreciated!!

I meant DS ;-) Too tired....

I am not giving official advice because I am not a bf professional or anything, but I personally, when feeding my two, just stuck them on one and switched them when they let go themselves.

Next time I'd start them off on the other breast.

That way I didn't end up lopsided

Like I say, I am not a professional, just a mum who did it that way.

No, don't switch. If he has had enough of one side, then offer the other, but don't worry if they don't take it.

When he gets older he will probably have two or more "sides" each feed but for now he will probably just want one side. Next feed, try to start on the "fuller" breast, but don't worry too much about it.

If he is falling asleep then yes do try the other side, but if he is feeding happily, no point in taking him off if that makes sense.

I wouldn't switch - I would keep feeding from one breast until he's either full or loses interest, then wait a few minutes and offer the other. If he falls asleep try changing his nappy or tickling his feet. I would try offering more often than every 3 hours, though - just to get you both into the habit. It's very early days, thought, go with what's working while you're both learning!

Cangratuations, by the way!

Things are likely to settle down and change - your baby's only 3 days old, and every hour can be different at that stage

You can help him feed more often by holding him close/skin to skin for as much of the day and night as possible. Offer second side (as others have said) each time, without deliberately taking him off to do it...he may well perk up after coming off my himself after side one.

Unless your mum has midwifery/breastfeeding counselling training, then it may be better to seek support and advice from the midwife on all this. I'd worry your mum is repeating old advice from years ago when women were routinely told to stop the baby feeding on one side after 10 mins and to swap.

Congratulations on your DS!

The advice given above is exactly as I would give. The early days are tricky as they are so sleepy - so once he's latched on, let him feed for as long as he wants without changing sides. To remember at night feeds when I am sleepy too, I put a hairband around my wrist so I know which side to start on the next time.

Good luck - it sounds as though you're doing great!

Thank you, thank you! I thought as much but without experience didn't have the confidence to continue as I started! I do love mumsnet ;-)

I am trying to up the feeds and will try the tips on waking him and keeping him awake (I've removed all his layers, tickled his hands and feet, blown on his face, none of which really do the trick. I will do the nappy change trick now, which he hates, so that should maybe do the job!). Also thanks tiktok on the skin to skin advice - I am only doing that infrequently and actually swaddling most of the day but will stop that now and get him naked and on me!

x

Getting in the bath together is wonderful too, if you have a warm bathroom!

I tended to empty one completely and then switch for the next feed. If nothing else it meant that I always knew where I was up to because I could feel which breast hadn't been emptied at the beginning of a feed. Saying that DS was a 24 hr a day, 7 days a week feeder so he didn't give me much of a chance to get lopsided!

Glad this all helps, koeda.

Swaddling is really not a good idea at all for a sleepy three day old. You don't need to 'keep him awake' and all the blowing and tickling is unnecessary and risks 'switching him off' (would you like it?!).

(who told you to swaddle???)

At first, I used to offer both sides, then I realised that it is much easier to just give one boob at one feed and the other at the next.

I have successfully bf 2 like this well past 2 years with first without any problems. Each to their own and all that, but just thought I would share that not offering both at each feed can work fine.

I found it a lot easier as I often found babe dozed off after 'hind' milk of first boob and didn't need the 'foremilk' of other boob at that feed. Then other boob had chance to make milk for next feed and on and on.

My second baby hardly fed in the first few days, maybe up to a week. Slept over 23 hours a day. Lost a little in first week, but picked up great after that. I've never attempted to wake her to feed.

I didn't switch until DS was about 5m or something and needed both.

Now (20m) he ALWAYS wants both.

The boob-switching advice is old advice based on the "ten minutes each side" rule which is now considered unhelpful.

See e.g. www.kellymom.com/bf/supply/foremilk-hindmilk.html

Just managed to check in again since yesterday. Thanks again for all the wonderful advice.

Tiktok The hospital swaddled DS within a few hours of being born with their own hospital towels (I was pretty out of it so didn't ask any questions) and also put a hat on him, which I've since found out is not really recommended for inside. All the staff who then examined him, came to talk to me etc. on the ward afterwards continued to keep wrapping him up this way, so I continued when I returned home .

It all makes sense now... we were on a slippery road to bf disaster what with the sleepiness combined with swaddling and switching! Poor little lamb. He's now doing much better, latches well, feeds when he wants (sometimes sparingly, sometimes in a massive cluster, sometimes from one, sometimes both) and I feel a lot more confident to trust my instincts from now on.

Thank you everyone!

HollyHo Brilliant idea re the hairband on wrist - am doing it now

nice one koeda - its so when they tell you weird things like constant swaddling and hats . no wonder he was sleepy - he was too cosy !