Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Infant feeding

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

Flip

Original poster

Co-sleeping and swapping boobs

22 replies

CheerfulSoul · 29/03/2010 21:38

I've been co-sleeping with my 5 week old as it's the only way she will sleep properly at the moment. I figured out how to get her safe and comfortable in bed with me and I latch her on and we both go to sleep. She can stay like that for up to 5 hours, although I get uncomfortable because I can't move.

That brings me to my question. She sleeps on my left and latches on to the left boob. That means she only feeds on that side for as long as we stay in bed. Should I be swapping boobs at some point and, if so, how? If I pick her up and move her, it will disturb her and she won't be in her 'safe' position any more.

Any advice on how to co-sleep would be gratefully accepted! It's not my preferred solution but it helps us right now.

OP posts:

MissTFied · 29/03/2010 22:14

Hi,

I just move around my DS (and just turn him towards me, both lying down), then I move back so he is in his 'safe' position when he has finished.

He sleeps between me and the wall, I have a pillow but he doesn't. He wears a Grobag.

It works for us too - although he is almost 1!

LeninGrad · 29/03/2010 22:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

sjbarbs · 29/03/2010 22:21

i have been advised to do exactly the same as its the only way my 2 wk old will feed. i alternate breasts each time she wakes for a feed as she disturbs herself, then when i change her nappy i create a new safe place as i do each breast every feed. i have alsogone to spare room or a while so we have a whole bedto spread out on ad the other half has a goodnight sleep to function. how do you manage ib the day as my little angel wont go in her moses basket and will only fall asleep on me!!

jkklpu · 29/03/2010 22:23

I just used to swap sides every time I woke up, which would be several times a night. My ds2 used to suckle most of the night, even if not actually drinking all the time, and was happy to get on with it himself once he'd learned how to do it. He had a grobag.

Lionstar · 29/03/2010 22:24

There is a way of feeding from both boobs whilst lying on one side only. Feed from the 'bottom' boob first so that it isn't too full. Then roll yourself over slightly towards the baby and feed with the 'top' boob. It has worked for me, but I can imagine it may not be comfortable for those of bigger or smaller norkage!
It also becomes easier the bigger the baby is because their heads are bigger and they have more neck control, you may find it too difficult still at 5 weeks. When mine were tiny I would sort of 'roll' them over my body to feed them on the other side, then roll them back (hopefully producing a belch on the way). They soon got used to it and it didn't seem to disturb them too much (considering we didn't get too much sleeping done anyway )

Babieseverywhere · 30/03/2010 08:25

I do the same as Lionstar and I have massive pregnant boobs at the moment. I would guess this position would be trickier with smaller breasts and easier for the bigger breasted lady.

cheesebaby · 30/03/2010 14:05

Yup, same as Lionstar (and am not particularly large of nork!).

Gets easier with practise and time.

greenstuff · 30/03/2010 14:38

I used to feed from both, alternating every time dd woke up. I started putting her on top of a changing mat, in her sleeping bag, then when she was done feeding on one side I'd slide her to the other side of the bed and move myself around her. This way she stayed asleep and we were both in position for next feed.

Hope this makes sense! It made it very easy for us anyway

BertieBotts · 30/03/2010 17:17

I do that rolling thing too. I have small breasts (B cup absolute maximum when feeding) - I don't see that breast size matters too much.

In the early days before I worked this out I used to just hold DS against my chest and roll onto my other side with him, then latch him on again. I had a bedside cot on one side and DP on the other so he couldn't fall out.

Babieseverywhere · 30/03/2010 20:09

BertieBotts, So it looks like breast size is irrelevant for this nursing position, good to know.

oldandknackered · 30/03/2010 20:10

Same as Lionstar. It works... we've been sleeping like this for almost three years!

sweetnitanitro · 30/03/2010 20:27

I do the leaning over thing too. I am too lazy to move much I'm an F so I think it does work for any size.

Jillbill · 30/03/2010 20:41

What a brilliant question! I've only just started co-sleeping and only do the left side - will try the leaning over tonight. I have one of those foam rails that you put under your bed sheet. They are designed for keeping toddlers in bed - but it works fab for us too!

Loopymumsy · 31/03/2010 11:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

snugglejunkie · 31/03/2010 12:37

I do the lean-over too. Dead easy now but took a bit if getting used to! I found practicing in the day useful.

cheesebaby · 31/03/2010 13:36

Interesting that the 'lean-over', which seems to be the solution for so many of us, isn't in any of the how-too books...

LadyEarth · 31/03/2010 17:04

I used to do the "lean-over" too. As I could only snooze on the right boob feed it meant that I would de-latch her when she finished feeding and helped her to sleep without suckling. As she got older we became quite good at the whole thing and she would latch herself on if she woke in the night, hardly disturbing me at all.

Just a comment about the people who are feeding from both boobs on each feed; this means that your baby will be getting more of the fore milk and less hind milk. This means he/she will not fill up as much with each feed which could mean you are feeding more than necessary at night.

SPBInDisguise · 31/03/2010 17:10

lean over, or if shes only having a couple of feeds, just use same one again

blinder · 03/04/2010 00:39

Jillbill what are these foam rails of which you speak so highly? Can you link to them?

I slide baby from one side of the bed to the other but it puts strain on my wrists. Love the idea of using a change mat underneath...

AngelDog · 03/04/2010 11:31

On a related but slightly different note, any tips on how to get DC to latch on properly when feeding lying down? DS seems to come off a lot more when I'm lying down, which means he tends to drink less at one 'sitting' IYSWIM.

Southwestwhippet · 03/04/2010 14:16

I do the rolling thing over my body and onto the other side, usually when she has finished feeding ready for the next time. Have done since DD was about 1week old and we mastered side by side feeding. it doesn't seem to disturb her. In fact, she barely wakes at all in the night anymore, she just snuffles and kicks at me in her sleep until i wake up and wriggle her down!

i have a bed guard on the outside of the bed so she is safe either in the middle or on the outside.

blinder · 03/04/2010 20:36

Angeldog, not sure how old your LO is but for the first few months I would lie baby on her side with her head resting in the crook of my arm. With the other hand I would support the breast underneath so that the nipple didn't slip out. She would often sleep like that. Now she lies flat on her back and turns her head to the side to suckle but in the beginning I prioritised her neck being straight. HTH.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread