Is this normal for a newborn?!

[Mae34]

Hello there - I have had such good advice and reassurance from people on MN during my pregnancy and pre birth time I wanted to ask about breatfeeding/ newborn stuff as I'm feeling very overwhelmed...

My baby girl is 2 and a half weeks old, straighforward birth in midwife led centre, home after 24 hours...I was keen to breastfeed and she started nursing right away after the birth, milk came in on day 3...so...I think I may have just underestimated what life is like with a new baby and how much breast feeding dominates your time - if this is the case it would be reassuring to hear from other more experienced mums! Sometimes I feed every half an hour especially when she's fussy or grizzly or in evening, sometimes she'll go for 3 hours, most often 1 and a half to 2...She doesnt cry excessively, maybe an hour or two of grizzling and fussiness each day sometimes less sometimes a little more...she started off refusing to sleep in her crib so I have been co-sleeping as I was desperate but have been gently trying to get her used to sleeping in it in the day, trying her and just picking up if she fusses - she has managed a couple of sleeps a day in it now so i think thats going ok? I'm worried she's not getting enough milk as she rarely seems to unlatch herself or seem satisfied after a feed - one of my breast has a problem nipple (had an infection when I was a baby) so its harder for her to feed on and its not as full as the other...I have got desperate and tried her on a bottle of formula the other night and she seemed really content for the first time -v depressing! I am feeling really useless for doing nothing except feed her and cant keep the house in order or even get out some days. I am finding BF really hard -I doubt that I'm feeding her enough, feel like all I do is sit around half dressed crying and feeling worried...DH says this is all normal and to stop getting so frustrated and down with it - he is being supportive and helping but I just feel like I'm not very good at this and I wanted her so much - feel awful that I'm not happier and sometimes feel cross and disappointed in myself and stupidly in her...

Sorry - epic post and probably not that related to breast feeding!...

Mae, everyone else has given great advice about the practicalities of the actual feeding. I would like to suggest that you let your housework go to rack and ruin. Failing that, get a cleaner for a wee while, or just make excellent use of that supportive sounding DH, who I assume is already making all the meals and leaving you with a stock of chocolate, cake and a big bottle of water beside the sofa with the remote control and laptop while he sorts the laundry....

Oh, and try not to time the feeds, although I remember sitting for 90minutes and trying to release DS's baracuda grip when he was that age...

I totally agree! Dont get into timing feeds as you mind find, like me, that you get obsessive about times...how long been feeding for, how long in between etc!

Just to say that I posted almost the exact same question 3 weeks ago! DS is now 4 weeks and we are a little more settled into 3 hourly feeds, though it's still feeling a bit relentless. I am hopeful that he'll get more efficient soon - and am excited to read here that at 6 weeks we may see a difference, that's soon! I had felt like I was going to be sofa-bound forever and never get anything done.

Mae, hope you're not feeling too down about things.

Thankyou again!My Mum is here and I'm feeling a bit better as my supply seems to have upped a bit with lots of grub and support and baby seems to have lasted 3-4 hours at night on her last BF so feel a bit more confident...Am going to the BF clinic to look at the latch next week to see if it can be improved at all- have a lovely weekend everyone

xx

well done Mae and have a good weekend to. Nice to have your mum with you!