Breast Feeding

[NK5]

My 3 day old daughter drinks milk at night, doses off in between ( after 30 mins) and breast falls off her mouth, she then refuses to take it in again and when I put her to bed she is awake within 10/15 mins now hungry for more.. This is a routine mostly at night keeping me awake for few hours.. any suggestion how I can deal with this please.. Also as she sleeps her latch on me keeps changing making it painful.

Put your finger into baby's mouth gently to break a painful or shallow latch every time. You have to teach baby and learn for yourself as you go. Hold your breast and drag your nipple over baby's nose to mouth. As mouth opens wide help baby latch deeply with other hand behind baby's head. It's only day 3. It can take a few weeks. You can reach out to La Leche League as well. 🩷

Definitely seek some on person support, if you can. It's tough getting it established and she's likely reacting to the change in environment too. Falls asleep on you, can hear your heartbeat, feel your breathing, warmth, familiarity then wakes alone in the crib when she stirs. Does she actually take more milk? I used a dummy and still breastfed for 2 years if that's something that you're thinking about.

Do you swaddle?

Definitely gently break the seal with your finger as suggested but leave her pressed up against your boob rather than try and move her away. She's waking because she's not against you - this is pure survival instinct. She's programmed to need to be physically with you. Neither of mine would ever sleep in a separate sleep space so I followed the lullaby trusts safe sleep advice on bedsharing. I had a double mattress on the floor pulled away from the walls so no entrapment risk, wore an adult slumbersac so no duvets at all, and fed mine lying down so once unlatched we just stayed lying together. That way we actually got some sleep. They still woke every 1-1.5 hours to feed but it was much much less disruptive.

On day 3, is your milk in yet? Babies feed like little gremlins right before it comes in, to encourage it. And then in the day or two after - they literally change colour from gorging themselves! Turn from that lovely newborn pink to a different shade.

It won't be like this forever, promise.

Make sure baby is getting lots of milk in the time they're latched. To keep them awake strip them down and use a cold cloth to gently wipe their feet if you have too. Or rub the inside of their palm with your thumb.

It's usually one side per feed, but that never worked for me. A lactation consultant told me to treat it as dinner & dessert - main feed off one side and dessert off the other. Then swap sides for the next feed.

Sometimes babies don't like laying flat immediately after birth either. Especially if it was assisted, or had complications that could give them an uncomfortable neck. I had this with my eldest.

Trapped wind can wake them up shortly after putting them down too. Are you hearing wind release or gurgle up before you pop them to bed?

Like PP said this is a survival instinct too. Until this settled, I had my DH take a shift of holding the sleeping baby so I could sleep too. If that's not an option, swaddling and making sure their cot is warm enough. (Not too warm obviously, some babies don't like being transferred to cold sheets.)

Babies feed at night to boost supply; it’s when the milk hormone (prolactin) is highest. I’m afraid it’s totally normal, and extended night feeds are part and parcel of breastfeeding. I co-slept with both of mine, much easier.