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Original poster

EBF Newborn sleep

9 replies

Linzerelli13 · 10/12/2017 00:34

DS Is 2 days old today. He Is EBF. 1st night I managed 2 hours sleep total. Last night I managed about the same.
He constantly wants to feed! I leave him on for between 20 and 40 mins, during which time he usually falls alseep. I tickle his chin to wake him throughout to make sure hes still getting something. My supply is not l quite there yet (haven't woken up with a chest like dolly parton yet, But it's getting there)
When I put him back in his moses basket to sleep he wakes up after a couple of minutes - 20 mins and cries until I feed him again.
On occasion during the day he has allowed me to put him down and settled for 40 mins. But that's it! He already will only sleep if being fed or held.
I am shattered and have literally had about 7 hours sleep in the last 4 days.
I find myself struggling to stay awake when i feed him which I know is dangerous so am sitting cross legged in the middle of the floor whilst I do it so that i can't bob off (ouch my stitches)
He literally goes on like this all night and has been the most settled between 5 and 7 am letting me get the most solid sleep.
I don't remember DD doing this when she was newborn. I remember waking every couple of hours to feed but she settled when put back in her basket asleep.
DS is a big lad- was 9lbs7oz at birth- so i know he's going to need a lot of milk but jeez, I must spend 20 hours of the day with him on me. I need sleep!!
Any suggestions? (Apologies if it's a bit rambley. I'm sleep deprived and have a newborn on me!)

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QforCucumber · 10/12/2017 00:35

Feed laying down - this was a revelation to me. You can doze on and off while baby feeds :) congratulations!

Newtothismumthing1 · 10/12/2017 01:14

My baby was pretty similar, however we discovered she would sleep a little longer if lying on someone- so that became DHs job, after a night feed onto his chest she’d go. I think the rhythmic beating of the hearts helped and at times she was feeding for comfort over food so lying on us helped.

mindutopia · 10/12/2017 13:18

Do you have a partner around who can help? Mine would take our dd between feeds to hold her meaning I could get a couple hours of sleep. We even traded off during the night. He would stay up til 1am, meaning I got to sleep in between feeds (usually 2) between about 7/8pm and 1am. And I'd get a nap here and there during the day. For the first few weeks, my dh just sat and held her, but then after that, he would wear her in the wrap and get on with his day (key if you have an older one too), so he still got done what he needed and I got rest.

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teaandbiscuitsforme · 10/12/2017 13:26

Definitely learn to feed lying down! I battled feeding DD sat up for a few months until I got as just so tired that I had to cosleep. With DS (also a big one at nearly 10lb) I coslept from the start and fed lying down. I honestly was much more rested with a newborn and a 21mo than I ever was when DD was tiny!

LapinR0se · 10/12/2017 13:31

I would do formula top ups until your milk is fully in, using a cup or syringe. But I know that’s not best practise.

Mixedupmummy · 10/12/2017 13:46

My dd2 wanted fed whenever I held her for her first week or so... even after my milk came in. She fed so much she didn't loose any weight. at her 5 day weigh in she was over her birth weight! Only thing that gave me a break was dh or my mum holding her. She was fine with them. Think it was the smell of my milk. It's exhausting but was a very short lived phase. Enlist some help so you can sleep meantime. Good luck x

Oly5 · 10/12/2017 14:12

This is all really normal, there is nothing wrong with your baby. Don’t top up with formula, that will affect your supply.
At this age, babies just want to be fed and held - ALL the time. It does pass. It’s normal to only get a few hours of sleep per night in the early weeks.
Things you can do are feed laying down so you are at least resting.. though don’t doze off as babies can easily suffocate at this age.
Then safely co-sleep wit them at the other side of the bed (I warm up the spot with a hot water bottle so they don’t notice the transition from you as much). Your partner needs to sleep in another bed to ensure they don’t roll on the baby. Look up Sade co-sleeping .. no duvets anywhere near baby etc.
Every morning around 5am, finish feeding the baby and take the baby to your partner to hold for a few hours while you get more sleep.
That’s the only way we survived all three babies in the early days.. letting DH get sleep
Overnight on the proviso he took the baby for a few hours early morning so I could catch up.
It does get better I promise!

Oly5 · 10/12/2017 14:13

Safe co-sleeping.. not Sade!

Bluerose27 · 10/12/2017 14:20

milk comes in on day 3 usually as far as I'm aware. So baby sucking is "putting in an order" so your body knows to make milk.
Baby wants to be near you (on you) as he's just left the womb and doesn't know what's going on, little pet! Though it leaves you no time to yourself.
Is there a local La Leche League that you can get advice/support from?

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