Breastfeeding help please!

[HeavyMetalMama]

I’ll start by saying this is my 2nd child but with a ten year gap. I breast fed the first with the occasional bottle for 7 months and struggled with supply but put it down to not eating enough (barely at all).

My new gorgeous boy is 9 days old and we started breastfeeding and all was going so well until yesterday when he started pooping a lot, like at every feed. He also feeds almost constantly now and I’m not sure why. A few days ago I was so engorged but now I feel completely empty! I also think that he’s using me for comfort which is fine because he’s tiny and needs his mummy but when he’s not on the breast he screams blue murder and tries to eat my face and searches for the boob. One nappy last night and one today were slightly green?

I’ve barely slept in days. My boobs are empty. My nipples are so sore. I’ve once or twice considered adding a bottle but I just don’t want to. Please if anyone can help let me know!

He'll just be cluster feeding to up your supply - ride it out and you'll be fine. Have a look at Dr Jack Newmans website about breastfeeding, he is absolutely brilliant and there is tons of amazing advice on there. Congratulations btw

Yeah, definitely trying to increase your supply, probably due a growth spurt soon :)

I'd try roll with it and not overthink it. If you can air dry your nipples and use multimam compresses between feeds (or at least while he's on the other one), it should really help.

Oh and congrats!!

Yes this sounds quite normal, provides you are not screaming in pain or bleeding, in which case you need to recheck your latch. Lots of lansinoh Nipple cream and bedtime feeding to ensure that you also get some sleep. Also the poo: Green doesn’t sound so good but the gap between poos sounds ok. If the green poo continues please ask your midwife tomorrow. And please feel him carefully in bed, no quilts or pillows, and get some 😴 sleep
Are you drinking enough water and getting enough food and fat?

All that sounds normal. For sore nipples l coated them in breast milk and applied nipple cream after every feed. I also took both paracetamol and ibuprofen round the clock at the max dose for the first few weeks. Days 7-14 were probably the hardest but then it got easier after that. It does sound like he is just trying to up your supply which is normal (doesn’t mean it’s low, boobs don’t need to feel engorged to make plenty of milk, mine didn’t then). If you have someone who could settle him through for a few hours (read: sit and hold him while he sleeps so he stays asleep, go take a nap). My dh would take our ds in the evenings for 2-3 hours and usually once during the day so I could hide upstairs and sleep.

Yes sounds like cluster feeding. It's hard work but as PPs have said if you ride it out you'll get back to normal soon.

Sounds normal for the time being. My children had green pop from time to time, it's essentially travelling fast through their system so not sufficient time to break down but that's ok if it's brief, albeit rally strange!

Have you thought of a dummy or introducing a formula bottle as you did with your first from time to time (not for staunch bf people of course!) but just thinking of your comfort and baby's hunger if you think that's an issue

Are you me?! I had a nine year gap between DD and DS and in my memory i had no BF issues with DD at all and then when DS came along seemed so much more difficult. Permanently attached to boob, poop at every feed, even a couple of weeks of green nappies (all fine, GP checked). Like you my first had the occasional bottle but didn't want to with DS so persevered on thirty minute cat naps. We had days where he literally just fed all day, it was just normal for him. I also had painful cracked nipples with DS (not with DD) but everything evened itself out after a few weeks. You're not doing anything wrong, all babies are just different.

Thank you so much everyone! Currently feeding well but still very frequently but at least he naps now and all poos are normal mustard. Only thing is he will not part with his wind and tries to eat mine and daddy’s faces when put over the shoulder, otherwise lifts his head or kicks out straight- he’s only 12 days and it’s scary I think he’ll hurt himself!

Nipple pain and constant feeding - check latch is correct, ask midwife or look at YouTube videos. I know you are an expert having already fed one child but worth refreshing latch techniques "just in case".

All sounds very normal. Normal to poo at every feed. Normal to be unsettled when not on the boob or close to mum (a sling will be helpful here). Normal to want to feed almost constantly as lots of growth spurts and needing to increase supply. Green poo can be an indication that they are getting lots of fore milk so try to keep him on the same breast as long as possible so he can get the fatty hind milk.

Things that help.

A sling
Safe cosleeping
Someone else to carry baby in the sling when my feeding
Lots of water and nutritious foods.

You are doing great and so is your baby by the sounds of it.

Thank you again luckily my nipples have stopped being sore, his latch is good I think it was just hurting with the constant on and off. No more green poos since this post, he still feeds really often and doesn’t like to be put down. I’ve got a next to me but it seems to sit wonky so he’s only been in the Moses basket but he’s happy in there when he does nap. My health visitor came on Tuesday and said everything is perfect so that was a great reassurance. I’m eating like a horse (healthily, Little and very often) and drinking water like it’s going out of fashion. We’re both settling now

Oh yeah, and I ordered a sling from mothercare which will hopefully arrive soon. I just hope I can wear him as I’m still getting a lot of pain from my Cesarean

@HeavyMetalMama glad you're both settling in!

I have something that you might want to try for the wind. My sister was given this tip by a midwife in NICU for her premature twins.

When you're winding the baby sit them upright on your lap, one hand supporting under their chin and the other supporting their back. Rock him back and forth 3 times, side to side 3 times, rotate him clockwise 3 times and anti clockwise 3 times. That should get good burps up.

It worked for me with my Did and has been successful for everyone else I've passed the tip on to. She said to my sister that getting rid of wind is just about movement.

Hope it works for you!

*Dd

I'm glad things are going better for you. Just a point about bottles, if you choose to add one (or more) in, it will reflect on your supply. I'm a massive supporter of combination feeding, especially if it allows your DP to take a feed so you can sleep. However, be consistent with it because the cluster feeding will continue if you add a bottle in for a couple of days and then take it away. Dummies are a great thing for comfort if DS is using you for comfort, and are now recommended by the lullabye trust.

Please don’t feel you can’t combi feed. I resisted the bottle for 5 weeks of cluster feeding and really regret it. If you need a break, don’t feel like a bottle is defeat.

Hope the sling works for you!

I think you might actually be an angel? Ok he wasn’t amused at first, and I got milk thrown back up at me with some force but the mighty bell that came with it was quite impressive. We were seemingly both surprised by how much wind was in there!

Belch*

@HeavyMetalMama ha, ha. Glad to have been of assistance.

Now you can be a verified bona fide tip passer oner too. Hope you both have a settled night.

I definitely will! Thank you, have a great night