At breaking point, nursing baby for 3h

[user1490285009]

Hi mamas,

I’m literally crying as I write this. I’ve been nursing my 2 week old for 3h now. I’ve just put her down after she seemed sleepy and now she’s up crying. I’m not only mentally tired/sleepy but I feel physically depleted. I have no more milk to give. And I have no idea when her crying for more milk will end. I’m confused how much milk such a small body can drink up. And I know she’s drink a lot because she’s positing some of it and I can hear her physically gulp it down - well I could around 7-8pm I’m not sure how much milk she got recently.

I am seriously exhausted and overwhelmed.
Is this normal? Or am I misreading her signs as hunger but really there’s something else wrong. Please please please any advice to make it through the night.

@CustardyCreams

I would carry her but I had a c section that has also become undone. She’s a big baby (born 4.3kg) and I struggle even to hold her up during burping, so I don’t feel confident carrying her for long periods of time.

It's cluster feeding.

Can you spend the rest of the day in bed with your baby? Drink plenty of water, eat snacks and watch/read something.

My DD2 had an epic cluster feed that lasted 18 hours. I was a zombie. On the plus side, she then conked out and slept for 12 hours...me too!

Tonight I surrendered to the process, and it was overall a lot less painful. She even went down half an hour earlier.

I also cooled down the room a bit and put her in a swaddle. So far - so peaceful.

Thank you all so much for your kind words, advice and support. You cannot believe how valuable a platform like this is for someone like me who unfortunately doesn’t have a lot of home support or child rearing guidance. I cannot thank everyone enough.

If she's happier over your knee, google the 'airplane hold' for a nice way of holding her on her front while moving around.

Sounds like potentially reflux? I had a similar experience with ds1 - he would cluster feed for HOURS. I was so drained but since he gained weight well I didn't think much of it. I've since read about reflux- poor sleep, endless cluster feeding, hates lying flat, won't be put down, lots of spit up, chokes on milk...he literally ticked every box but I had no idea at the time! If it helps, things improved after 12 weeks in terms of feeding (sleep remained elusive for quite a bit longer...!). But I think you're right to get it investigated. It wasn't until I had ds2 that I realised something had clearly been wrong with ds1 and I just thought it was normal at the time because everyone told me "babies are hard work".

I know this is a really late reply but if this was to happen again would u consider breastfeeding lying down so that you could also get some rest? I had to do that a lot in the beginning it was the only way I'd get sleep. My son would comfort feed himself to sleep and never took a dummy. He wouldn't sleep unless he was suckling.