BabyWhispererForums.com
EAT => Breast Feeding => Topic started by: conorandjulianasmo on June 20, 2006, 15:20:59 pm
-
Dd will be 3 weeks tomorrow. Last night from about 630 until 10pm she nursed pretty much non stop. I couldn't get her to sleep for anything, all she wanted to do was nurse. She slep until 1 then was up again nursing nonstop until like 4 or something, I didn't really notice, I was delirious at that point. She wouldn't go to sleep, she sleeps in her crib pretty well during the day. I know you're going to tell me it's a growth spurt...when does the nonstop nursing stop then? She was doing well at night most nights, 3-4 hour stretches between feedings starting at about 8-9 pm until 730-800 am. This is why I hated breastfeeding ds when he was born and quit after 2 weeks, I felt helpless and just wanted to sleep. I want to bf her for at least 8 weeks exclusively. Please give me some advice before I whip out the enfamil.
-
I've got no advice for you because I wrote a very similar post about 2 months ago. Let me just say I know how you are feeling right now, and I want to give you a hug.
-
Hang in there :) I know it is so frustrating in the beginning, but it does get easier. Yes, she is probably growth spurting, as well as beginning to wake up some more. What are her days like? How often are you feeding? We are here to help you, just take it one day at a time and take a deep breath. How old is ds? Can you nap at all during the day? Anyone around to help you out during the day so maybe you can get some much needed rest?
Sending lots of {{{{{hugs}}}} your way.
-
Hi!! Poor you. I know it's frustrating now but maybe if you give us a little more info we might be able to help before you completely give up. My lo fed non stop from 7 to 11 in the evening which I viewed as a good thing coz it kept her going till 6am. I know thats not happening for you yet but it might be an idea to keep that up to encouage sleeping through the night.
Can you give us a rough idea of how many feeds through out the day & how long? How often does lo nap & for how long? How do yoou think your milk supply is in the evening? Are you noticing a let down? Alot of the time your milk supply can be reduced during the evening due to tiredness (esp as i see u have another older lo). Would it be possible for you to pump in the morning & give it to lo in the evening as a top up in the bottle?
Let us know what u think to the above & in the meantime {{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGS}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Niki
-
More info. I do have a 2 yo, so I can't really nap during the day except I try to have them both napping at the same time at least once a day. I try to lay down on the couch when she is napping and he is playing.
She was eating 10-20 min every 1-3 hours during the day, most of the time 2-3 hours. She naps about 1 hour to 1.5 hours each feed cycle, unless she wants to eat again after an hour (this is mostly late afternoon and evening, but sometimes in the morning). She's really all over the place, I don't feel right trying to hold her off until 2 hours if she shows hunger sings at 1 hour. 10-12 feeds most days.
I just starting pumping this week and was going to intro a bottle this week, to, per my lc, 3-4 weeks is the best time. Do you think that would help if I try to top her off before bed? How many ounces should I try to get her to eat and should I do it after she nurses? (she was 8 pounds at her two week appt. last tues...she was 7 5 at birth).BTW, I've pumped twice and gotten 1.5 ounces one time and 2 the other in 10 min. Does this sound ok?
I can hear her swallowing when she is marathon nursing, I don't know where she is putting all that milk. I wouldn't mind the marathon nursing if it held her for a while at night, but it didn't last night. The night before she didn't go as long between feedings, only 2 - maybe 3 when she had been going 3-4.
Thanks for any help you can give, I want to hang in there.
-
First it DOES get better! There will be light at the end of the tunnel. Are you trying dreamfeed at all, it might buy you at little more shut eye time at night. Can someone help watch your older child so you can get a nice nap- even a Mommy's helper? Can you have spouse/father/another adult help at night- so all you do is just nurse for a feeding? SOunds like she is cluster feeding in afternoons- which is pretty typical. Make sure you are well hydrated and taking in enough protein. I also like http://www.kellymom.com for BF issues. The amount you are pumping seems fine. And she is gaining weight like a champ. I remember somewhere between week 4-6 things got SO much better.
-
It's so hard at the beginning, but hang on in it will get better. My LO went through a phase of wanting to nurse all evening. It seems to be quite common and their way of preparing for a longer stretch at night.I remember that delirious feeling, it also gets better. Your hormones and milk production are still sorting themselves out, once they're sorted (around 6 weeks) you'll be amazed at the strength a breast feeding woman has. The hormones make the night nursing so much easier than having to get up and make a bottle. Both you and LO get a good slug of oxytocin to send you back to sleep.
In the mean time {{{{hugs}}}}
Katie
-
I wish it were for a longer night stretch, but she was up from 115 until 4 or something again. I hope this doesn't go on every night, I liked what she was doing before this.
-
At this point you do want to follow her cues for eating. She is building your milk supply and there is no need to stretch her to a 2 hour feed cycle. Tracy always encourged listening to your baby, not watching the clock. If she's hungry after an hour, feed her. The important thing to watch for is not every cry is a hungry cry.
There is a natural dip in supply in the evening, so that may be why there is more frequent feedings then. I would try (at this point) to feed every 2 hours during the day and make sure you have some A time (simple as a diaper change). Then hopefully at night she may last longer.
Have you tried the dream feed? Perhaps try giving her a bottle of EBM about 1.5 hrs after her last feed for the night (can someone do this for you, while you pump to keep the supply?). Try the 2 ounces. Again, nursing is the best thing for your supply.
Please don't give up. Right now is the hardest time, but it does get easier, I promise!
Come cry on our shoulders! Let us know what we can do for you.
-
Hi! I wanted to send {{{hugs}}} your way. It's so hard in the beginning. As long as you can is helpful to your dd. I remember snoozing in a recliner with my ds when he'd have marathon nighttime nursing sessions so I get rest, too. (Remember nothing! I did that this morning when he woke up too early! :) ) I also remember that things started getting better at 2-3 weeks, & then there was a dramatic increase in things getting better at about 6 weeks.
Let us know how we can help!
-
In my haste to get dd from her cot after nap earlier, I forgot to mention the dream feed. That is what I was mentioning expressing for. Express bout an hour after every feed from first thing in the morning. You get a good amount when you express so you might only need to do it twice or 3 times before you have enough for the night feed. I would put 4 ounces in the bottle the first time, just to see how much she takes. From experience & from reading boards 2oz seems to be the norm but if your supply dips in the evening (you have a newborn & a toddler - of course you're tired) she might need more.
If she's feeding until 10pm maybe dh/dp could give it to lil Juliana bout 1.5/2hrs later so you could stay asleep & hopefully she'll stay asleep longer.
Let us know how you get on.
Niki
-
Thanks for all the suggestions. We'll see if tonight goes any better. She's been eating about every 2 hours all day. When she ate at 3, she went for almost an hour and still wanted to suck more, but I took her off and got her down for a nap. What I need to know is how long should I let her feed? Surely after an hour she isn't still getting anything, is she? And if she is, where is it going...her stomach is so small? What should I do if she wants to just feed constantly for hours again? After she went to sleep a little after 10 last night, she didn't get up until after 1 but then did the same thing, constant feeding. My supply wouldn't have been low then, would it?
-
All babies nurse for different lengths of time. Tracy suggested a time frame (with the emphasis on not watching the clock and that all babies are different) of up to 40 minutes for 4-8 week olds (mine never got past 15). You should hear swallowing when she is eating.
Do you have any of the Baby Whispering books? If yes (and it's the first book) pg 115 might help. If not, let me know and I will quote it for you.
-
I hesitate to say this as I have very mixed feelings about pacis, but if she isn't swallowing but just suckling have you tried offering her one (or your finger). Sucking is about the only way a LO this young has as a means to comfort themselves. It does open up a whole other can of worms, but maybe makes your life bearable and stops you giving up.
Just a thought...
Katie
-
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
You are awesome for not giving up!!! GOOD MOMMY!!!! BRAVE AND STRONG MOMMY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :-* ;) ;D
We got ur back when you need us!!
-
This has been posted here before by jules_is_cute but I wanted to post it here incase anyone missed it!!
Dr. Seuss for Nursing Moms
Would you nurse her in the park?
Would you nurse him in the dark?
Would you nurse him with a Boppy?
And when your boobs are feeling floppy?
I would nurse him in the park,
I would nurse her in the dark.
I'd nurse with or without a Boppy.
Floppy boobs will never stop me.
Can you nurse with your seat belt on?
Can you nurse from dusk till dawn?
Though she may pinch me, bite me, pull,
I will nurse her `till she's full!
Can you nurse and make some soup?
Can you nurse and feed the group?
It makes her healthy strong and smart,
Mommy's milk is the best start!
Would you nurse him at the game?
Would you nurse her in the rain?
In front of those who dare complain?
I would nurse him at the game.
I would nurse her in the rain.
As for those who protest lactation,
I have the perfect explanation.
Mommy's milk is tailor made
It's the perfect food, you need no aid.
Some may scoff and some may wriggle,
Avert their eyes or even giggle.
To those who can be cruel and rude,
Remind them breast's the perfect food!
I would never scoff or giggle,
Roll my eyes or even wiggle!
I would not be so crass or crude,
I KNOW that this milk's the perfect food!
We make the amount we need
The perfect temp for every feed.
There's no compare to milk from breast-
The perfect food, above the rest.
Those sweet nursing smiles are oh so sweet,
Mommy's milk is such a treat.
Human milk just can't be beat.
I will nurse, in any case,
On the street or in your face.
I will not let my baby cry,
I'll meet her needs, I'll always try.
It's not about what's good for you,
It's best for babies, through and through.
I will nurse her in my home,
I will nurse her when I roam.
Leave me be lads and ma'am.
I will nurse her, Mom I am
-
Don't give up!!!! I was SOOOOO in your exact situation at 2 weeks and I was only holding out till Christmas. I felt like I was ALWAYS feeding and felt like I'd never catch a break., She nursed so much, I was cracked and sore. I made the decision to go 2 more weeks and in that time, I pumped to fix the cracking and soreness and was able to let the hormones subside as I had some "ersolve" in my decision to wean at 4 weeks. I feld like since I saw the end that I feared was never going to come. In those 2 weeks, I would start nursing again....more and more...and everyone said, "I thought you were quitting" and I'd say - "oh - it just got easier"...and it did....and we are still at it - althoughwe are weaning to just the DF - her choice - shes super busy - never sits still.
Anyway - there IS light at the end of the tunnel.. I cried to every friend and doctor I knew - sought reassurance at every turn that Enfamil was OK and you know what - it IS, but we continued BF and i am happy I ws able to do it.
We DID introduce a binky and it was NEVER a problem. We used the soft center ones - she loved them. She also used a finger in the first month and we felt like the soft center paci's were most like a finger.
Good luck - you can do it!!! Stacey
-
Just wanted to add my encouragment.................it does get easier! You are a great mommy for sticking to nursing so faithfully and giving your baby the best milk available! Hang in there, it will pass and things wil settle in to a routine.
A couple things that may help - once she is done nursing - will she take a pacifer for her sucking needs? It may help her not to nurse on you for hours on end. Give it a try and see how she does, once she falls asleep you can take it out so you don't feel like it is becoming a prop if that makes you more comfortable.
Do you have a sling or other baby carrier? If you can nurse her in this in the evening or days when she wants to nurse for a longer period at least then maybe you can have your hands free for other things and get some picking up or dishes done as well.
The Kellymom and LaLeche League websites are a host of information as well!
((((((((((HUGS)))))))))) you are doing a great job!
-
Thanks to all of you for your words and advice. The last 2 nights have been better, she only did the all night eating thing that one night and nursed a lot the next day. I guess it truely was a growth spurt (she was 3 weeks yesterday). She nursed for like an hour last night at 7, but after I got her ready for bed and nursed a bit longer, when she came off, I didn't put her back on, I rocked her untl almost asleep and put her to bed and she went to sleep until almost 10pm, so I guess she was just comfort nursing. Thanks again. Eight weeks is my goal and longer if I decided I don't hate bf so much. I only hung in there a couple of weeks with ds. I'm going to try to intro the bottle to her so she can take a little ebm after her bedtime feeding (which should it be at 8-8:30 when I want her bedtime to eventually be or when she wakes at around 10 to eat?)
Thanks again.
-
You could use the EBM for a dreamfeed at 10...
-
If I do that, should I nurse her first then offer the bottle, or just the bottle? I don't want my supply to get low.
-
I pumped until I had enough for the feed. Dh would offer the feed and while he did that I pumped for the next night. I even pumped in the room so I could be near her.
-
Hi there! Just wanted to let you know that I went through the same thing as you with Jasmine. She is nursed just as soon as she opens her eyes from a nap (even if that nap is an hour) and if she not hungry she will just fall right back asleep. My mum told me to try to extend her feeds to 2 hourly but I figure there is plenty of time to try to place her under a rountine and I told myself from the start that if she wants to nurse all day let that be it! I gave myself 6 weeks (this is apparently the magical moment from when things just start getting better ::)) and now that I am at 6 weeks, I am giving myself until 3 months and so forth. To be honest, there was a day when I actually went out and bought formula and gave the girl a bottle. She didn't take much (20 ml) and then I realised that I should wait a bit longer before giving up and that in the evening she is just much more fussier baby and its very easy for me to think that she is not getting enough and that is why she is fussy! So to put myself at ease, I too started epressing 1st thing in the morning for that evening so that I know that she has been "fed" and she is funny cause she is tired, gas, etc... This has been the case ever since. She gets a bottle of EBM in the evening from the milk I have expressed in the morning.
If I do that, should I nurse her first then offer the bottle, or just the bottle? I don't want my supply to get low.
Well I give my lo just the bottle and then express both breasts completely. That was my body thinks that the baby has finished both sides and my supply does not decrease and I have enough for the next evening and even some left over (which i freeze).
At night, up until a week ago, I would nurse her every 1-2 hours and it was only yesterday that she slept from 11 till 3ish, nursed, awake at 5 and nursed and then slept till 8 (awaked by very active/loud older sister). Wow maybe 6 weeks is the magical moment. She is still extremely fussy in the evenings (she cried from 7 till 11 last night..nothing would calm her - nursing, dummy, rocking, shushing, car ride). And she only fell asleep out of exhaustion.
I used a dummy from day 2 and I realise that it can cause nipple confusion and might not be well accepted by some people but to be honest, I used a paci with Bella for the 1st 3 months every single day, at every nap and night sleep and then at 2 months used it less and less and by 3 months stopped using it at all - she did not care at all. Thats not to say that it will be that easy this time around :-\ but sucking is soothing to babies and it helped ALOT! So what we do now is feed from one side until she fusses then nappy change then go to the next side until she fusses. Once she is fussy on the 2nd side (if she takes it) then I talk/play to her (max 20 mins) and then she starts fussying again, place the dummy in and she is on my hands, rocked to sleep or in a baby carrier At night I just place her on my boob (both lying down) and sometimes even drift off to sleep (i realise I might be creating a REALLY bad habit) but personally I don't think you can create "bad" habits until they are about 3 months (only personal opinion) and at 3 months they can be easily fixed.
I still really struggle with confidence in regards to having enough milk, etc, but she had put on 670grams in 2 weeks and the nurse told me that the average is from 150-250grams per week and that I am feeding her too much!
-
I hesitate to say this as I have very mixed feelings about pacis, but if she isn't swallowing but just suckling have you tried offering her one (or your finger). Sucking is about the only way a LO this young has as a means to comfort themselves.
I was going to suggest trying a paci first, too. If she spits it out and doesn't ever want it, then she is hungry and really will fall into a more regular routine. Honest. :)