Premmie Jaundiced Baby and BF question

[JudyLee]

Hi guys.
DD2 was born 24th November, 3 weeks early (so is now 9 days old) , was in special care for respiratory distress and jaundice -
she is very sleepy and I have to wake her to feed as she lost a lot of weight as well, so am doing 3 hourly feeds as was recommended by special care.
She falls asleep on the breast about every 5-10mins, I rouse her, burp her, return her to breast, then change her nappy to wake her again and return her to breast.
Sometimes she only feeds for 10mins total what with the rousing and what not... by the time her 'e and a' time is done it's forty five minutes and I'm swaddling her to put her down - she's crying that she's hungry again -rooting around, sucking her hand and crying again and she will feed if I put her on the breast.

Huh? Normal, just cause she's premmie, jaundiced...
Is she a snacky baby, am I setting myself up for something, or do I just do whatever  until she's three weeks old(so she's full term)?

Sorry - confused and just looking for some pat pat there there's I think.
Thanks

[becj86]

Pat pat, there there. All will be well.

Congrats on the new baby

I reckon she's probably crying because she's tired when she's crying after a feed. She may just want to go to sleep and feeding is relaxing and sleep-inducing for her. I'm not sure if you have a dummy for her or if she's a sucky baby but it may help.

I'd do whatever gets you by for the first few weeks, there's not a lot of point going nuts trying to 'get it all right' when she's so new to the world. Props are reasonably easy to break in the first 3 months or so.

[Erin M]

ITA with the PP, especially if she's jaundiced the extra feeds aren't going to hurt as they'll clear it out of her system quicker.  When she gets less sleepy it will be easier to hold her out longer.  You might try soothing her to sleep without nursing, but if she's getting upset I would just go ahead and feed.  I firmly believe there's not a whole lot you can do early on that can't bs undone.

Congrats on your baby!  You'll both be great!

[JudyLee]

Thanks guys. She's so small that I just needed that reassurance!

[Erin M]

Oh and wanted to add - at that young of an age it wouldn't be uncommon for a feed and a diaper change to be the entire A time. Tiny babies don't have all that much stamina and nursing wears them out completely. 
My Ds was 2.5 weeks early and was just about five and a half pounds, he seemed ridiculously tiny.

[JudyLee]

Wow Erin! 5 1/2? DD2 was born 8 1/3...can't complain there!

[Erin M]

Yeah, and now he's over 20 pounds, he's nearly quadrupled his birth weight in 7 months. 
The power of mama milk!