Author Topic: 3 days old and already struggling!! (Read 2492 times)

kbecks · « **on:** July 13, 2013, 05:01:28 am »

So we've been home from the hospital for 36 hours and my lg had slept for 4x 2hr blocks and fed solidly for the rest of the time. after a three day early labour with little sleep and a night in the hospital after she was born with her feeding from 11-7am i'm feeling exhausted and don't know if anything can be changed to try to get her to feed and then sleep in her basket instead of feed, snooze on me then when we try and move her she just wants feeding again and the cycle resumes.

Any ideas? I expect my milk to come in within the next ???24 hrs and i've been told she'll want to feed more...how would that be possible when she is feeding all the time anyway???

Any advice greatly appreciated. I am so exhausted I can't think straight!!!!

Shiv52 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2013, 07:49:57 am »

Hugs.

Congrats on your new bundle xx

What she's doing is very very normal and its all stimulating your supply. Once your milk comes in and I'd say it should be really soon you should see a big difference.

Can Your DH try and settle her for a bit between feeds just so you can a solid hours sleep?

cuckoochick · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2013, 08:52:34 am »

Hugs, I went through this 3 weeks ago. It is exhausting. On the 2nd night my LO was just as you describe feeding from 10pm until 6am. I was going out of my mind but my milk came in the night after. BFing is really tough the first 6 wks (I'm holding out to get past the 6wk growth spurt and hoping things are easier then).

Hugs, eat and drink plenty and rest when you can.

cuckoochick · « **Reply #3 on:** July 13, 2013, 08:54:55 am »

Ooh and can you feed her lying down? If so get into bed and rest up while your LO does their thing. Xxx

Fiver · « **Reply #4 on:** July 13, 2013, 20:04:10 pm »

Nothing to add apart from congratulations

Erin M · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2013, 02:22:50 am »

Congrats and ((((hugs))))
TBH, I found that with mine once my milk came in, it helped mine to actually be a bit more settled between feedings -- they can get a big full tummy of milk and then actually be calm for a little while -- it was before it came in that we had constant nursing (which when you look at it actually stimulates your supply and helps your milk to come in).

Hang in there!

Fiver · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2013, 15:54:48 pm »

How's it going today?

weaver · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2013, 19:21:58 pm »

Your title gave me a wry smile...the first days are definitely the hardest! Hang in there, you'll get through it and out the other side.

Hope you and LO are tucked up in bed enjoying a snuggle.

Layla · « **Reply #8 on:** July 15, 2013, 00:06:48 am »

Congratulations and welcome to the BW site!

kbecks · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2013, 22:18:40 pm »

Thanks all!! The last couple of days has been much better and a you all predicted it coincided with my milk coming in (and her first proper nappy which I think contributed to that night) oh, and a purchase of a dummy to use when she gets a bit hysterical!
Things are going much better now though the knife life pains when initially feeding aren't much fun though i'm trying to ignore them.

Now onto trying to get her to settle into sleep without needing a feed immediately before.

Layla · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2013, 23:13:26 pm »

Great to hear things are going better

!!!

The knife like pains may be associated with poor attachment so keep an eye out on that as poor attachment can lead to other issues (cracked/bleeding/blistered nipples)

I didn't bother too much if mine would fall asleep on the breast.... it is such a common thing to do at such a young age. I really only started attempting to break the feed to sleep habit (if you call it that) close to 6 weeks. For the 1st 6 weeks I fed on demand and that may have been anywhere from 1-3 hrs (depending on how long she slept). I really wouldn't worry about spoiling your baby at this stage.

Again, congrats on your little bundle of joy

weaver · « **Reply #11 on:** July 17, 2013, 14:11:05 pm »

I was hyper careful with LO1 to avoid feeding to sleep and then relaxed more with LO2 who fed to sleep lots in her first months. In the first weeks, it really doesn't matter, do whatever works for you. When she starts waking up more, start being a bit more careful, but don't kill yourself when you're both adjusting to your new life together.

cuckoochick · « **Reply #12 on:** July 17, 2013, 15:02:19 pm »

Think the advice from the ladies above is sensible. Pleased things have settled down a little. Also a little envious that you got your LO to accept a dummy!!!

Happy BFing!

Mami S · « **Reply #13 on:** July 17, 2013, 15:10:37 pm »

Congrats !!!!! first weeks BF is painfull and hard but then it all gets better and its a joy, and a amazing connecting expierence with your LO, at the beggining do whatever you can to settle her, you will have plenty of time for sleep training, if she is feeding well let her be, she can´t stay up for very long at this stage anyway and BF is a hard job for her as well so she will get exhausted just from eating,

best of luck !!!

kbecks · « **Reply #14 on:** July 17, 2013, 17:39:51 pm »

2nd update not quite as positive as i've now been diagnosed with thrush so trying to feed through the absolute agony that has brought. Caved last night and had to give a couple of formula feeds which i'm not proud of but at the time was the only way she would eat. Feeling a bit better today and got some cream so hopefully will see some improvements in 24hrs.

They say its hard but good God!!!

cuckoochick · « **Reply #15 on:** July 17, 2013, 18:04:54 pm »

It's good you picked up on the thrush quickly. Don't feel bad for offering formula feeds if that is what you needed to do. Hopefully the treatment will kick in soon and you feel better

Fiver · « **Reply #16 on:** July 17, 2013, 18:05:25 pm »

Hope it goes soon x

GreenerRock · « **Reply #17 on:** August 02, 2013, 03:49:12 am »

Have you got a pump? I found it less painful to pump than nurse when i had cracked nipples and it could be an alternative to formula. Other than that all I can say is hang in there, it will get better!

deb · « **Reply #18 on:** August 02, 2013, 10:55:08 am »

Oh, ugh, BTDT, only mastitis instead of thrush.

I ended up formula feeding at night to give my nipples time to heal and then BF during the day, and I paid out of pocket for the LC to come and fix my latch. She had me position DD so my nipple was going along the TOP of her mouth, not straight back. The relief was immediate AND DD got more milk that way.

I found this article and video - http://www.breastfeeding-problems.com/Latching-on.html - the video is a little hokey, maybe, but talks about getting baby positioned just right. It would have saved me the cost of an LC (twice - needed her with both kids!), although what we saved in formula was still more than her cost.

Hope this helps, and hope the thrush clears ASAP!

Erin M · « **Reply #19 on:** August 03, 2013, 01:37:20 am »

How's it going?

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Author Topic: 3 days old and already struggling!! (Read 2492 times)