HELP! 3wks Old Feeding Every Hour Since Birth

[BEHBII]

Help!! I've been wanting to implement the EASY ROUTINE but haven't had an opportunity. My newborn cries each hour for a feed day and night. What can I do? I have also tried implement the EASY routine based on the hour but he doesn't fall asleep when placed in his bassinet.

[weaver]

Hi there and welcome to BW,
newborns do sometimes seem to feed non-stop, don't they?  And this is an important stage for establishing your milk supply so it's important not to let them go beyond say, every 3 hours. But, really, it isn't possible that he would be hungry every hour. 

Has he a good latch? Have you had any difficulties with feeding?  Does he fall asleep on the breast? How long does he feed for before falling asleep?  He might just be having too small a feed and then waking up again for more.  He could be snacking, in other words. 

Have a look here:
Tips for Sleepy Newborns

[BEHBII]

Thanks for your input Weaver. I was also guessing he may have been snacking, but also thought maybe it was just true size of his stomach being a newborn. But decided to reach out as I hear from this forum other newborns being able to go at least 2-3 hours between feeds.

BF seems to be going well. He does sometimes get fussy while feeding. I'm not sure if it's cause of the slow let down or low milk supply. He does get enough pees and poos daily though. He delatches himself, but he can't seem to make up his mind if w has enough. As he will cry for me after he delatches. This whole bit confuses me.

He does fall asleep while BF, but even when he doesn't and sucks intently he still feeds within the next hour. I remember reading about extending feed times by distracting the baby, thereby makin sure te baby is really hungry while he feeds. I don't know if it was suitable to try out for a newborn.

[*Ali*]

Do you think he could just be a sucky baby who is looking to suck for comfort and because he is tired an hour after he last woke up?
Have you tried a dummy/pacifier?
How long is he awake between naps?
3hrly feeds is probably too much for many 3wo but I agree 1hr, especially if he is on the breast a long time for the feed is probably more prop, comfort or OT.

[1stimer]

When my DS clusters in the evenings he does what you described of your LO with pulling off and crying and not really seeming like he can make up his mind...its extremely confusing but Ive found if I pat his bottom and SHHH him it helps him calm down and focus...its generally an OT issue since when my DS does it its at the end of a long stretch of wakefulness. Once he calms down and really latches he settles in for a good feed.

[BEHBII]

Thanks Ali & 1stimer.

I usually used the paci only on a need to soothe basis when I can't do anything else (ie. diaper changes and car seat), fearing nipple confusion. We have tried it a couple times in the end it's a short distraction and he ends up with an escalated streaking cry (as if we didn't get the milk memo).

I recently tried extending his feed times in the day time by distracting him by swaying. Tough to get it to 3 hours, but maybe will try for 2 first then more after. This doesn't work for the night time though, as one can imagine how much swaying is needed in the middle of the night to extend those feeds. Thinking I'll work on extending day time feeds first? I'm worried his weight will drop if I don't 'feed in demand.'

Interesting what you said about being overtired and fussing during BF. I'll keep watch for it. I have quite an acttive and alert baby who doesn't seem to sleep as often as others in between feeds. So the short sleep and frequent feeds have been an issue, related I'm sure. He wakes up to feed like clockwork each hour.

[1stimer]

Yes ds has been doing 4-6 hr stretches of being awake since we brought him home. Now that he's 8 weeks it's not so abnormal but when he was 2 or 3 weeks I thought something was wrong lol!!! Have you ever pumped to get an idea of how much your lo might be getting? Tracy said if you pump 2 oz you can assume your lo I'd getting about 3 oz since babies are much more efficient than pumps.

[*Ali*]

The other possibility is that he is feeding to soothe discomfort from reflux. Does he have any reflux symptoms?

Reflux 101 - General reflux information

[*Ali*]

Posted the above with pp.

Please note that research completed after Tracy's advice on doing a yield has subsequently shown it to be unreliable and we like to think Tracy would have updated her advice in that area had she still been alive. While it's safe to say baby will get more than you could pump it could actually be significantly more rather than just one ounce more.  Not being able to pump more than an ounce or two does not mean anything about your supply. Some ladies just do not respond to the pump and while their LO can get plenty of milk they just cannot pump even an ounce

[1stimer]

Oh wow Ali!!! I can only imagine how much my lo is really getting then!!! Now that you mention the eating to soothe that's a good point...my ds just got put on axid for his reflux...I only mention it bc there seems to be a lot in common with your lo behbii

[BEHBII]

I tried to extend the feed time day time yesterday. It went really well in the day time for somereason when we were out (enough distractions and white noise maybe), we carried, swayed, pacified him, and put him in a carrier (since we were out and he slept gota good 3 hours in it).

The night time feed came around though at 8pm and he never stopped till 10:30pm. Assumed this was the evening cluster feed many babies naturally do.

The night time he woke every hour to feed, and being so tired I gave in. This morning he's been fussing at the breast again. I do have a feeling he may have reflux as his voice is coarse, he feeds frequently and sleeps little. 1stimer did the axid for your ds? Anymore fussing when BF?

How does the night time feed look like on a 3 hour routine? After tanking up (cluster feed and dre feed), do I continue to feed every 3 hours? I'll try that tonight. If only we were allowed to have coffee it'll make it a lt easier!

Ali I've tried to pump but nothin muh seems to come out at the beginning so I stop. The only successful time I've had was in the morning when the breast feels really full. I guess its probably because he had fed so frequently that the pump didn't seem to work for me.

[1stimer]

Yeah we did the axid and it seems to work. He never seemed to be bothered too much during the day as he sleeps a good deal still (on me or in the swing mostly I must admit)...but his tough time was at night..his cluster feeding would stretch to 6 hrs sometimes and he was very fussy with it and lots of spit up/vomit. His cluster feeding has so far gone down to a few hours thankfully and not as much spit up. Hes very gassy as well so hes got a lot going on but my Ped seemed to think his cluster feeding was lasting as long as it was and was as rough as it was (the pulling off and crying and confusion like we discussed) d/t feeding to soothe.

[*Ali*]

If you suspect reflux then I'd see your dr ASAP.

[MasynSpencerElliotte]

If you suspect reflux then I'd see your dr ASAP.

Totally agree...if he is in pain then not much will work on the routine front if he is feeding frequently because of reflux.

I am one of those who could not pump, only first thing in the morning when I was super full did it ever work...I just could not get a letdown from the pump the way I did with a baby at the breast. Oh and I totally drank one cup of coffee a day while bf all three kids...it never bothered them luckily.

[1stimer]

Do you think coffee could bother them?  I feel like I've cut everything and watchEd my diet really well. But the one thing I probably have it, is my morning cup of coffee. Do you think it's something I should try?