Problems with "EASY"

[Josem]

Hello, I'm from Argentina. It's a bit difficult for me to communicate in English but I hope you'll understand my message. My baby is one week old and from the very first day I have been trying to put him in the EASY plan, which I took from Tracy's book. However my baby seems to be hungry all the time and it is impossible to feed him only for 40 minutes. I have tried to see if there is another problem, as I know crying not always means hunger, but anyway, until he eats enoughs he can't be quiet. He is 53 cm long and he weights 3,400 kilograms.
The doctor says I shouldn't give him one breast each time.
I feel desperate as I want to put him into the EASY plan and I can't. I read and re-read the book but I can't find the answer. My baby seems to be hungry all day, he can't wait two hours to eat again.
Well, I hope I can find some help.
Josem

[RachelC]

Hi Josem and welcome to the boards.  Congratulations on your new little one!

Check out this link from the FAQs about EASY and the first few weeks.  Feel free to post back with more questions

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=64627.0

[Samuel's mum]

Congratulations!

In the first 2 weeks he has a lot of growing to do. He is also working hard to help you to get your new milk. It takes around 2 weeks for your mature milk to arrive properly. The first few weeks looks a lot like 'hungry all the time'.

When he's feeding does he finish the feed 'contented'? Even if it doesn't last as long as you'd like.
Can you hear clear swallowing sounds?
Does he get wet nappies (around 4-6 in 24 hours at his age)?
Has his poo now become pale and soft (and no longer dark and sticky meconium)?
Is he pooing at least 3 times a day? (this will change in a few more weeks.)

Many of us on these boards initially focused on getting our milk supply established before worrying too much about EASY. I would give yourself a little while longer and then have another go. At this stage you are just getting to know him - try not to put too much pressure on yourself. Learn his communication and try and listen to his cries. Give yourself time.

As for double-sided feeding - some on this board have double-sided from the beginning. The La Leche League do feel double-sided feeding helps get milk supply established but obviously Tracy feels it has benefits to single-side feed e.g. ensure you will get to the fattier hind milk. Young babies can take a long time to feed.

To prepare for EASY try and insert a little gap between feeding and sleeping so he doesn't fall asleep on the breast. But even that isn't always possible.

Please try and relax. Remember there are lots of hormones in your body and they make everything seem more desperate. I burst into tears several times in the first week for no reason at all. Looking back I wish I'd taken more time to 'slow down' and learn from my baby.

[Josem]

:)First of all I would like to thank you both a lot for your quick replies. I'm astonished! Really, thank you very much. Your advice has been really useful and I feel more relaxed now.
As regards your questions:
-He finishes feeding contented, usually falling asleep. If I change his diaper, he starts crying and seems to be hungry again (this, I think, is not good, he may be using feeding to calm down, but I don't know what to do, he doesn't like EAS but EAES and sometimes EAEAES)
-I hear clear swallowing sounds
-I don't understand the meaning of "wet nappies" (Is that sleeping...?)
-Yes, his poo now become pale and soft
- Yes, more than 3 times a day

In one week he has put back the weight he had when he was born (3,500kg)

Thank you again
Josem

[Samuel's mum]

If he's back to birth weight in just one week then clearly there are no problems at all. Everything is going well. 

Wet nappies means wet diapers - diapers with pee - we say nappies in England - sorry for any confusion.

What you describe -  falling asleep at the breast and then becoming unsettled again is so so common. He may well be asking for the breast to comfort himself. Or perhaps he didn't always finish the feed and is sometimes hungry again. Try and follow your instincts. If you feel he did feed well you could try and comfort him with a different method - using touch or movement. However at his age I wouldn't worry if he falls asleep at the breast. He's only one week old. Sometimes it takes a few weeks to establish EASY.

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

Great advice already!  You're probably doing better than you think!  Don't worry too much about the time it takes him to eat at this stage either- some babies eat slower than others.  WHile he's sucking, you might notice that he slows down though - instead of the long suck-swallow, suck-swallow rhythm, you get these little suck-suck-sucks - he may also start to look sleepy at this time.  This is nursing more for comfort rather than EATing, if you know what I mean. When this happens, try stroking his back or head or gently squeezing your breast, far away from the nipple area (breast compression) to get the flow going again.  It might perk him up and he'll nurse more vigourously.

Also, in the first few weeks, many breastfed babies nurse every 2 hours or so during the day (and sometimes at night!).  It will start to settle down as his stomach grows.  He'll also become more efficient at nursing and it won't take him as long each time!

[Josem]

Thank you very much again for your advice. I'm trying to do what you suggest and I feel more confindent.
I have two more questions:

1- How should I count the hours between meals? I mean, if he eats at 4:00, and finishes at 4:45,  I count two hours and a half from 4 or from 4:45?
2- Is it really better to feed the baby only with one breast each time? In that case I'll do that instead of follow the doctor's advice.

Josem

[Erin (redstarfalling)]

You count from the start of each feed - so it would be from 4:00, then the next feed if he starts at 6:30 would be 2.5 hrs between feeds - doesn't matter how long it takes him to nurse each time.

There's a lot of difference of opinion about single sided versus using both breasts each feed.  The benefit of using both breasts each time is that you stimulate both more often and it can help bring up your supply.  You just have to make sure that you empty that breasts as much as you can before switching - breast compression works for this too.  Then, at the next feed, you start off with the breast you finished with last time - so if at 4:00 you did right then left, and 6:30, you'd do left then right.

I personally do both each feed - at least offer them, but there's lots of women here who single side and like that.  Sometimes though, if you start off using only one per feed, you'll eventually have to switch to both.

Hope that helps!

[Samuel's mum]

I would agree to continue to offer both breasts at each feed to help your supply - it's hard work to return to single-sided feeding and it may not have benefits for you. Some women do return to single-sided feeding but you might be risking supply problems or blocked milk ducts.
Ideally let him completely finish the first side - he might come off by himself or it's obvious he's stopped swallowing. Then after burping or whatever offer the second side. He might not take very much from the second side or full feed so then begin with that one next time as Erin describes.

[Josem]

Hello, it's been a long time since my last question. Josem is one month today. Breastfeeding has improved, and he is eating every 2.5 hours. The only problem is colics, which make him suffer a lot and sometimes he can't finish eating or sleep well.
As regards eating at night: well he eats at 11:00pm or 12:00pm then at 4:00 and at 7:00 (sometimes he eats at 2:00 then at 4:00) My question is how can I avoid the "2:00 o'clock" feed when it appears and extend 4:00 o'clock feed.

Thank you 
Josem

[RachelC]

At this point you don't want to try to eliminate and feeds.  Continue with what you are doing and feed on cue.  Many babies still need 2 night feeds for quite some time and 1 night feed for 6 months (or longer).

Have you checked out the Colic boards?

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?board=13.0

[daisymelan]

Sounds like your baby is doing a wonderful job!  YEAH FOR YOU!!!