breastfeeding questions?????

charlottefran · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:21 AM

i feel like im going insane! my baby is three weeks old and i feel like she is constantly attached to my boob! i know they say not just to offer breast whenever they are crying but it sometimes seems to be the only thing that she wants! the midwife and health visitor say im doing great but so many people have their little say about things its just confusing me like i should start getting her into a three hour routine which sometimes works but not every day and my mum reckons she only used to feed us for 10 minutes on each side and then we would go to sleep for four hours well thats not happening for me sometimes she will feed for over an hour! a littke support here anyone????? i feel like reaching for the formula but thats a last resort someone also saidshe could just be a sucky baby but she wont take a dummy

clare7847 · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:36 AM

I am no expert but I had the same thing. It is a nightmare isn't it!! All I can say is stick with it cause it does get easier. Like you I was sooo tempted by formula but don't give up yet! From what I read it is their way of regulating your supply.

Elski · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:43 AM

Try posting this in the breastfeeding section too...

Basically your LO is still tiny and is feeding constantly to encourage your body to produce the amount of milk she needs to satisfy her, which takes a few weeks. The first few weeks can be pretty hard going but it DOES get better. Don't take to heart what others say, your baby is your baby and will be different from everyone elses. No disrespect to your mum but I'm sure there was a time when you were feeding only every 4hrs but I bet it wasn't as newborns

Just spend the next 3 or 4 weeks going with the flow, don't worry about routines yet as she's still so young. Hang in there, what's happening is totally normal (and exhausting!) and WILL get better

Oh... and like your MW and HV say - you're doing a great job!

claireyfairy · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:45 AM

Think they have growth spurt at about 3 weeks. My lo is still feeding every 2hrs in the day and is 6 weeks. It is hard work and people are still promisinng me it gets easier-just not sure wen thsat happens. Maybe we just get so used ti it!!

lalitas charm · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:46 AM

Hiya hun, come on into the breast feeding forum and there are heaps of people who are either going through this or who have gotten out the other side. I agree with your HV and MW, you are doing a great job, its tough going in the early days

Your baby sounds like she is feeding in a fairly normal way, the only thing to be careful of is that she isn't just comfort sucking, you can usually tell the difference as you will hear or see her swallowing. It souns like she is having a growth spurt so she is trying to increase your supply and once your supply catches up you will see a difference.

As for the lengths of feeds, these change as they get older. When Bethan was very little it took her up to 40 mins to drain a boob, its only now she is a bit older that we have 10-15 min feeds.

HTH

aly888 · Mar 9th, 2010, 03:59 AM

It sounds perfectly normal for your LO to be feeding like that!!as said,make sure she is actually swallowing so you know she isnt just comfort sucking,and I really would not worry about getting into a routine yet.its difficult to get a routine when breastfeeding.i now mix feed (i accidently weaned her off my boob) and have only just got what you could call a routine in the last two weeks!!when I was EBF it felt like she was on me all day at first,but by about 5or 6 weeks it settled down loads and I could actually get stuff done inbetween feeds!!and she still doesnt go for 4hours between feeds (except at night) so your mum must have been one lucky lady...or she is remembering it slightly differently!!
Well done hun.stick with it coz it is so satisfying.i wish I was still EBF!!

Cazzyg · Mar 9th, 2010, 04:10 AM

This sounds normal to me. At this age they go through little growth spurts every few days which meanslots of feeding to get your milk supply going. My memeory is that the first 6 weeks are the hardest, then your milk supply is nicely established and it all gets easier.

Every baby is different, some feed efficiently and others take longer and at the moment, you are both still learning what to do, so feeds will be quite long. So don't listen to people telling you about routines and how long to feed for. You have to go with what's right for your baby.

My daughter eventually fed really quickly - only taking 10-15 minutes or so - but she certainly didn't feed so quickly at 3 weeks old.

It sounds like you are doing well so far - go with your instincts, you know your baby best. I promise it does get easier.

lisac25 · Mar 9th, 2010, 04:39 AM

defo sounds normal, first few weeks are soooooo hard, but wait till you get to 6 weeksish, its amazing how quickly things change, and it will get EASY!!!! your doing a great job, stick with it i promise it will get easier x

charlottefran · Mar 9th, 2010, 04:39 AM

thanks everyone its so good to know im not on my own i know i shouldnt listen to people but its getting to the point where im actually ashamed to feed her in front of the people who say things some people havent even breast fed themselves!

RosieandAlan · Mar 9th, 2010, 04:41 AM

Poppy was exactly the same at 3 weeks- it definitely gets better over time

. God i always get comments from my mum and Grandma- 'Rosie's feeding Poppu AGAIN' and such like- drives me mad but i just shut them out and figure they're being ignorant and have clearly never fed on demand! You're doing amazingly- you should be proud of yourself

Mar 9th, 2010, 03:21 AM	#1
charlottefran Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: oxford Posts: 111	breastfeeding questions????? i feel like im going insane! my baby is three weeks old and i feel like she is constantly attached to my boob! i know they say not just to offer breast whenever they are crying but it sometimes seems to be the only thing that she wants! the midwife and health visitor say im doing great but so many people have their little say about things its just confusing me like i should start getting her into a three hour routine which sometimes works but not every day and my mum reckons she only used to feed us for 10 minutes on each side and then we would go to sleep for four hours well thats not happening for me sometimes she will feed for over an hour! a littke support here anyone????? i feel like reaching for the formula but thats a last resort someone also saidshe could just be a sucky baby but she wont take a dummy

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Mar 9th, 2010, 03:36 AM	#2
clare7847 Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: London Posts: 141	I am no expert but I had the same thing. It is a nightmare isn't it!! All I can say is stick with it cause it does get easier. Like you I was sooo tempted by formula but don't give up yet! From what I read it is their way of regulating your supply.

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 03:43 AM	#3
Elski Mum (Mom) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: London Posts: 1,022	Try posting this in the breastfeeding section too... Basically your LO is still tiny and is feeding constantly to encourage your body to produce the amount of milk she needs to satisfy her, which takes a few weeks. The first few weeks can be pretty hard going but it DOES get better. Don't take to heart what others say, your baby is your baby and will be different from everyone elses. No disrespect to your mum but I'm sure there was a time when you were feeding only every 4hrs but I bet it wasn't as newborns Just spend the next 3 or 4 weeks going with the flow, don't worry about routines yet as she's still so young. Hang in there, what's happening is totally normal (and exhausting!) and WILL get better Oh... and like your MW and HV say - you're doing a great job!

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 03:45 AM	#4
claireyfairy Trying to conceive (TTC) Active BnB Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 273	Think they have growth spurt at about 3 weeks. My lo is still feeding every 2hrs in the day and is 6 weeks. It is hard work and people are still promisinng me it gets easier-just not sure wen thsat happens. Maybe we just get so used ti it!!

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 03:46 AM	#5
lalitas charm Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Northern Ireland Posts: 3,401	Hiya hun, come on into the breast feeding forum and there are heaps of people who are either going through this or who have gotten out the other side. I agree with your HV and MW, you are doing a great job, its tough going in the early days Your baby sounds like she is feeding in a fairly normal way, the only thing to be careful of is that she isn't just comfort sucking, you can usually tell the difference as you will hear or see her swallowing. It souns like she is having a growth spurt so she is trying to increase your supply and once your supply catches up you will see a difference. As for the lengths of feeds, these change as they get older. When Bethan was very little it took her up to 40 mins to drain a boob, its only now she is a bit older that we have 10-15 min feeds. HTH

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 03:59 AM	#6
aly888 Mum (Mom) BnB Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Bedford, UK Posts: 5,615	It sounds perfectly normal for your LO to be feeding like that!!as said,make sure she is actually swallowing so you know she isnt just comfort sucking,and I really would not worry about getting into a routine yet.its difficult to get a routine when breastfeeding.i now mix feed (i accidently weaned her off my boob) and have only just got what you could call a routine in the last two weeks!!when I was EBF it felt like she was on me all day at first,but by about 5or 6 weeks it settled down loads and I could actually get stuff done inbetween feeds!!and she still doesnt go for 4hours between feeds (except at night) so your mum must have been one lucky lady...or she is remembering it slightly differently!! Well done hun.stick with it coz it is so satisfying.i wish I was still EBF!!

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 04:10 AM	#7
Cazzyg Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Falkirk, UK Posts: 349	This sounds normal to me. At this age they go through little growth spurts every few days which meanslots of feeding to get your milk supply going. My memeory is that the first 6 weeks are the hardest, then your milk supply is nicely established and it all gets easier. Every baby is different, some feed efficiently and others take longer and at the moment, you are both still learning what to do, so feeds will be quite long. So don't listen to people telling you about routines and how long to feed for. You have to go with what's right for your baby. My daughter eventually fed really quickly - only taking 10-15 minutes or so - but she certainly didn't feed so quickly at 3 weeks old. It sounds like you are doing well so far - go with your instincts, you know your baby best. I promise it does get easier.

Status: Offline

Mar 9th, 2010, 04:39 AM	#8
lisac25 Pregnant (Expecting) Chat Happy BnB Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: kent, uk Posts: 1,367	defo sounds normal, first few weeks are soooooo hard, but wait till you get to 6 weeksish, its amazing how quickly things change, and it will get EASY!!!! your doing a great job, stick with it i promise it will get easier x

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Mar 9th, 2010, 04:41 AM	#10
RosieandAlan Mum (Mom) Active BnB Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Devon, UK Posts: 281	Poppy was exactly the same at 3 weeks- it definitely gets better over time . God i always get comments from my mum and Grandma- 'Rosie's feeding Poppu AGAIN' and such like- drives me mad but i just shut them out and figure they're being ignorant and have clearly never fed on demand! You're doing amazingly- you should be proud of yourself

Status: Offline

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