Almost 2day old, BF and settling - HELP Please

[Carlyanne15]

Amber arrived sunday afternoon Established BF after Skin to skin!
But still asked for MW assistance to check i was doing it all right etc!
Stayed in over night, i feed her sunday from 7.55 til 8.12 on my right breast. She settled into her Goldfish bowl and then MW advised to feed her again at @ 2am if she didnt naturally wake!
Started to BF at 1.30 and she basically then wouldnt settle til yesterday morning! She then was feed at 11am whilst talking with the Mw and she settled, managed to bung her in her car seat bring her home and place her in her rocker til @ 3.20pm and she feed, settled again til 6.45 and feed again.

Its broken latcing on but she gets something
We settled her in her cot bed, and then from 1.36AM she has not been able to settle, she has been feed loads and fulls asleep in my arms. And then i lay her down and she wakes and we are back to the beginning, this is what sunday night was like!
I know she is only 1 1/2 days old and i dont expect anything just wondering WHY this is happening

I havent slept since 6am Sat morning............

 

[Jemima]

You are doing really well!

For the first few weeks, she is going to be almost constantly on the boob. This is TOTALLY normal and it is the right thing for you to do.

If she won't settle on her own, again, you are not doing anything wrong. She wants to be with her mummy all the time (understandably). If you find that she is waking when you lay her down, have you tried swaddling her? I found this helped loads with Poppy as she always startled when laid down (still does!).

If she keeps breaking off, just keep putting her back on. It's normal for them to fall asleep on the boob at this early age.

You are going to be tired out for the first few weeks but try and get yourself settled at home. Take the phone off the hook, stop all visitors, get your PJs on and install yourself on the sofa or in bed. Just spend all the time you can with Amber and she will soon get the hang of it.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Whisper]

You are doing a great job, Unfortunately this is what the first week or so is usually like.

As Jemima says Swaddling does work really well, maybe try and swaddle her before a feed that way her arms stay out of the way too and then when you take her off and put her down she still feels cosy and warm.

To be honest though its a lot of trial and error in those early weeks just working out what suits you and your LO and then they change their minds a lot too!

Its hard work for them feeding and they get tired really quick and fall asleep on you, if you can try and feed her every 2hours if she isn't already or more if she wants it.

Just remember you must try and sleep when she sleeps to be honest you should write off anything that doesn't involve your LO for at least a couple of weeks, housework, laundry etc it can wait and you will just make yourself exhausted.

x

 

[Carlyanne15]

Thank you both so much for all your help! She is settled now, since her feed at 8.50am (finish) so i had a lay down for a while, not sure if i slept but was a start, had a shower and feel better!
I will try the swaddling. Have noticed her arms do like to be everywhere.
thanks again. Sorry for being a total clueless nut

C x

 

[Whisper]

We are all here to help and support you hun those first few weeks are the toughest! As you get to know your LO better things get a lot easier.

x

 

[Whisper]

Ooh another thing, when you are timing her feeds you must time from the start of the feed not the finish...if that makes sense.

So if she is feeding 2hourly she starts at 9am finished at 9:45am, her next would be 11am not 11:45am....i got confused with that in the beginning.

 

[Jemima]

Thank you both so much for all your help! She is settled now, since her feed at 8.50am (finish) so i had a lay down for a while, not sure if i slept but was a start, had a shower and feel better!
I will try the swaddling. Have noticed her arms do like to be everywhere.
thanks again. Sorry for being a total clueless nut

C x

Don't be silly! We all have to start somewhere. Well done for getting a bit of rest, that's exactly what you need to do. Even having a lie down when she does will help, you don't necessarily have to sleep (I know how hard it is to switch off in the early days so sometimes sleep is impossible!).

Keep us posted on how you are getting on, won't you?

 

[Samantha675]

Also remember that she has known nothing else but your body, the sounds, the warmth, the movement. So suddenly having to sleep in a place that is not warm, moving or noisy is really hard.

 

[alison011177]

For the first 3 day you have colostrum instead of breastmilk, colostrum is the best stuff with all your antibodies but there isnt very ,uch of it which is why newborn babies feed so much in the first 3-4 days until your milk comes in, then you will notice a difference. Makesure you eat and drink lots and have a couple of breaks a day where you can at least close your eyes otherwise your body will be too tired to produce milk! It sounds like you are doing a fantastic job and nothing different to what I see everyday! keep up the good work and congrats again xx

 

[shampain]

hiya, dont worry, this is totally normal and i have been there!! things will get better i agree with the just look after your self and baby attitude! patrick is two weeks old and tonight i finally gave in and have given him formula for his last feed before going to sleep as he is constantly on my boobs and i couldnt cope! xxx

 

[mylittlebubs]

you are doing a wonderful job there.
Don't worry so much, i was the same i fed my baby every hour all day all night and the first time i got some sleep was when he;'s about 3 days old (only a couple hours broken sleep)

 

[Jemima]

How are you getting on?

 

[Brockie]

Like the others have said its hard going at the start hon, its as new to her as it is to you!

they have to work really hard to get the colostrum, much harder than when your milk comes in in a few days, it gets easier then for both of you x

and your body will adapt to the lack of sleep! you have to sleep when they do, whenever that may be!

best of luck xxxxx