FTM: feeding and timing questions. Please help!

[MnGmakes3]

Hi ladies. I am in desperate need of help.

LO is only a few days old and so we're still trying to establish everything. This is our 2nd night home and if it's anything like last night I might lose my mind.

I realize feedings this early are 2 to 3 hours. In these 2 days we've done this ONCE.
Basically my issue is becoming that Allie is feeding for maybe 20 on one side, will decide to take a snooze and then when she's ready will feed on the other side for about the same time (normal, right?)
This WAS working until today when she fed for 10 on one and napped for 3 hrs, so I woke her. Then she fed for 7 mins and unlatched, passed out for half an hr and decided to scream that she was ready to eat...for 5 mins..until she unlatched. Shes been sleeping for the past 15 mins.


Am I doing something wrong? I don't think my milk has come in yet as I pumped 1 oz and it was still yellowish- though when I express it's white.
I've tried undressing and waking her, she's not having it.
Any suggestions or is this normal so early? I'd like to get some sleep tonight :/

Thank you

 

[staralfur]

My LO never did 2-3 hours as a newborn. She fed constantly. Unfortunately babies don't know what kind of schedule they're "supposed" to be on, they kind of just do their own thing. I would say just go with it, you can hardly go wrong feeding on demand. My LO did a lot of what you're describing; fed for a few minutes, fell asleep for a few minutes, fed for a few minutes, fell asleep for a few minutes, and repeat.

 

[MnGmakes3]

Thank you! I feel like all I am is a boob the last 4 days lol

 

[staralfur]

If you're comfortable with the idea of cosleeping it's something that would probably help you get a lot more sleep. I stayed up all night while my LO fed for the first couple of weeks and then I cracked and brought her into bed with me and I wished I had done it way sooner! It took a couple of days to get the hang of feeding while laying down but once we had it down I barely woke up to latch her and then fell right back asleep once she was feeding.

 

[MnGmakes3]

If you're comfortable with the idea of cosleeping it's something that would probably help you get a lot more sleep. I stayed up all night while my LO fed for the first couple of weeks and then I cracked and brought her into bed with me and I wished I had done it way sooner! It took a couple of days to get the hang of feeding while laying down but once we had it down I barely woke up to latch her and then fell right back asleep once she was feeding.

I wouldn't mind cosleeping except for the fact that my husband is 6'7", hardly a small guy lol, so we're both worried about not having enough space for her.

 

[noon_child]

sucking produces a hormone in babies that makes them fall asleep. Then after 20mins this hormone is out of there system and they wake up and if still hungry feed again.

It is very encouraging that your baby unlatches when she goes to sleep. It suggests she is getting what she wants. While it is also normal for babies to fall asleep with boob in the mouth (especially during growth spurts and cluster feeding) a baby that never unlatches may be having problems extracting milk and exhausting themselves sucking.

You ideally want at least 12 feeds per 24hrs (that way even if they are short you know she has a chance to get more). I'm not quite sure if your post is saying you don't think she's eating often enough or too often?

 

[MnGmakes3]

sucking produces a hormone in babies that makes them fall asleep. Then after 20mins this hormone is out of there system and they wake up and if still hungry feed again.

It is very encouraging that your baby unlatches when she goes to sleep. It suggests she is getting what she wants. While it is also normal for babies to fall asleep with boob in the mouth (especially during growth spurts and cluster feeding) a baby that never unlatches may be having problems extracting milk and exhausting themselves sucking.

You ideally want at least 12 feeds per 24hrs (that way even if they are short you know she has a chance to get more). I'm not quite sure if your post is saying you don't think she's eating often enough or too often?

Thanks for the info!
I guess what I'm trying to ask is it feels like she's eating too often for very short periods. I would think if she's latched on for 20 mins per side it would keep the time in bw feedings longer. When she did do 20 per side she slept for maybe an hour, now she's eating for 5 to 15 mins and sleeping for 30 mins or not at all (also having trouble keeping her asleep. ..Lil girl wakes up the second you move her.)

 

[noon_child]

sucking produces a hormone in babies that makes them fall asleep. Then after 20mins this hormone is out of there system and they wake up and if still hungry feed again.

It is very encouraging that your baby unlatches when she goes to sleep. It suggests she is getting what she wants. While it is also normal for babies to fall asleep with boob in the mouth (especially during growth spurts and cluster feeding) a baby that never unlatches may be having problems extracting milk and exhausting themselves sucking.

You ideally want at least 12 feeds per 24hrs (that way even if they are short you know she has a chance to get more). I'm not quite sure if your post is saying you don't think she's eating often enough or too often?

Thanks for the info!
I guess what I'm trying to ask is it feels like she's eating too often for very short periods. I would think if she's latched on for 20 mins per side it would keep the time in bw feedings longer. When she did do 20 per side she slept for maybe an hour, now she's eating for 5 to 15 mins and sleeping for 30 mins or not at all (also having trouble keeping her asleep. ..Lil girl wakes up the second you move her.)

As long as she is weeing and pooing and putting on weight then just follow her lead. She'll do what she needs to. Problems occur when people start deciding what a baby "ought" to be doing (eg "she ought not be hungry yet, I'll not feed her if I can help it"). She might be better at extracting milk now and her stomach has grown too, so she'll be less satisfied and want to feed more frequently to fill up and stimulate your supply. this in turn will make her more tired as she's waking more often to feed, which will make her more hungry because she keeps falling asleep while feeding! It is all very normal newborn behaviour and basically the trick is you have to keep her with you pretty much all the time. That way it isn't you "getting her to sleep" or "getting her to eat". She's just eating and sleeping as she needs to.

 

[MnGmakes3]

That makes a plenty of sense. I did end up bringing her to bed last night and we all slept. She couldn't have been more perfect!

Thank you so much for the help

 

[Kazy]

Just a suggestion here...... I always encouraged babies eat a full meal- meaning feeding both sides. I would wake them up to get a full feeding. It was really difficult for the first few weeks but it paid off with all 4 of mine because they ended up sleeping longer pretty quickly. I also follow a eat,wake,sleep pattern. I read before my first that this teaches them to sleep longer periods too. With two of mine I noticed them sleeping more right away. With .y other two it took a bit longer to work out. I'd be happy to share in more detail if you are interested. I am just a mom who really needs sleep to survive the day! It's not a miracle worker or anything but I have found something that has given me decent sleep and a semi predictable schedule. But I never forced it. I went off of baby's natural schedule and worked with that.

 

[londonangel]

Every normal I'm afraid, as is the dreaded cluster feeding. Gets easier after the first few weeks. Good luck!

 

[noon_child]

I found this from the LLL website and I think it is really useful (plus it highlights that I made a mistake when I said 20 minutes before the sleepy hormone drops, it is just 10 minutes)

"One gastrointestinal hormone, cholecystokinine (CCK) signals sedation and a feeling of satiation and well-being. During suckling, CCK release in both mother and infant produces a sleepy feeling. The infant's CCK level peaks twice after suckling. The first peak occurs immediately after the feeding. It peaks again 30 to 60 minutes later. The first CCK rise is probably induced by suckling; the second by the presence of milk in the GI tract. The drop of infant CCK levels 10 minutes after a feeding implies a "window" within which the infant can be awakened to feed from the second breast or to reattach to the first side for additional fat-rich milk. Waiting 30 minutes after the feeding before laying the baby down takes advantage of the second CCK peak to help the infant to stay asleep."