How often and for how long?

[callmedan]

I have been successfully exclusively using nipple shields to BF baby since Friday (a huge achievement for us as thought would have to just express as baby would latch on at all, tried with shields on Friday and success )
However I'm not sure baby is eating enough, she is 2 weeks today, she only really feeds for 5 minutes from one breast per feed, due to all the pumping I have loads of milk so it's not that that's a problem
Yesterday she fed 13 times in 24 hours between 5 and 15 minutes a time, today it's 5pm and she's only had 7 short feeds (5-7 mins)
Should I try and feed her more even if she's not looking for it? Feels like she isn't eating nearly enough! When I was expressing she had 10 70ml bottles a day

 

[noon_child]

I have been successfully exclusively using nipple shields to BF baby since Friday (a huge achievement for us as thought would have to just express as baby would latch on at all, tried with shields on Friday and success )
However I'm not sure baby is eating enough, she is 2 weeks today, she only really feeds for 5 minutes from one breast per feed, due to all the pumping I have loads of milk so it's not that that's a problem
Yesterday she fed 13 times in 24 hours between 5 and 15 minutes a time, today it's 5pm and she's only had 7 short feeds (5-7 mins)
Should I try and feed her more even if she's not looking for it? Feels like she isn't eating nearly enough! When I was expressing she had 10 70ml bottles a day

As she's so new I assume she'll do a lot of her feeing at night, so 7 feeds by 5pm may be OK if she cluster feeds for a while or wakes regularly through the night.

You have no way of knowing how much milk she drinks in her 5minute feeds, so there is no way to compare it to the bottles. If baby is content and having wet and dirty nappies you have time to wait to see how her weight gain goes. This will give you a good idea whether she's getting enough.

Does she wake herself for feeds?
Does she pull off the breast sometimes or always fall asleep with it in her mouth?
Do you always offer both sides?
Is she back to her birth weight?

 

[Quartz]

DS used to be a 5 minute feeder quick and efficient and he was always on the 91st for weight.

Is she having plenty of wet nappies, gaining weight and seem content. If yes she is getting enough some babies prefer little and often.

 

[callmedan]

Thanks for replies! She defo has lots of wet and dirty nappies and she has put on 7oz in the past week so I guess we are doing well!
It's so hard to know how much they are getting!

 

[Quartz]

It definitely sounds like she is getting enough! That is a good weight gain in a week so I would relax.

Yeah you just have to learn to trust that as long as she is happy, wet nappies and weight gaining that she knows what she is doing.

DS was a far quicker feeder than DD and he gained weight quicker and was heavier from the beginning.

 

[noon_child]

Thanks for replies! She defo has lots of wet and dirty nappies and she has put on 7oz in the past week so I guess we are doing well!
It's so hard to know how much they are getting!

That sounds great!

Even if someone waved a magic wand and said "She just drank x ounces", you'd still have no idea if that was enough ounces or not because there is no se amount that every baby needs and you wouldn't know if she was just having a drink and was going to have another 20minutes later etc. If she's gaining weight she's getting enough.