Newborn and switching breasts

[Kitters]

Hi ladies

I'm a FTM and ds is 6 days old - should really change my ticker! Breastfeeding is going alrightish so far but I'm still unsure of a couple of things and feel like I can't get the right information, so hoping some experienced mums can put it to me in laymans terms.

Should I be switching breasts and thinking about fore/hind milk etc at this stage? At the moment I give baby a different breast for each feed and nurse until he falls asleep. This might be ten minutes or thirty, either way I nurse until he zonks then he gets a new boob next time around.

I'm not really sure if my milk is fully in yet. It's definitely not colostrum and my boobs are bigger and warmer, but I don't leak, need pads or feel anything different happen in my boobs whilst nursing (like a noticeable let down or tingling if he cries).

I know we're all different, but generally speaking am I doing this wrong?

 

[Maxy1]

At this stage, just listen for your LO swallowing. There should be a bit where there is no swallowing, just sucking, followed by a period of rapid swallowing which eventually slows down and ends. Feed for as long as you can on one breast so that it is mostly empty. This will help prevent engorgement, possible oversupply and mastitis.

If you are finding you are feeding too often (more than every 90 mins) you might need to stay with one breast a little longer so that the creamier milk is taken and keeps LO fuller for longer.

I didn't feel letdowns with my first but with my second it was very painful. So every time is different.

 

[minties]

I don't know what is 'right', but I always used both breasts when nursing bar the very first few days (neither wanted the second breast).

I don't think I leaked or had tur letdown feeling at your stage. It came about 2 weeks in I think.

 

[noon_child]

Fore milk and hind milk is a bit of a misconception. There is fat in all your milk and its about the same amount of fat in each mouthful. However as the volume of milk you produce changes through a feed (from lots at let down to less near the end) the % of fat in the milk gets higher towards the end of a feed.

e.g say milk was 1ml of fat per mouthful (for arguments sake only!). At the beginning of a feed you'd have 1ml fat and 10ml protein, 10ml water, at the end of a feed you'd have 1ml fat, 1ml protein, 1ml water. So ALL your milk will do a good job of feeding LO as long as he's not falling asleep before he's satisfied.

 

[c1403]

My DD is 6 weeks and she has never been one to switch breasts during feeding. She will stay on one side for a feed (maybe come off now and then).
I was worried at first as she would sometimes only feed for 5 minutes, and then 20 minutes at others but I just followed her lead and she did fine. Just watch out for good weight gain, wet nappies and yellow poop (bear in mind BF babies don't always poo daily, my LO goes 2-3 days)

She is now 6 weeks old and still only does one side at a time apart from her night time cluster feeds where we switch regularly (for my own comfort more than hers)

I read so much on her during the first few weeks as it was such a minefield but when people say it eases up at about 6 weeks they are right, we are starting to follow a steady feed/sleep pattern and I am already feeling so much more better about continuing to BF

x

 

[purplecupcake]

I always follow my son's cues. I allow him to nurse on one side until he unlatches, then offer the second. He pretty rarely nurses off both sides.

 

[minties]

My other boob would leak and let down constantly if I didn't offer both breasts and get very full, so its perhaps an individual thing? Sophie had no trouble with weight gain and put on 600grams every 10 days early on.

 

[mmMlm]

You are supposed to offer the other breast after they are done at the first. They may drink a lot, a little, or be not interested. As your breast drains, it takes more work to get the milk out - so offering the other side may give them a fresh supply and they will keep drinking if hungry.
However if the one-side system works for you, then it's ok