Some newborn advice needed, please!

[enola]

...or not so newborn, seeing as it is now 2 weeks since little Daniel made his appearance!

Breastfeeding has been HARD and although Lasinoh and lactation consultants helping with fast flow and latching have about saved my life, I'd like to ask you ladies for help with bf-ing in a ringsling. I've sourced some internet demos, but do you have any hints on how to latch properly without looking at their mouth and using both hands, as I currently have to, please?

Daniel is growing SO well with bf and is apparently on the 50th centile...whatever that means, but he's beyond his birthweight and wetting and dirty-ing his lovely cloth nappies well, too. The thing is that he wants to eat 24/7...and I'm finding it increasingly limiting to not be able to make a drink or have a shower without the familiar, particular 'feed me' wail coming from Daddy's arms.

That's the other thing - we haven't successfully managed to 'put him down' at all anywhere yet...which makes for a fairly contented baby, well, he is moody as I'm sure most babies are, but we can sense his needs right away which I LOVE. But...when does this calm a little? As in, is there a point somewhere in the distance when he won't insist on constant bf-ing and being held 24/7? I know we'll miss it when it's gone...it's a catch 22 thing I suppose, but in thinking about having more children we're wondering how we could a) manage to constantly hold/feed x number of children and b) how on earth you ever get round to 'making' said children!!!

Haha sorry this is longwinded ladies, and I hope it makes sense...sorry if it doesn't...I'm kind of existing in the postpartum fog I know you will all recognise well

I'm so glad this section exists and for you lovely ladies with your similar ideals as I know for a fact my hv would FREAK if she knew he'd never been 'out of arms'

Thank you for reading if you made it thusfar and for any advice you can offer!

 

[vanessayogini]

hello!! congratulations on your new LO.
i don't know much about breastfeeding in a sling as my breasts are GIANT and any attempt has resulted in possible suffocation of my baby. hehe.
but as far as your other questions..
when Evelyn got older, like, the 2 and a half month mark or so things got easier. a 2 week old baby is still considered to be in the "4th trimester" the fact that you are holding him "in arms" and comforting him like you are is great, it is what is supposed to be happening. just give it some time..in a few weeks you will notice huge differences. i know that isn't a quick fix suggestion..but it seems to be true with us, and other families we've encountered. for a little while you are not going to be showering or doing chores, etc as much as you'd like. but it really really really DOES get easier. in time. i promise. something that did help was putting her in her sling when i wanted to wash some dishes or do some laundry or EAT. and they do make slings just for wearing baby in the shower! could be worth a look into. good luck! have fun!

 

[princessellie]

i never managed to bf in a wrap, i tried many carries and just couldnt get a good latch i have heard that it is possible though so hopefully someone will be along shortly to help you, as for when he will want to be put down, i have the opposite problem, leyla has always wanted to be left alone and squirms if we try and hold her for too long so cant help you there

x

 

[NattieLou]

i'd love to be able to feed in a carrier so i'll be looking out for tips too. i tried isaac in a cradle carry in a wrap and he screamed. he has reflux and I don't think the position felt good for his tummy.

as for the putting down thing, it's really tough. even though isaac will sometimes sleep in his bouncy chair, i have to keep him upright for half an hour after a feed, and sometimes as soon as i manage to put him down he wants feeding again. what is helping in just the last few days though is that he will now happily spend a little while having nappy off time and kicking around on the floor, or spend a bit of time in his play gym. this is great as he has fun and I can get on with stuff around him without having to wait till he's out cold in his chair.

hang in there, lovely - things change every day. it's hard going, but it sounds like you're doing wonderfully and that your little boy is feeling secure and contented. great job, mama!

 

[thelilbump]

I never bf in a sling but as for the latch thing is something that comes with time. As you both learn the best way to feed and daniel grows bigger the less (if any) fingers and thumbs you'll be using!

Sorry i know that doesn't help much right now tho! x

 

[anothersquish]

You will get the latch in time, especially as he gets bigger and can move himself round more effectively to find the breast himself instead of you having to place him there.
In the sling...it takes quite a bit of practise. It took me quite a while to get Theo in right and in the right place at the right angle, I did actually end up propping his head on a muslin cloth in a cradle carry to get it just right (naughty but I could see and therefore check on him constantly) but now hes a bit bigger I dont need to as he can wiggle himself into the perfect place if needs be (infact we are going to move over into feeding from a sitting position in the connecta soon) Practise positioning when he doesnt need feeds (the whole five minutes...)

As for the constant feeding, just go with it, it does calm down but as has been said this is like the "4th Trimester" and by holding him as much as he needs you are providing him with the smoothest start in life.
The last week or so Theo has spent more time sat in his bouncy chair playing (he has a kick and play bouncer and hes figured out how to use it!) Its quite odd to actually have two hands and no baby on my knee to eat my dinner!!! I just position him right infront of me so we can have eye contact and smiles all the time whilst I eat/type and he plays...best of both! Granted he has always been the sort you can put down but not for "long" (ie not for long enough to have a shower or *do* much) before hed be looking for me.
The best advise is to jut go with it. Its completely normal and there will come a point where he will be ok to be with daddy whilst you shower (much sooner than 2 months I imagine btw, probably after your 3 week growth spurt you will be able to hand him to daddy and get yourself a nice long shower without him wanting feeding) Its a very very short period of time they are like this, even if it lasts several months (my 5yr old was one you couldnt put down for about 4 months and then you HAD to be in the same room in eye shot) its a short time, get OH to do as much as possible round the house and with meals etc so that when you do start getting some time you can get your shower without having to first do washing up or hoovering etc.

 

[FemmeEnceinte]

I can't advise about BFing in slings as it's pretty much impossible for me as my nipples are positioned a bit high which would have her lying on top of me, in a weird, uncomfortable and unsafe way. I can, however, relate entirely to your other situations...

Molly slept nowhere but her V pillow on my lap or OH's for the entirety of her first 3 months of life which I often worried about but I needn't have as she now sleeps with me, in my bed, for around 10-12 hours every night. We did have to sleep in shifts to make it possible and got very little sleep but, in many ways, I'm really happy with how we did things as Molly is very secure and content.

She was, and still is from time to time, quite a fussy baby but now that she's older and more interested in the world, stimulating her is far easier which helps a lot with her boredom but she's miles ahead of herself as she gets quite frustrated when she can't do things that she's too little for yet. I've come to see that she's quite a bright little thing, so needs crazy amounts of activity and stimulation. I always thought Baby Einstein was a load of crap but, when I let her watch it once on youtube she was mesmerised and she now will sit and watch it silently. Not anything has been able to captivate her that much, even her jumperoo isn't stimulating enough sometimes!

I promise it gets easier. Molly seemed like such a demanding baby and when growth spurts hit it's utter chaos in this house and I often wonder how we'd manage with another child but you wont make a rod for your back letting Daniel sleep on you if you're happy to do that, he won't be this level of needy forever and, tbh, I put Molly's confidence and security down to "indulging" her every needy whim when she was a newborn and would do it all again in a heartbeat.

She's advanced so much in the past month and I really have no reason to believe that things won't just get easier and easier from what I have seen recently. As soon as she can do all these things that she's trying to do I think she'll be much happier.

We're even thinking of ttc next year! This was unimaginable even 1 month ago!

xxx

 

[JayleighAnn]

I can't advise with the BF in slings are my boobs are huge and my nipples are quite low down so he gets a bit suffocated, I did it once but I had to hold my boob away from his face the whole time and it just very uncomfortable.

Halen has only slept by himself from 6-11 weeks and that was only part time as he would wake at 4am and stay in our bed from then and he would sleep in someones arms all day.
He is a very high need baby and has only now started to play by himself because he wants to walk to he will trot around the house in the walker for 30mins whilst I tidy up.

He will slow down with his feeding, he's just establishing your milk supply and his tummy is so so so tiny and BM passes through very quickly so he's hungry again, an hour is the normal time between feeds with a very small baby.

 

[BabyHaines]

Oh honey, congratulations!!
Your post echoes my first few weeks with George
I don't BF in a sling, as I use a Wilkinet or Mei Tei, so can't advise on that front, but my goodness I know about the constant feeding and holding!!
As all the other lovely ladies said, he's just establishing your supply, so go with it. You'll prob find it will slow down, and he'll then up his feeds at the next growth spurt.
As regards the constant holding, it does ease up. George will now go down to sleep on his own for a while, but I do find that swaddling him helps