Breastfeeding

3 week old, does not sleep much during day, related to BF?

Hi,

I just want to make sure I'm not crazy.  Our 3 week old (March 16) EBF baby does not really sleep for any "stretches" during the day.  He'll sleep at the breast for some time (basically as long as I can be still), then wake up as I move about.  He will fall asleep at the breast and then I can sneak him into a bouncer or swing and he'll stay there maybe 40 minutes to an hour.  He does sleep well at night, 3 hour stretches or so, I think  (I don't really pay attention because we co-sleep and I just feed him and we both collapse again). 

He will take one really long nap in the afternoon, say 3 hours, usually in the swing.

Mostly I spend all day carrying him and nursing him.  I don't mind this terribly, but it would be nice to know there are some nap times coming. And my back hurts.  

I think that I rarely have any quantity of milk--when he did take a long nap one afternoon I pumped and got just shy of an ounce (total, both sides).  So I am thinking he has to just nurse and nurse and nurse to get what he needs.  He has lots of wet diapers and at least a few dirty ones every day, and he's gained back his birthweight and is visibly chunking up. 

I know there are growth spurts at around 3 weeks, but he's been like this since he got here.  I don't really know my question, but thought maybe you folks would have some encouragement/advice/shoulder patting. : )

TIA 

CageyMack
37, married to my favorite person in the world, DW! One darling surfer-girl (12) and one darling, sweet boy born 3/16/13.

5/2013 Started TTC #3, DW's turn: 5/2013: Diagnostics (shg) and surgery (polyp rem.) for best chances. July-Oct: IUI # 1-4, medicated, monitored, triggered.  All BFN. IVF in Jan May. Sheesh. Whoop! IVF#1 cycle started 4/2/14. 5/1: 19 eggs retrieved, 8 matured, ICSI'd.  4 fertilized.   Only 2 to transfer/freeze stage. 5/6: Two embryos transferred. 5/15: Beta #1 9dp5dt is 134! BFP! 5/19: Beta #2 13dp5dt is 672! B'erFP! 5/21: Beta #3 15dp5dt is 1853.  Yay!


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Re: 3 week old, does not sleep much during day, related to BF?

  • About an oz per feed is NORMAL for a 3 week old.

    Get a carrier. Use it. It will help your arms and back. Smile

    All babies are different, and this early on things ch

  • An oz pumping, both sides combined, is a normal amount of milk to pump, not just at this age either, in general.

    3 week olds have their own schedule that's for sure. They cluster feed during growth spurts and some sleep all day, like my kid,
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  • I would have done anything for 40 minute naps with one 3 hour one with my boys at that age. Mine were more like 10 or 20 minutes with a 40 minute being the long nap of the day. Don't worry it passes.
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