Northern California Babies
Structenggal
member
how do you know your newborn is done eating?
Structenggal
member
ok, so another question - how do you know he's
actually done eating? every once in awhile he'll unlatch on his own.
The majority of the time he falls asleep eating...usually after about
15-20 minutes. but if I try to unlatch him, he starts sucking again.
if I sit there and just let him go go go, he'll still be there an hour
later. so how
do you know that he's actually done eating and isn't just using you as a
pacifier while he sleeps??
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Re: how do you know your newborn is done eating?
Audible swallowing!
That is what always told me if EJ was comfort sucking or eating. We ended up using a paci when he was 2 weeks old to put in place of sucking because he would suck all day if we let him (bottle or nipple)...so we just pushed a paci in there...held for 1-2 minutes then it would fall out on it's own and he wouldn't miss it....but it had to fall out on it's own.
Money Matters The other half's blog.
EJ is growing up too fast!
I look for active nursing - his whole jaw is moving and I can feel a pull; it is difficult to pull the nipple out of his mouth suring active nursing; I'd have to put a finger in his mouth to unlatch him. When he starts passive nursing I can usually slip my nipple out of his mouth pretty easily. If he is done eating and still wants to suck, he'll take a pacifier easily, but if he wants to continue nursing, he will spit the pacifier out and wait for the real thing.
No - I think 10-15 min/side is a good length of time for a newborn - I definitely cannot keep M up longer than that. With our first, a lactation consultant told me to count slowly to 5 between swallows when the sucking/swallowing slows - if he doesn't start sucking/swallowing again within the 5 seconds, he's likely done.
How long your child needs to nurse depends on your supply and your let down. For us 15 min even at a week old was forever on the breast. I had a very fast letdown and an over supply though.
If you have a hospital with a LC meeting I found those so helpful! Kaiser's sucked for me but John Muir and Day One's are awesome for east bay nesties.
First I want to send you big hug because the early days of breastfeeding are so.very.hard. I felt like I was feeding S constantly around the clock. She would not take a pacifier for the first three months and, for the first four to six weeks or so, she would pretty much only be happy if she was latched on to me. In the evenings she would cluster feed like crazy and literally nurse off and on from about 8pm to 1am when she would finally crash for a little bit and let me sleep for a couple of hours. She too would fall asleep eating and if I tried to unlatch her she would vigorously start sucking again.
At first I freaked out and thought that there was something wrong with both of us. I asked around and found out that this was pretty normal...it was S's way of establishing my supply. Sucking stimulates milk production so even if she wasn't eating she was telling my body to make more milk. I stopped fighting it and just nursed, nursed, nursed. She eventually got into a better routine...but it was so, so hard in the beginning.
Again, big hugs. I don't know if this answers your question...but if this is what you are dealing with, know that it is normal (at least it was for me!) It will eventually get easier.
Nope! He may just be an efficient nurser. My son was the same way but he was getting everything he needed in a short amount of time. My opinion is that if he seems satisfied after nursing and is gaining weight like he should you're ok! I would take him off when he's asleep and if he stays asleep and doesn't start crying I would enjoy that time. They only do that (fall asleep while nursing) for so long!
Congrats on your little guy!
Ditto! I met with a lactation consultant at Maternal Connections several times with my first and it was quite helpful. I know they also have a free BFing group that I think meets weekly, though didn't try that.
Big Huge Ditto!!!
For us...we needed 15 from each side then usually he would still need a little more on the original side before he got enough. But we had a LOT of BF'ing issues that were not able to be worked out. I would strongly encourage you to either get in touch with LLL and/or an LC through your hospital.
Money Matters The other half's blog.
EJ is growing up too fast!
ok, thank you all so much! one last question - Right now he's only eating from one side per nursing session. Since he's been falling asleep after 15 mins or so, I haven't really had the chance to offer the other side. Is that something that I should somehow be doing?
We've discussed making an appoint with LC at the hospital...I think I'll call them tomorrow to make an appointment - if nothing else I can ask them all of my questions.
I would totally recommend seeing the LC, it's nice to have an expert to talk things through with.
Regarding your question, your son sounds very similar to mine. I pretty much exclusively fed off of one side per feeding. If it works for both of you, I would keep doing it. The LCs I saw told me it was totally fine as long as he seemed satisfied after the one side.