Change & Feed OR Feed & Change (Breastfeeding)

kristin172429

I know I read this somewhere and for the life of me I can't find it, so I will ask here.  When you are doing the feedings with your newborn, especially with breastfeeding, I remember reading about changing them just about every time you feed them.  Is that right?  And do you change them and then feed OR feed them and then change them?  Feeling like such a FTM right now!

novasouthanblond

I guess if baby needs to be changed, I'll change before THAN feed. If diaper is clean, I'll feed him and then change him.

RachDaRach

I'm a FTM, but I also remember reading somewhere that you should change them first cause they get sleepy when they eat and you don't want to have to wake them up with a diaper change.  

KatelynEA90

I don't remember reading it anywhere but I know my cousin always changes and then feeds to help wake her LO up for feedings. When he's too sleepy, he's a lazy eater. My sister also changes and then feeds with my niece that way she doesn't have to wake her up and change her if she falls asleep feeding.

sparks2987

My sister feeds a little, to soothe crying hungry baby, then changes her and then finishes feeding. She did this with BF and now that she is bottle feeding, she tries to get LO to eat the whole bottle so she is full longer before waking up again. She feeds half the bottle, LO usually falls asleep about half way threw the bottle, so she changes her then to wake her up to finish the rest.

this is what I will do, but who knows what wil work best until I try.

marissaw5

I always changed then fed. Changing first wakes them up a bit more to eat and then afterward DS would always be passed out

KiwiJ

You may need to change before and after - babies often like to poo when breastfeeding!  If baby is awake and crying to eat, I'd leave changing until afterwards, but if I'm trying to wake baby for a feeding I'll change baby first.

ryry1977

For the most part I changed then fed DS.  He often fell asleep eating and that way I didn't wake him changing him after his feeding.

meggie0109

I started out changing then feeding but my daughter would get so frantic during changing because she was hungry that we both ended up stressed out and I would often end up crying. We switched to feed then change and were both much happier. I think you just have to do what works for you at the moment. There's no wrong answer.

MollySm

Unless there is a very wet or dirty diaper, I usually feed then change.  That way you can use changing as a way to wake baby if baby falls asleep while eating.  They often do that, and it's important(especially if breastfeeding) that they get full feedings, not just snacks, so that they get the hind milk.  And it's important that they don't just learn to snack instead of eating a full meal.  So anything to help them stay awake

DBride2006

In the very early days, I would do half a feeding, change, then finish feeding to wake him up a bit. I wanted him to eat as much as possible during the day.

At night, I would always change, then feed so in case he fell asleep during feeding I didn't have to wake him up. 

But of course, at first there would be dirty diapers sometimes during feedings, so I'd have to do it after, too.

Eventually, you just change when wet/dirty which didn't always coincide with feedings.  

Lena122

KiwiJ:

You may need to change before and after - babies often like to poo when breastfeeding!  If baby is awake and crying to eat, I'd leave changing until afterwards, but if I'm trying to wake baby for a feeding I'll change baby first.

 

This exactly. Dominic is only 4 days old and I've lost count of the amount of times he's pooped while feeding. 

goldenleaves

I like to change and then feed. My son always got super sleepy after eating. Plus I wouldn't want to eat with a poopy diaper on my butt!

LAIM

With dd I would often Feed, change, play, sleep during the day but at night I would change, feed, and then (hopefully) put her back to bed.   Of course, if there was poop or a soaking wet diaper I would change first regardless.

Melzig76

Change & feed. DS almost always fell asleep after eating and his tummy was full.

fish000

I just did my bf class and the midwife said change in between breasts (feed one side, change baby, then feed on the other side). Apparently it wakes them up so they will continue on the other side.

ZoeyMarie

Change then feed -- especially if you have a sleepy nurser. It helps wake baby up. Sometimes you need to undress him/her a bit, too.