Breastfeeding

FTM needing advice

My LO is 3 weeks old and we have had issues breast feeding from the beginning.  It started with a bad latch that lasted a week and 2 days. Luckily I was able to get an LC into my home who helped fix the problem.  The latch is now fine, but I do  not think I am producing enough milk.  My LO for the past three days has been feeding every hour on the hour for up to 4 hours at a time.  She sometimes doesn't sleep for 5+ hours and then will sleep for 3 hours and wake hungry.  Last night she woke up every 2 hours and I breastfed her and everything seemed fine.  This morning and today was a different story.  She woke at 8am and fed on both breasts, fell asleep until 1045 and again fed on both breasts. Feel asleep finally around 11:30 and slept until 1pm when I fed her again.  From 1pm on I fed her every hour until 6pm.  She was wailing at 6pm and nothing seemed to soothe her including my breasts so we gave her formula. I pumped and got nothing.  At 8pm I pumped again to see how much I created as my doctor said I should have an oz for every hour between feedings.  I didn't, I shy an oz by a hair.  We gave her the breast milk and an oz of formula.  She slept until 11pm and woke to be fed again.  She took both breasts, fell asleep on them and then refused them.  At 12:45 she woke again for food, I gave her both breasts, she fell asleep and again she refused when woken.  Here is it 2:05 and she is crying and making her signs she is hungry.  Is this normal? Is my supply low? I pump after her feedings and never get anything.  

 Also, when she is on my breasts she throws her arms around, scratches me, unlatches, cries, relatches, unlatches etc. and kicks.  There are times she will delatch and then won't latch back on.  Again, is this normal?  I need help as I am frustrated and do not want to give up.   

Re: FTM needing advice

  • You're doing a good job! Step back and take a breath. If she's about 3 weeks old, it's very likely that this whole thing is a growth spurt. And even if it's not, it's normal for newborns to want to eat every 1 to 2 hours. Their bellies are tiny and breast milk digests quickly. I remember those nights where she ate 5 times and then wouldn't take the breast anymore and just cried. It's easy to forget when you're sleep deprived, but remember.... She's a little baby! Crying is normal, and sometimes she's going to have those times where you can't stop it. It might mean she's hungry, but it also might mean that she's overtired, overstimulated, has a wet diaper, is too hot or cold, etc.

    I think the best thing you can do is to step away from the pump. Keep offering the breast, because if it is a growth spurt, she's doing her job to increase your supply... Your body just might take a day or two to catch up. Just because you aren't pumping anything doesnt mean she isn't getting anything. Supplementing is fine if she absolutely needs it, but make sure you go in kellymom.com and read the page about how to properly bottle feed a breastfed infant... It's very easy to feed them too quickly, which leads to feeding too much!

    How many wet diapers does she have a day? As long as that number is stable, I wouldn't be too worried. Can your LC bring a scale to your house to do a weighted feed or two? Might help you feel better.

    Keep up the good work mama!
  • I agree that it may be a growth spurt. I remember the first one with DS thinking that my supply was low and he could not possibly want to eat again.

    Keep nursing. The more often you feedher, tthe more milk your body will produce and it will level out. Check for wet diapers and weight gain. Those will indicate a good supply.

    DD is the same age and will pretty well nurse all afternoon until bedtime. I know I could not pump then. The only time I pump is in the morning when she takes a good 2 or so hour nap. And some days even that hasn't happened.

    Again, give it some more time. So far you are doing great.
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  • It's probably a growth spurt. When DS was 3 weeks old I once had to nurse him for like four hours straight. I'd just switch breasts every 20 minutes and he'd just keep going. I had no supply problems (in fact I had an oversupply) but my breasts looked like deflated balloons that night because he just couldn't stop nursing. As for her unlatching, it could be gas. Try burping more and rubbing her back.
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