Anyone else exhausted with BF'ing?

stemms8810 · June 2012

I am totally exhausted from breastfeeding so often at night. Sometimes I want to give up and try formula to see if it holds him off longer for my sanity but when it comes down to it I really don't want to, so I push through another night.

Anyone else going bonkers with maybe 3-4hrs sleep at night and frequent feedings? Any tips on how you are dealing?

TnG05 · June 2012

I would post this on the breastfeeding board. Are you letting him nurse until he's full? I will say I'm supplementing with formula so I give him two some nights he sleeps a little longer but not enough for me to go that route every night. Good luck to you.

stemms8810 · June 2012

TnG05:
I would post this on the breastfeeding board. Are you letting him nurse until he's full? I will say I'm supplementing with formula so I give him two some nights he sleeps a little longer but not enough for me to go that route every night. Good luck to you.

I don't know how to judge if he is full exactly. He will typically fall asleep after one breast. If I wake him up and offer the second he may latch on, but not for very long which leads me to believe he is satisfied. He is hard to keep awake while feeding and I have tried undressing him, tickling him, stimulating his jaw, breast compressions. If anything I get one or two more sucks from that and he's out again. My breast feels soft after he is done and I hear swallowing sounds. Does this sound like he should be full?

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wypadek · June 2012

E will sleep in 6 hour stretches so I'm doing okay. When she falls asleep eating I clean her up (she makes a mess lol) and burp her and will just hold her for about 5 minutes. If she wants more she's awake within 5 minutes and roots around for more. If she doesn't wake up she gets reswaddled and put back to bed.

Under.the.Rose · June 2012

Eating every 2-3 hours or so is just the name of the game when you have a one month old, I'd say.

wheelsonthebus · June 2012

I feel like nobody ever says how hard BFing is going to be. It's not easy, but for me it was very worth it. I will also say that I have many friends that gave up breastfeeding because of the nights only to find that getting up to make a bottle several times a night is so much worse than just nursing.

gervaisj6 · June 2012

Girl yes! I am exclusively pumping though. Atleast I can kinda schedule it...I pump every 2-3 hours,, 10-15 min depending on how long it has been since my last pump. I do not pump after I get into bed. I just make my first 2 pumping sessions in the morning 20 min. I went to bed last night at 3, and woke up at 7:40 this morning to pump. My baby was still sleeping. I have DH listen for her in case she wakes up. I have a stash of milk already...so that helps.

becketts · June 2012

I'm wiped out, but it's more from the cluster feeding than lack of sleep. DD (35wk IUGR preemie) has only been primarily BFing for about 2 weeks and I think she's having a growth spurt. She sleeps decently at night (3-5 hr stretches), but in the morning and late afternoon, it seems like she's eating every 45-90 minutes!

jennyelf · June 2012

I go to sleep after his 8pm feeding and just sleep when he sleeps until I feel rested, Typically around his 7am feeding. My little guy feeds about every 2.5-3 hours, so I sleep about 2hrs between feedings. After 4 feed cycles, I've normally managed to cobble together 6 or 7 hours.

TnG05 · June 2012

wypadek:
E will sleep in 6 hour stretches so I'm doing okay. When she falls asleep eating I clean her up (she makes a mess lol) and burp her and will just hold her for about 5 minutes. If she wants more she's awake within 5 minutes and roots around for more. If she doesn't wake up she gets reswaddled and put back to bed.

I do the clean up, burp, and wait to see if he roots around for more as well.

TnG05 · June 2012

gervaisj6:
Girl yes! I am exclusively pumping though. Atleast I can kinda schedule it...I pump every 2-3 hours,, 10-15 min depending on how long it has been since my last pump. I do not pump after I get into bed. I just make my first 2 pumping sessions in the morning 20 min. I went to bed last night at 3, and woke up at 7:40 this morning to pump. My baby was still sleeping. I have DH listen for her in case she wakes up. I have a stash of milk already...so that helps.

My plan is to eventually EP but I find it easier to just BF. I'm trying to figure out a schedule to pump at least 4 times a day but haven't quite figured it out yet.

stemms8810 · June 2012

TnG05:
gervaisj6:
Girl yes! I am exclusively pumping though. Atleast I can kinda schedule it...I pump every 2-3 hours,, 10-15 min depending on how long it has been since my last pump. I do not pump after I get into bed. I just make my first 2 pumping sessions in the morning 20 min. I went to bed last night at 3, and woke up at 7:40 this morning to pump. My baby was still sleeping. I have DH listen for her in case she wakes up. I have a stash of milk already...so that helps.
My plan is to eventually EP but I find it easier to just BF. I'm trying to figure out a schedule to pump at least 4 times a day but haven't quite figured it out yet.

I am attempting to pump when I can to get a head start on a stash for when I return to work in 4 weeks. I find it difficult to find the time to pump and get a decent amount of milk. I am not on a pumping schedule yet by any means.

What I have been doing since DS will typically eat from one side, is pump the other side right after a feeding. This usually only works though if he falls asleep after a feeding as I am home alone all day.

RookieBride · June 2012

I feel your pain! It is a lot of work but its so worth it. My son is also cluster feeding, he has just recently gotten on some sort of schedule. I try to sleep when he sleeps. Hopefully it will get better. Just know you're not alone.

Dana&Pete · June 2012

Yes I am right there with you. Baby is up every 2.5 hours at this point. I know he's young but it's killing me (he's a week old). Hoping those stretches get a little longer, if not I will have to start pumping to keep my sanity. Sorry I don't have any advice, but wanted you to know you're not alone. I just try and nap during the day as much as possible.

pinkmoonlight · June 2012

I will say this time around has been so much easier for me than it was with DD. I feel like I am getting more sleep even though DS is eating every 3 hours. One thing that has helped me a lot is side lying in bed and nursing. That way I can doze off while DS is eating and then when he is done I put him back to bed. It might only give me 10-15 minutes per side but it helps.

Once DS is back at birth weight I wont be waking him up every three hours and will just let him wake me up to eat.

Matildasun · June 2012

stemms8810:
I am attempting to pump when I can to get a head start on a stash for when I return to work in 4 weeks. I find it difficult to find the time to pump and get a decent amount of milk. I am not on a pumping schedule yet by any means.

What I have been doing since DS will typically eat from one side, is pump the other side right after a feeding. This usually only works though if he falls asleep after a feeding as I am home alone all day.

If he is only nursing from one side you could try to pump while nursing, so you don't have to do it after. Nurse on one side using the football hold, and then you have a hand free to use the pump.

MelissaMiso · June 2012

wypadek:
E will sleep in 6 hour stretches so I'm doing okay. When she falls asleep eating I clean her up (she makes a mess lol) and burp her and will just hold her for about 5 minutes. If she wants more she's awake within 5 minutes and roots around for more. If she doesn't wake up she gets reswaddled and put back to bed.

My Sophia is the same way. I feel really blessed to be able to sleep 6 hours at a stretch. Of course, he "witching hour" starts at midnight with the crying and need to be held for about an hour. Sleep after that goes well, though.

stemms8810 · June 2012

matildasun:
stemms8810:

I am attempting to pump when I can to get a head start on a stash for when I return to work in 4 weeks. I find it difficult to find the time to pump and get a decent amount of milk. I am not on a pumping schedule yet by any means.

What I have been doing since DS will typically eat from one side, is pump the other side right after a feeding. This usually only works though if he falls asleep after a feeding as I am home alone all day.

If he is only nursing from one side you could try to pump while nursing, so you don't have to do it after. Nurse on one side using the football hold, and then you have a hand free to use the pump.

Good idea! Thanks!

PotomacSt · June 2012

My daughter's a month old and still up every 3 hours. Maybe once or twice she's slept 4 hours. But for her first two weeks she had lots of nights where she's only go 1.5 hours. After experiencing that, consistently getting 3 hour sleeps is manageable.

BFing IS exhausting, and there's days I want to quit. But like PP said, mixing formula and making/cleaning bottles is also a lot of work, and formula is a big expense, so I think I'd just be trading one set of issues for another.

BelleIsa · June 2012

Are you using a paci? Some babies just have a strong urge to suck and aren't relaly hungry, they just want to suck on something. I give DD a full feed (15-20 minutes, or until she falls asleep on the boob), and then if I try to put her down and she fusses I offer teh paci for a while until she settles.

Also, your LO may be falling asleep before he's full. Try taking his PJ off so he's a little cold to keep him away, or changing his diaper half-way through a feed to get him to perk up.

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