BFing and doubting myself.... Advice please!

MrserinJ · August 2013

This is my third baby but I EP'ed with my other 2 kids.

I really wanted BFing to work with this baby and it went really well fircthe first few days. But now I'm doubting myself....

LO is 13 days old and still slightly jaundice. The pedi wasn't concerned about this at all as he's regained his birth weight and has sufficient wet/dirty diapers every day.

I'm just worried and frustrated because he seems to sleep at the breast within 3 mins of starting. He still sucks and I think I hear him swallowing but I'm not sure. At the beginning, when I have my letdown, he gulps but then as the flow slows, he drifts off and there are long pauses with occasional swallowing. I have tried everything to keep him awake but he still dozes.

Yesterday he nursed every hour and I was worried it was because he wasn't getting any. But today he's nursed every 3 hours and has a heavy wet diaper plus a poop after every feeding.

I guess I'm just wondering what the best indicator is that he's getting enough? Wet/dirty diapers? Is it possible he can still have a good feed even if he's dozing and I can't hear him swallow constantly? I miss being able to see exactlh what they get with a bottle but I'm loving nursing as it doesn't hurt (except for initial latch) this time.

I'm really hoping that I'm doing this right and that its ok. Anyone with advice or insight, your help or reassurance is appreciated!!

ETA: I am nursing him right now in quiet and can hear a very quiet "ka" sound about every 5 sucks. It's not the same as the faster gulping atctge beginning but is this still swallowing?

Stina2012 · August 2013

My LO will snooze as well. Tickle your LOs belly. Also, rubbing her hand on my boob wakes her up. I totally know the feeling you're having. The diaper gauge is likely the best!

Dani428 · August 2013

I was SO obsessive about this in the first few weeks. She would fall asleep all the time and I could swear she wasn't eating enough. Well, we got her weighed and she's thriving and filling up those diapers like crazy. It sounds like everything's going well for you and your LO!

MrserinJ · August 2013

Thanks, you guys! I think I just need to chill and stop obsessing over it! I'm very type A so it's hard not to know exactly how much is going into his little body!

Jenniferinspain · August 2013

I understand the worrying. My lo was jaundiced too and slept so much! I was so worried and she was also a lazy nurser. I started doing bottles and breast. She gained 2 pounds from what she dropped down to at birth to 1 month so now I feel better. So try to relax and know she is doing well.

sonflower1427 · August 2013

juliedave151 said:

I would say as long as she is having lots of dirty and wet diapers you are ok.

This.

My first baby was a dozer. Lots of tickling his feet and trying to keep him awake. By a couple of months he didn't doze while nursing. Probably your LO will outgrow the drowsiness. For us Type A people, it can be frustrating because we want to make sure LO is growing appropriately, but we can't control how our LO nurses. It sounds like your LO is doing just fine, even with the drowsiness. For the jaundice, if your doctor isn't worried, I wouldn't be, but you could try exposing LO's skin to sunlight; just don't let him sunburn.

M0ON · August 2013

Do you have him all bundled up? I find it often helps to have my little one naked for nursing so she's less likely to doze off.

SplashingFishy · August 2013

How do your boobs feel before/after? I normally can feel a difference after nursing. Also, I you tickle the bottom I their feet or their palm, those are points that can help trigger suckling.

I had a post partum appointment today, and part of it was to weigh LO before and after nursing to see how much she drank. Maybe your pedi or a LC in your area has something similar?

Stina2012 · August 2013

Also, an LC told me that LOs "gas gauge" of empty and full is her hand. A tight fist means she's still hungry. A loose fist means she's full. Hope that helps as well.

MrserinJ · August 2013

Yes I usually have him naked to feed and have tried the tickling too! He'll wake firca second and then go back to sleep!

My boobs definitely feel softer after he feeds, so he must be getting something I'm thinking.

Thanks for all the advice!

MrserinJ · August 2013

Alicia0817 said:

sonflower1427 said:

juliedave151 said:

I would say as long as she is having lots of dirty and wet diapers you are ok.

This.
My first baby was a dozer. Lots of tickling his feet and trying to keep him awake. By a couple of months he didn't doze while nursing. Probably your LO will outgrow the drowsiness. For us Type A people, it can be frustrating because we want to make sure LO is growing appropriately, but we can't control how our LO nurses. It sounds like your LO is doing just fine, even with the drowsiness. For the jaundice, if your doctor isn't worried, I wouldn't be, but you could try exposing LO's skin to sunlight; just don't let him sunburn.

This helps. We just nursed in front of our sliding glass door (filtered sunlight)

Thank so much.... I will try this for sure!

supersarah77 · August 2013

Your LO couldn't have wet and dirty diapers without eating. Watch the throat for swallowing. The Ka sounds like a swallow. Can you make an appointment with a LC? I'm no expert but it sounds like you're BFing your LO successfully. I know it's stressful.

MrserinJ · August 2013

Spartanmomma said:
I could have written your exact post at 2 weeks old! I hated EPing, but there was something reassuring about knowing what was going in. My current LO was and still is a sleepy eater (she's 7 weeks now), and had jaundice issues too (including both newborn and breastmilk jaundice, which just finally resolved in the past 2 weeks). I was always worried she wasn't eating enough between the jaundice, her low birth weight, and the sleepiness. Even now, she'll fall asleep minutes into some of her feedings, despite being naked, fiddled with, and hungry. When I called at 6 weeks to see the pedi bc she was still so sleepy during feedings, she was gaining just fine. They told me to focus on whether she was doing everything the other ladies have said- plenty of wet and poo diapers, waking herself to feed during daytime, and having alert time during the day (although at 2 weeks we really didn't have that). It sounds like your LO is doing great- and you're doing a great job too! Hope everyone's tips and experiences help out

Thank you for sharing this. I'm going to try and relax about it. He seems like he's doing well as farcas gaining and diapers, and the doctor wasn't concerned, so I suppose I just have to give it time and see how it goes.

Thanks again!

Kitten80 · August 2013

Hang in there, mama! I didn't read all the replies but I am sure you got good advice & support. I understand how worrisome it can be when you can't tell exactly how much they are taking - my type A personality found this difficult at first. I learned to trust him and my body - and to relax. If he has been gaining weight, has sufficient wet/poopy diapers, and generally seems healthy and to be thriving, don't worry! The "ka" to me sounds like a swallow. My first was jaundice and took forever to gain weight - he has a very fast metabolism and back then he was so teeny. He dreamt fed all.the.time. It took a long time for each feed and could be frustrating at first, but once I accepted that he was eating enough just his way, it was good.

He is now 99% for height and 85 for weight at 4 years old. And if your doc wasn't worried about his still being jaundice, I wouldn't worry either. Good luck!

Want a personalized experience?

BFing and doubting myself.... Advice please!

Re: BFing and doubting myself.... Advice please!

Choose Another Board

Search Boards