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Please help. Ftm breastfeeding

brittbee0715brittbee0715 member
in December 2015 Moms
i am a ftm and I've been trying to breastfeed my newborn. I get my lo to latch and he will feed for ten minutes then unlatch. Then he will want to latch again a couple minutes later. Does this mean that he isn't latched properly and not getting my milk or is he just getting used to working for his food? I feel like his latch is good but I'm not too sure. Has anyone else experienced this or have any advice on how to get him to be satisfied after feedings? 
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Re: Please help. Ftm breastfeeding

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  • brittbee0715brittbee0715 member
    I saw that but I don't want to go through a ton of posts to find what I need. If someone could just answer my question directly...
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  • brittbee0715brittbee0715 member
    Thanks so much for replying. I do plan on going to a lactation specialist as soon as I can. I'm still not allowed to drive :( but when he unlatches it's because he fell asleep. I read somewhere that if the baby falls asleep at the breast it's because they aren't getting enough milk. I'm not sure how true that is. But thanks for the motivation. Hopefully o can get to the lactation consultant soon!
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  • lpmn10lpmn10 member
    If he's falling asleep during feedings, you can try tickling his cheek or using a cold washcloth against his face to try to keep him awake. I wouldn't necessarily assume that it's because he's not getting enough milk. Usually babies get more frustrated by that. Newborns really can take awhile to establish a feeding schedule and rhythm so it might feel like you're constantly feeding him for awhile but that should get better after the first couple weeks.
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  • Mizuiro007Mizuiro007 member
    Babies can fall asleep at the breast for all sorts of reasons and I've never known hunger to be one. Usually being lethargic from hunger it's difficult to get them to latch to start with. They can fall asleep because they're full, it's cozy and warm against your body which also makes them sleepy.

    There's a couple things you can try if he's falling asleep before he's done. You can stroke his cheeks or bottoms of his feet to keep him awake before he falls asleep. DD has a ticklish back so I use that to help keep her awake. You can lightly blow air over his face, strip him down to a diaper. Diaper changes work well to wake them up. Burping also helps. They get air in their little tummies and can feel full when they aren't.

    Hopefully you can find something that works for you.
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  • caityleigh92caityleigh92 member
    Do you have access to WIC? If so, they have lactation consultants available for free who can speak to you in person or over the phone. I have a friend who is one and could answer questions via FB if you're interested.
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  • pupsicle23pupsicle23 member
    edited December 2015
    My baby falls asleep at the breast pretty often. She has gained a ridiculous amount of weight, so I wouldn't worry about your LO not getting enough. Like @Mizuiro007 said, try other tactics to take up the baby. A diaper change usually wakes DD right up.
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  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    Not all babies take a long time to get what they need. Let his hunger be your cue. If he seems full, let it end. If he's hhungry again in 20 minutes, feed him again. Babies often cluster feed so let him when he feels like it. This age they don't have disordered eating. He will remain wakeful more and more as he grows. And FYI this is all discussed in the larger thread in more detail.
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  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    If he finishes and you still feel engorgement pain, you can pump a bit.
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  • sarahjulypsusarahjulypsu member
    Do you have pain when be nurses? How are your nipples looking, if they cracked/bleeding/having pain that could mean you have latch problems. Otherwise I wouldn't worry about latch. Sounds like a sleepy baby. Others gave good suggestions on tired baby. Kelly mom is great for help also check out the breastfeeding forum you may get more help over there. Also that other thread is crazy long I wouldn't read it all.
    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • ammnam14ammnam14 member
    My pediatrician said if baby falls asleep while eating it usually means she is full. We are pumping/breastfeeding so my situation is a little different. My LO will start eating again if I gently tickle her cheeks so try stimulating a bit. If your nipples arent cracked, bleeding or in pain I would think the latch is fine. Contact your local hospital to find a LC. My hospital charges $25 for a personal appt. it's definitely worth it.
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  • sarahjulypsusarahjulypsu member
    Also I forgot to add for the first week when they are extra sleepy I find it helps to unwrap them.if swaddled maybe undress down to diaper if needed. Skin to skin helps.
    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • breezypipbreezypip member
    sarahjulypsu said:

    Also I forgot to add for the first week when they are extra sleepy I find it helps to unwrap them.if swaddled maybe undress down to diaper if needed. Skin to skin helps.

    I was going to suggest this same thing. The first week my LO would fall asleep while nursing and my nurses and LC told me she was getting too comfy and to undress her to her diaper. You can also try tickling the baby's feet or other things to get him to stay awake.
    BabyFruit Ticker
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  • rachel10488rachel10488 member
    I'm a FTM also and have had a hell of a week struggling with breastfeeding and a bad latch. I highly highly recommend seeing a lactation consultant, I think every new mom should! They pretty much saved me. We saw them while we were in the hospital but it was a whole different ball game once my milk came in at home so we were able to back to the hospital to see them (they have an office there) and it was invaluable.

    I also have a sleepy baby but he tends to dream eat and can do that for an hour if I let him, which now that I have a good latch and my cracked and bleeding nipples are healed I will let him feed that long usually.
    What PP mentioned about getting them to stay awake is exactly what the lactation consultants had me doing. I always strip him down to a diaper and tickle his ear or back or feet most of the time especially when he starts nodding off.

    Also, I don't think there's anything wrong with you posting a seperate thread for advice and support on this because I've read that whole thread at the top when I was desperate and dealing with cracked nipples and a bad latch and lots of people's questions are getting lost in there and it doesn't all pertain to your specific issue
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  • BrookeBrown2015BrookeBrown2015 member
    brittbee0715 said:

    Thanks so much for replying. I do plan on going to a lactation specialist as soon as I can. I'm still not allowed to drive :( but when he unlatches it's because he fell asleep. I read somewhere that if the baby falls asleep at the breast it's because they aren't getting enough milk. I'm not sure how true that is. But thanks for the motivation. Hopefully o can get to the lactation consultant soon!

    My baby has fallen asleep and unlatched and fallen asleep after only about ten minutes of nursing as well, several times. He has been in the nicu since he was born on 12/7, first in my hometown and then we got transferred to a bigger city. He was full term so his issues are not from being early. Anyway, point is that I have gotten advice from a lot of different nurses while being in the nicu and every one has said he falls asleep because he gets too comfortable and made some of the same suggestions as pp such as tickling his feet to wake him up. I definitely don't think it means he's not getting enough milk! Not one nurse has said that to me and I have actually had several nurses comment to me on what a good supply I have. (I pump too since I can't be with my baby all the time.)
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  • BrookeBrown2015BrookeBrown2015 member
    I have to add that if I were at home I would be inclined to just let him sleep. But maybe that's wrong? I don't know. Ftm here also and one of my son's issues in the beginning was low blood sugar so we needed him to eat to get his blood sugar up.
    Now I have been pumping mostly and last time I tried breastfeeding which I think was yesterday, he fell asleep and I just let him sleep and put him in his crib because we are not allowed to eat in the nicu and dh and I were starving. Of course, after I left, he woke back up and wanted more so the nurse gave him a bottle. Ugh. So hopefully I can work out the kinks of bfing when I can go home and can be with him all the time!
    If you can be there when baby wakes up, why not just let him sleep?
    Maybe I should ask a nurse about this tomorrow...any other questions I should ask the nurses before I go home on Monday?? I am taking requests lol.
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  • knighthknighth member
    edited December 2015
    I'm on breast fed baby number three and they have all fallen asleep while eating for the first few weeks. It makes nursing much harder for sure. I found the football hold, stripping down to just a diaper and breast compressions to be most helpful. Good luck.
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  • Daphneh28Daphneh28 member
    I'm still struggling because DD was born jaundiced I had to feed her with a dropper. She wouldn't take it then we fed her a bottle and now I'm pretty much exclusively pumping. We do skin to skin and try to nurse but she bites down, even through a shield it hurts, so as long as she is having my milk and is gaining I've pretty much resolved to be happy. Don't give up on your nursing though, you will see with your doctor that as long as your baby is gaining and healthy you are doing just fine. 
    Ps: when you have a second do read through the BF thread. Sure, it's getting long but it's totally worth it! 
    Lilypie Breastfeeding tickers
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  • BP1979BP1979 member
    My little guy does the same thing. He nurses 10 minutes and falls asleep. I tried everything others suggested above, and he still fell asleep. So, I've taken to nursing one side until he falls asleep, then burping him (which wakes him up), and then nursing on the other side for 10 minutes until he falls asleep again. This seems to get him enough that he's full and content for 2-3 hours.
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  • teachmegs817teachmegs817 member
    My little guy does the same thing.  He's a preemie and from what the lactation consultant told me, it's typical of preemie babies to get tired out, lethargic on the boob. I also have to use a nipple shield because he has a decent latch, but doesn't seem to stay on for more than 3-5 minutes.  The lactation consultant also told me to put a finger under their chin, it might prompt their jaw to get eating again.  Out of the 6-8 times I nurse him a day, he is usually pretty tired for 2-3 of them.  I don't stress too much about it right now, because I just pump afterwards on those times and usually I get 2 full bottles to supplement for him shortly after, if he falls asleep. 
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  • ilikemycatilikemycat member
    My kiddo is twelve days old and she constantly falls asleep on the boob. I'll feed her for ten minutes on one side and then burp her, which tends to wake her up a little. Sometimes I will even change her diaper at that time if she needs one. It gets her awake enough to realize she is still hungry and will eat until she is full. I also try to keep her suckling by gently shaking her shoulder or stroking her arm or squeezing my breast in her mouth a bit. Sometimes if I slowly try to move my breast away she will start suckling again. I always try to make sure she nurses for more than ten minutes because I know she is going to want to eat an hour later and I need sleep lol.
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  • geekyboygeekyboy member
    My little one was latching on but I was not producing enough milk. That might be the problem. Contact a lactation consultant they will help you let you know if your producing enough. I try to breastfeed but end up giving him a bottle.
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  • groovylocksgroovylocks member
    edited December 2015
    Oh btw I pump at night. She drinks more. She stays alert. During the day I breastfeed. It's a temporary thing until she gets a bit bigger. We both risk dozing off if I nursed :)
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  • ammnam14ammnam14 member
    groovylocks said:

    Oh btw I pump at night. She drinks more. She stays alert. During the day I breastfeed. It's a temporary thing until she gets a bit bigger. We both risk dozing off if I nursed :)

    I'm going to start to try this as well. We have been pumping/attempting to breastfeed/supplementing and I'd really like to not have to give her formula. Granted its only when I don't produce enough and she's still hungry. Any tips?
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  • teachmegs817teachmegs817 member
    @groovylocks I have begun doing this too.  DS early morning feedings are at 12am, 3am, and 6am. During those feedings I give him pumped milk and afterwards I pump for 10-15 minutes.  He ends up drinking the bottle much quicker than me nursing him, so between the feeding and pumping I am done around the same time, sometimes a little sooner than if I were to just nurse him at those times.
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  • TaylovesbradTaylovesbrad member
    edited December 2015
    @ammnam14 in the same situation. Mine is due to my son having a tounge tie. He has an apt on the 7th to get it clipped. Because of the tounge tie he can't empty my breast so my supply suffers. Worked with an LC and she has me nursing for 20 to 30 from one side and then pumping 10 minutes immediately after 4 to 6 timea daily. While I pump I give him a bottle of breast milk or formula if I have.to. it's alot of work and a tricky dance but so far my supply has stayed up enough that i give him formula once or twice daily. She told me to forget about pumping at night. Praying out issues resolve and hope yours do too. Bfing is no joke.
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  • brittbee0715brittbee0715 member
    Thanks everyone for all the wonderful advice. I saw the lactation consultant today and she showed me how to get him to latch better. Hopefully I can keep this up and not get frustrated when I can't get it right.
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  • Krs18Krs18 member
    My pediatrician's office has a lactation consultant available to take phone calls. I suggest trying to call and talk to someone so you can get the answers you need ASAP.
    Babies like to feed for a little bit and then take a break. Think about it- when you drink a bottle of water, do you chug or drink slowly? My daughter likes to drink for about 10 min, pause, and then maybe 5-10 min later have some more. I think what you're experiencing is normal! But the LC is the way to go to be sure. Good luck!
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