Breastfeeding one week old - not going so well?

Question

My daugter was one week on Tuesday. When we were in the hospital, she was nursing like a champ, but since we've come home, it has really been a chore for the both of us. I want to breastfeed this baby, but here are my issues. First, she sleeps a lot. I wake her for her feedings, but that begins 2 hours of crying, that I think has more to do with her being tired than hungry. After the 2 hour cry session, where I continually try to get her to latch on, she will latch finally, and nurse from anywhere between 20 - 30 minutes. I don't dare change breasts, because it's so hard to get her to latch in the first place. That creates the problem that I always have one breast that is full and has a burning sensation. Yesterday, she fed twice all day. Finally last night, I pumped my milk, and bottle fed her. I can't stand to think that she's not eating enough. Any advice to get us back on the breastfeeding track would really help. We went to the lactation support @ the hospital once already

I called my birth coach, and she suggested that I try to nurse when the baby is only "half" awake, that way I'm getting to her before she gets the chance to get frustrated with me..and too hungry. It worked, and now we're nursing exclusively!

Answer 1

First, calm down. If you are stressed she will be too and that will make it worse. Remember it's new to both of you so it's going to take a while.

Second, unless she is underweight or the hospital or midwife have expressed a concern, there really isn't any need to wake her up. Breast fed babies don't feed regularly. It depends what you have been eating as to what is in the milk and sometimes they digest it quicker than others. If she is hungry, trust me, she will wake up on her own and let you know. She probably crying because she is sleepy, not hungry.

Latching on is always tricky and uncomfortable in the first couple of weeks. It goes of don't worry. Make sure she gets a reasonable amount of nipple in her mouth and isn't just chewing the teat. Don't be discouraged if she turns her face away from you. It's an automatic reaction if she feels something blocking her nose.

When the time comes to feed, make sure that you are both comfortable and you have something to drink near by. (not hot though because you will be worrying about dripping it on her) A glass of wine is a good option for later in the day because it will help you relax. I'm not sure I can describe how I found it easiest to get them latched on but I'll try. Put the index finger from 1 hand on the opposite breast just above the teat, second finger below the nipple, using that finger push the baby's bottom lip down slid the nipple in gently ensuring you get a good amount in underneath the teat (above doesn't matter quite so much). Relax and take a few deep breaths as she starts sucking because that stings a bit for a few seconds doesn't it. It'll go off don't worry. Let her suck for a few minutes. That first bit of milk is the most nutitious anyway. After a few minutes that will be gone and you will start producing more which is mostly water. Once she's not so hungry and a little more relaxed change sides for a bit. Start with a differnent side each time if you can.

Good luck, it really is worth persevering. The first 2 weeks is dreadful, the first couple of months can be a bit difficult, but once you are past that stage it's easier to carry on than to stop and the benefits to you and your baby are tremendous.

All the best and have a good christmas with your new baby.

Answer 2

If the breast is too full, she'll have difficulty latching on. Try pumping just a little bit before you feed her so the breast is softer for her to get started.

Consider wearing breast shields (the shell type: http://www.lactationconnection.com/detail.aspx?ID=30 ) between feedings. This will express extra milk (you may need to dump the milk out of the shell) and pull out a flat nipple to give a baby a better area to latch on to.

Feeding only twice in a day and sleeping all the time are red flags to me. Does she do well with the expressed milk in a bottle? Some babies just need a little extra time to get their suck going strong enough to nurse normally. Was she early? Was labor/delivery difficult? Were her APGAR scores normal? Are you seeing anything else concerning? If this continues for more than a couple of days, I'd visit the pediatrician to have her looked over, weighed, discuss the difficulties and concerns and make sure she's not unhealthy or suffering from a metabolic or other disorder that would cause her these difficulties.

My first child had difficulty nursing because I had one flat nipple and one inverted one. Once my milk came in, he had even less to latch onto and he would only take the tip of the nipple into his mouth so he didn't get much milk and I was sore and miserable.

I had another baby who was a premie and I would put her to the breast, try to get her to take as much as she would that way, meanwhile I was warming a bottle of expressed breast milk in a pan of warm water on the counter. After nursing her, I would put her down and pump a bottle for the next feeding. We continued this for about 4 or 5 weeks until she was strong enough to nurse the whole feeding and we no longer needed to use the pump/bottle.

Contact La Leche League for more answers and support: http://www.lalecheleague.org/ and/or consider revisiting lactation support or asking if there is a local support group for breastfeeding mothers or a doula you might be referred to for more personalized attention to your difficulties.

Best to you...

Answer 3

Keep at it. After the first week, I stopped waking my son for feedings. When he woke up, I'd keep him awake for 15 minutes befor actually feeding him. If he nursed on one side for 20 minutes, I'd switch to see if he wanted more, sometimes he did, sometimes he didn't. Whenever he didn't nurse as long as usual, I made sure I pumped out the extra, to help keep my supply up. You can store the pumped milk in the freezer for up to 2 months. When it comes to latching on, make sure you are getting as much of your nipple in her mouth as possible. If not, you will be in pain and have cracked nipples.

My son was 9lbs 10 ozs at birth. At 3 months, he was 15 lbs. At 6 months, he was 18. By the age of one he was 24lbs. My son was nursed exclusively for the first 3 months. The best advice I can give, is do what works for you and your baby. The lactation advice is for the general population. Your daughter may prefer to have a big breakfast or lunch, and snack through the day. Do what works for you and maintains peace and a happy medium for you two. That is most important.

Answer 4

Lactation support was probably the best thing you could have done. You might want to go back a few more times until things get regulated. My second had a lot harder time nursing than my first...hard to get him to wake up, hard to get him awake enough to take the breast, and hard to get him to open up wide for a good latch. A couple of things helped us get our breastfeeding in a better situation. 1. A couple of times in the beginning I pumped not even a whole ounce and gave it to him in the bottle. This got him just hungry enough to open up for a latch. It also really helped with the fact that my breasts were so full that he couldn't get a latch easily...it kind of softened the breast just enough. 2. We had to find a nursing position that he did well with. For us (in that first week or 2) he turned the corner on nursing once we tried it laying down. We both laid down on our sides facing each other with me supporting him on his side. Now that he is 7 weeks he is just as good as my daughter was at nursing, and doesn't need for me to be laying down anymore. 3. Finally, as much as you don't want to you might need to change sides and risk not getting a good latch. Both of mine would start to get frustrated when the breast started to get empty. I would thinkthat they were about a multitude of things until I would switch sides and suddenly they would be content. Hope that this helps. Plus she might be going thru a growth spurt...it is about growth spurt time.

Answer 5

Go back to the lactation specialist!!!!!! If you have no luck there, try the la Leche League for assistance.

Hang in there and keep trying. Get help! It isn't easy at first but once you get the hang of it you will find it is so much easier than mixing formula and cleaning bottles and it is a nice way to comfort your baby. If it just doesn't work out for you then don't beat yourself up. It really is worth all of the trouble and it will get easier!!!

Answer 6

Your newborn should be nursing eight to 12 times per day during about the first month. In the beginning, mothers may want to try nursing 10 to 15 minutes on each breast, then vary the time as necessary.

Once your milk supply is established, breastfeeding should be "on demand" (when your baby is hungry), which is generally every 1 to 3 hours. As newborns get older, they'll need to nurse less frequently — some may feed every hour and a half, whereas others may go 2 or 3 hours between feedings. For babies who are getting formula, they'll likely take about 2 to 3 ounces every 2 to 4 hours. Newborns should not go more than about 4 hours without feeding.

Call your baby's doctor if you need to awaken your newborn frequently or continually urge your baby to suck.

Most experts suggest you nurse or feed your baby whenever he or she seems hungry. Signs that babies are hungry include:

* moving their heads from side to side
* opening their mouths
* sticking out their tongues
* placing their hands and fists to their mouths
* puckering their lips as if to suck
* nuzzling again their mothers' breasts
* showing the rooting reflex (when a baby moves its mouth in the direction of something that's stroking or touching its cheek)

A rigid feeding schedule is not necessary; you and your baby will eventually establish your unique feeding pattern. Babies know (and will let their parents know) when they're hungry and when they've had enough. Watch for signs that your baby is full (slow, uninterested sucking; turning away from the breast or bottle), and stop the feeding once these signs appear.

As your baby gains weight, he or she should begin to eat more at each feeding and go longer between feedings. There may be other times when your infant seems hungrier than usual. Continue to nurse or feed on demand. Nursing mothers need not worry — breastfeeding stimulates milk production, and your supply of breast milk will automatically adjust to your baby's demand for it.

New mothers, especially breastfeeding moms, are often concerned that their infants may not be getting enough to eat. It's important for breastfed infants to be seen by their pediatrician 48 to 72 hours after a mother and newborn leave the hospital. During this visit, the baby will be weighed and examined, and the mother's breastfeeding technique can be evaluated. It's also an opportunity for nursing mothers to ask questions. If a breastfed baby is doing well, the doctor will probably schedule another visit for around 2 weeks of age. Formula-fed babies are usually checked between 2 and 4 weeks of age, unless parents have specific concerns.

You can be assured that your baby is getting enough to eat if he or she seems satisfied, produces about four to six wet diapers a day, has regular bowel movements, sleeps well, is alert when awake, and is gaining weight. A baby who is fussing, crying, seems hungry, and does not appear satisfied after feeding may not be getting enough to eat. If you are concerned that your baby is not getting enough to eat, call your baby's doctor.

Many infants "spit up" a small amount after eating or during burping, but a baby should not vomit after feeding. This can be due to overfeeding, but vomiting after every feeding may be a sign of an allergy, digestive problem, or other problem that needs medical attention. If you have concerns that your baby is spitting up too much, call your child's doctor.

Although your baby will probably start on some solid foods between 4 and 6 months, breast milk or formula will remain the most important source of nutrition through the first year of life.

Answer 7

It is normal for them to continue feeding every 2-3 hours for a couple more months. My son is 5 months old and our pediatrician said he is still going to eat every 2-3 hours and that it is fine. You should actually not let your baby go longer than 30 minutes while feeding. After 30 minutes they are just pacifying themselves, and it tends to cause more spit-up if they overeat. My son only started feeding for 15-20 minutes in the last 2-3 weeks, but every baby is different.

Answer 8

This is not a joke...do you have large breasts? I had trouble getting my first baby to latch on. I am an 'F' cup when not nursing so they were HUGE! It made it hard to get him started...my breast kept covering his nose and he had trouble breathing and nursing. If this is the case, email me and I will explain the 'football" hold to you...it worked for my two sons. If you aren't large breasted, I have no idea. But remember, as long as you get one or two poopy diapers per day and around 10 wet ones, your baby is getting enough.

Answer 9

For some women it is hard for them to not breast feed because they feel inadequate but seriously you need to do what is best for you and the baby. you sound stressed out which will make your supply decrease and the baby sounds stressed out to. Try a bottle and see how she does its okay to use a bottle. BEST OF LUCK

Answer 10

when i had my first son i was only 19 and decided to breast feed.i thought it would come natural to the both of us but i was wrong!i got a blood blister on my nipple(ouch)from not putting him on correctly and he seemed to want to eat every hour!its a real learning process for the both of you and as long as you keep at it then it will be great!dont use the bottles that much because it can cause her to not want to use the breast cause its easier to suck from a bottle!just keep at it and either she will get it or she wont.and either way just know you did your best!i know in my case practice made perfect and that might be all you two need as well!congrats on the little one!