My 2 week old daughter wants to be on the breast all day. When she is awake all she wants to do is suckle and as soon as i take her off she starts to cry. She spends hours on my breast and she wont take a pacifier. Is this normal and how can I get her to stop? I feel like I have no life, I spend my entire day letting my baby suckle and I cant go anywhere. Please help!
2007-12-17 02:33:55 · 24 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Is she gaining well? Does she only nurse for comfort, or does she also nurse actively 8 to 10 times a day?
It's not abnormal for a newborn to suckle a lot. They have an instinct to do that.
Some infants just take longer to breastfeed than others. Check out kellymom.com and lalecheleague.org for ideas to encourage her to nurse more actively.
As for not being able to go anywhere, have you tried nursing her in a baby sling? If she is in a sling, you can go about your business and no one can see what she is doing.
2007-12-17 02:40:43 · answer #1 · answered by Kellie W 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
This is normal. For now it is confront thing for her. Sometimes breastfed babies won't take a pacifier b/c they want the real thing. Could you try the "binkie" brand theres says more like mothers nipple on the package or something like that. Until then just let her suckle. I know it is rough due to the trapped feeling. Try to get a sling and let her suckle in there while maybe you can go out for a while, even over to a friends house who doesn't mind breastfeeding would be a huge help. Also try to get a hold of la leche (sp). and they will be awesome for the support you need! This too will pass, it is a newborn thing. Best of luck. ((hug))
2007-12-17 02:55:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mine did the same thing. It's part of the nursing thing. Your daughter feels very secure & warm on your breast. That is one of the hardest things about nursing, is that they want to be on all of the time & you're right, you are "stuck" to child. This was very difficult to me. You've waited for baby for 9 months & now you are attached "at the hip". It's very normal to feel this way.
She should definitely be fed every 2 hours. DON'T GIVE PACIFIER. If she's gaining weight properly & having 6-8 wet diapers a day, then she's getting enough & hungriness isn't the reason she wants to stay attached. You must, however, get her used to not being on you 24/7. It is OKAY to put her in her crib or basinnet & go take a shower or go lay down. I never let my baby cry for more than 10 minutes. He'd usually cry himself to sleep within 7 minutes. That being said, nursing is frustrating in the beginning & you feel like you're in a prison cell at times. You must take a break. Stress can affect your milk production & bonding.
Good luck, & trust me, it gets easier honey!!!!!!! I'm still nursing at 16 months & I was ready to quit by 2 months (he he)
2007-12-17 02:51:25 · answer #3 · answered by Gypsydayne 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In the beginning, breast feeding is truly a full-time, around the clock job. Your baby is so tiny and young that she needs to eat frequently. Nursing every hour around the clock is not unheard of at first. Additionally your body is adjusting to breast milk production. Your baby's frequent nursing is what signals your breasts to produce enough milk to sustain her growing needs. As your baby grows, the frequency of her nursing will decrease. It can easily take 4-8 weeks for your baby's needs and your milk production to begin to mesh. Every baby is different, but about the 3 month mark, she'll be much more efficient at emptying the breast and will begin to be more aware of other things around her besides eating and sleeping. As a result, she will spend less time wanting to nurse and more time interested in what's going on around her. Your baby has spent nearly all her life growing next to you and the comfort she receives from nursing is natural. For at least a couple more weeks you may want to plan to clear most of your responsibilities and keep nursing your baby on demand. Recovery from birth takes about 6 weeks and that is about the same length of time it can take for nursing skills to develop. There is no need to get her to stop as in a few weeks time she'll have grown enough to not need the constant nursing. If you want to try a pacifier, you may need to experiment with a few different ones. Some babies prefer different shapes, styles, and material. Your baby's needs are great and she depends on you for everything so for at least a little while, your life will not be your own. As she grows, you will find she doesn't need you 24/7 and then you will feel a little sad about that.
2007-12-17 02:58:22 · answer #4 · answered by sevenofus 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is NORMAL.
Welcome to parenthood.
You need to give in to your daughter, it's time to accept that she's here and needs your full time attention. Your life will never be the same.
Babies nurse constantly the first 6 weeks. Their little tummies are tiny and can't hold a lot of milk, so they need to 'demand' more milk and often to keep themselves full. They grow so fast right now, that it's both a comfort and a necessity for them to nurse like this.
Make little goals for yourself--make it through the 3 week growth spurt, make it to 5 weeks, if you can make it to week 7, you will be home free, you will feel human again and baby will be big enough that you'll get more sleep and it will be SO much better.
For now, sleep when the baby sleep. Wear her in a sling. Relax!! You are never going to get this time back with her! Before you know it she'll be crawling away from you and then running.
2007-12-17 02:41:57 · answer #5 · answered by maegs33 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
All my sympathy goes out to you.
She's been in your womb for nine months and sucking is her strongest and most natural reflex for comfort. Keep trying with the pacifier (put the pacifier in, let her spit it out and cry, give her your breast again, then try the pacifier later...rinse and repeat).
You might try swaddling her (and keep trying with the pacifier). She'll eventually outgrow this, though I know it can be a neverending tunnel without light at the end, I assure you things will get better.
2007-12-17 02:45:54 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That's how it was for my daughter and I for the first month. She would want to nurse constantly and each session would last for a long time, sometimes over an hour! It's normal. If you are concerned she is not getting enough milk you can try getting a good baby scale and weighing her immediately before & after each feed to see how much milk she is taking in. Also, you can contact a lactation consultant who can schedule an appt. with you to check everything out, she will probably do the same thing with the scale. It takes a while, but the nursing sessions will become less frequent and less lengthy. Hang in there :)
2007-12-17 02:38:30 · answer #7 · answered by jatay 5 · 5⤊ 1⤋
It's only been two weeks. With my three children I found that we didn't really get into the hang of breastfeeding for 6 weeks and then after that it was easy. Just relax, there is nothing you really need to get done that badly, just relax and rest and recover and try to enjoy your new baby. Keep a log of when you feed her/how long she is at the breast and then call your doctor or La Leche League and talk to them about it. You'll get through it and before you know it, this uncomfortable time will be a distant memory.
2007-12-17 02:39:24 · answer #8 · answered by Ren 5 · 8⤊ 0⤋
Ren deserves the best answer! She knows what she is talking about!
Is she spitting up? Is she crying like in pain? If so, her belly may be bothering her and it is natural to want to suckle when they are feeling bad. She may not be getting enough milk. Contact the lactation consultant.
2007-12-17 03:23:18 · answer #9 · answered by Brooke S 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
oh i feel for you - yes this is normal - breastfed babies are just like that and my son was no different and i rememeber feeling and experiencing the same as you, its tiring and really hard work, especially if its first baby as you as still becoming used to the fact that this child will take up all your time for years to come.
However, it will get better and easier. Firstly, try and keep the baby awake whilst they are feeding, tickle them and rub their face to make sure they get a good feed, when you are happy they are full and winded put the baby down to sleep and settle themselves - its ok for your baby to cry a little, i promise!
breastfed babies dont always take a dummy as its different form the breast - they dont like.
good luck
2007-12-17 02:42:35 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋