Sounds like your milk could be in to me too. With DS2 it just kind of happened, there was no moment where my BB's when rock-hard, I just noticed that he had milk spilling out the side of his mouth.
Can you hand express a little bit to see it it's white like milk?
ETA - As for feeding 2 hourly once your milk comes in, I haven't heard of that! I would feed DS#2 2 1/2 - 3 hourly throughout the day (unless he was hungry earlier) and he breastfed fantastically!
Feeding on demand is recommended from birth. This helps your supply establish in the early days and weeks, and then ensures that your supply remains at the correct level after that. It sounds to me like you are doing everything right. I would say you have your milk - you lucky thing not having the engorgement! The night feeding will settle - is she feeding that often in the morning as well? What will happen over the next few days/weeks is that she will feed often during the day, and then go for a longer period overnight - maybe 3 or 4 hours. Then after a while the feeding will get a little less frequent and she will go even longer overnight. So don't worry about being up so often in the night forever!
I'm not too worried - yet! - about being up all night. She settles well (generally) after each feed and I can grab an hour or so of sleep, then do it all again. Its not too difficult too manage yet.
The pattern I have noticed so far is a period of frequent feeding between about 11pm and 6am and then after the feed at 6 or 7am she sleeps for a good three hours or so. Then she wakes and feeds and has another good sleep (still sleeping as I write and she has been down since about 11.30am) and then feeds about every 2 hrs through the day.
Should I stretch it out a bit further?
I'm also trying to do what the ABA counsellor suggested yesterday - lots of stimulation during the day, bright lights and talking and eye contact when she's awake and then keeping it all low key and calm at night time.
OP, She is doing exactly hat babies her age do. As for the MCHN, I doubt she would be a LC and probably is one of the ones that drums routine into everyone.
Bub is still learning the difference between night and day, so just go with the flow and she will soon switch. Rest as much as you can during the day so that you have the energy to go with her at night.
I didn't get engorged this time around either, like Trish I just noticed Milk over flowing as she tried to keep up with my supply, so there was def heaps of milk there but I wasn't feeling full.
I still don't get that full feeling unless she sleeps through the night and I wake up bursting, through the day I don't get the "full" feeling at all.
It can take wee ones a while to figure out that day time is for waking, nighttime is for sleeping
My favourite tactics for helping them get the message are:
Dress them for day during the day, pyjamas at night!
Keep daytime feeds full of interaction, playing, lively as possible.
Don't particularly quieten down during the day, or darken baby's room.
I wouldn't stretch out the daytime feeds at all, I'd feed as frequently during the day as I could to encourage less "reverse cycling" (where a baby will suckle all night to make up for limited suckling during the day - this is common for breastfeeding mothers who are out at work away from the baby all day.)
Do what you want to do when you want to do it - if you want to go out but the baby's asleep, wake her up and go out.
Let the baby cluster feed as much as she wants during the evening - I'm sure they do this to fill their bellies up before bedtime.
Have a good, regular and calming evening routine, and decide what time is bed time - after that time, don't play, and keep interaction to a minimum. Keep feeds quiet, don't play, use nightlights instead of room lights, and try to feed in a sleepy environment, in the room where you want them to sleep (be that in your bed, their room, whatever). Also, unless she's poohed, don't change her nappy in the middle of the night - if she were sleeping through you wouldn't wake her to feed her.
While I won't pretend any of my kids have been good sleepers, these things have helped me curb the "oh, it's 2am, time to play!" phenomenon
I never got the rock-hard feeling either - and DS was putting on 300-500g per week - so he weas definitely getting enough milk! It sounds like your milk is in too! Enjoy not having to go through the pain of engorgment!
Once again, I reckon toomany has given you some sterling advice, OP. I would definitely go with your instincts and the advice of the ABA rather than your MCHN.
I think at around 6 weeks old I found that circadian rhythm thing kicked in for DD and she slept for a good period overnight. She was confused between day and night for the first 2 weeks or so. After that, she gradually slept for a longer period at night (between 3-5 hours) and woke more frequently during the day. Your bubs will work it out
Sounds like you have plenty of milk, and if it is the advice of your MCHN that's causing the confusion about whether or not your milk has "come in", just don't worry about it! I'd be ignoring that advice, myself - it kind of goes against what people who are interested in making bfeeding work advise.
Congratulations on doing so well! You sound like you are going great guns!
Bubs is putting on weight, has heaps of wet nappies and getting plenty of feeds and love! So everything you are doing is great! With my twins i didnt feel when my milk came in but this time around i did as my boobs got the familar full feeling- so everyone is difference. The volume you are making and the fact that milk was seen, means that it has come in!
Even though your milk may be in, bubs may be feeding more frequently to try and build up your supply to its required level. It takes a few days of sucking to bring it up in volume. Once your milk settles down, then she should feed less frequently and more efficiently. Only now we are spreading out to 3-4 hourly- but still cluster feeding once a day !
take what the MCH nurse says with a grain of salt- and do what works for you!
keep going hon
Not everyone gets engorged when their milk comes in - sounds like your baby has a good latch and is feeding really well.
I wouldn't restrict feeding to two hourly at this stage - just let your baby have the breast as often as she likes for as long as she likes in these early days, and that will help encourage your breasts to produce exactly what she needs. Keep up the good work!!
BellyBelly Life Subscriber & MPM
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