Ok Eden was weighed on Saturday (a week old) and she was only 40g off her birth weight (born 3900). However, she was on EBM and formula top ups for 6 days, and then I switched to full time bfing.
So now its been four days of full time bfing - and I got her weighed again today (2 days since last weigh in) and she was 3800g. So she had LOST 60g in 2 days. Is this too much?
She doesn't have THAT many wet nappies, like, I can go from change to change and it will only be the slightest bit damp - like one wee. But then others might be a bit more damp - and the others its hard to tell cos of the newborn poo.
But should I be worried? She is feeding better today that she has the past two days, Saturday and Sunday she slept lots of the day and would go like, 7 hours between feeds (say 10am to 5pm), and then cluster feed for 3 hours in the evening and then sleep till 3am, feed both sides, and wake up again at 7am.
Today she had her last feed at around 10ish, then woke up at lunch time, fed, and then had a long sleep, had a mini feed at my osteo appointment at 4.30 (I was getting treatment and bfing at the same time - interesting experience) and then had a feed at 5.30 and then just now at 6.45ish.
Is she eating enough? I'm scared cos she doesn't seem to be peeing that much, but I can't really remember how many wet nappies my other kids had at that age, and they are both heavy wetters now - so of course I'm comparing it to kids that outpee their nappies in 2 hours!!
Dont be worried but i think it may be a good idea to ensure 2hrly feeds through the day. I know you have said she wont feed if tired or not ready but she may dream feed while having her BIG sleep during the day.
HTH
I agree with Sarah and doudou, I'd be waking her up and offering the boob a little more It's not that unusual, but better to get on top of it now I think, by offering a bit more.
your doing an ace job hun but yes i too would feed her a little more often, remember the quantity coming out is as much as what goes in, having said that DD2 could go hours and not wee and i mean hours!
Firstly, you are doing so well Mel. Way to go! Try not to be discouraged by the weight loss.
I wouldn't be worried just yet but I would be trying to get more feeds into her (around 8-12 feeds in 24hrs so every 2-3hrs). Imogen was quite like this -- a very sleepy baby -- so I had to wake her for feeds. I would be waking her or not necessarily waking her but having her attach more often. I know you said she can struggle to feed when tired but sometimes they feed their best when still asleep so is it possible to maybe lay in bed with her and feed her while she dozes? It took about 2 weeks of waking DD to feed before she really got the hang of demand feeding (she was a small and early bub though so might not take this long).
Hun you are doing a great job but I aggree with all the others that she needs to feed more frequently which in turn will increase supply and her output.
60 grams is not much off a loss could be wg of a wee or poo but would expect her to be putting on at least a small amount of weight.
She should be having 6 - 8 wet nappies in 24 hr period.
She just will not suck if tired though - I can have the damn thing right in her mouth and she'll just play around with it with her tongue, she won't actually suck at all.
Today she has had heaps more feeds though, so I'm hoping that she won't go a huge 7 hour sleep again like she did yesterday - cos she hasn't done it today.
well that is an improvement then mel, as she is getting more used to(and you to) solely breast feeding she will become better at it and know not to knock it when offered
That sounds promising Mel, maybe she's waking up for more feeds all on her own.
Just keep an eye on those nappies, hopefully they'll get wetter and wetter. Still plenty of lovely poos? That's always a good sign.
Mel - please don't be discouraged by a little loss - that really is fine. Okay??? It's fine.
However, it is really important for your supply that you feed more frequently during the day. I had a tiny baby as you know. She was sleepy all the time... So I know how challenging that can be. This is what I did. I chanbged her nappy before I fed her - lots of talking - and a cool wipe to help her wake a little... (sounds mean I know) I fed her and when she dozed I would take her off and wake her with a cool wipe of a washer - tickle her toes etc.. It doesn't take too long & they get the drift - it's feed time. Feeding her as soon as she wakes is great - they ae hungry then. Then change her nappy if she gets sleepy & offer her some more.
It is time consuming & it can be stressful - but it doesn't last very long. She is still only very new & she will get the drift soon...
Remember - do NOT be discouraged. You are doing a superb job of feeding her & it seems like she is already waking more today. It really isn't unusual what she is doing and that little dip in weight. It is probably the norm.
So, during daylight hours wake her if she sleeps any longer than 3 hours and feed her up...
She's got a nice layer of fat on there & she is doing great on her Mamas milk...
Not too much of a loss but I would be doing what the others have said and trying to feed 2 hrly and waking her if she hasn't had a feed for 3 hrs (during the day). DD still goes 3hrs between feeds max!! lol. Sounds like she is becoming more wakeful already though and getting the hang of feeding more frequently. Hope she keeps it up. You're doing great!!
The same thing happened with Orson however he lost 2.5lbs in weight. He was very tired and just would not suck properly because he would fall asleep. But he was tired cause he wasn't getting much milk so it's a big nasty cycle. I would wake him every 1.5 hours but he'd still fall asleep during the feed. I had to do everything i could to keep him awake. Tickling his feet, cold wet face washer on his face, changing nappy, undressing him because the heat can make them sleepy too, changing sides etc. In the end my supply dropped too much and i had to stop when he was 4 months old. Other than the above advice im not sure what else you can try but to keep on going. I know it's really hard and stressful but i really hope you can both get through this.
Firstly, you're a champ for giving BF'ing a go! Well done keep up the great work, because I can tell you, it's sooooo worth it.... and it gets so much better. So much more enjoyable.... such a special bond.
DD was a very sleepy bub in the early weeks, partly because she wasn't getting enough milk (we had many problems) and I had to wake her 3hrly because otherwise she would sleep for up to 6hrs without a feed sometimes more and that was scary because she needed to put on weight as she would sometimes lose weight also. It's hard because it becomes a cycle, she wouldn't feed so she'd fall asleep and not feed for hours then we'd wake her, try and feed her etc my milk supply got affected. It was hard breaking that cycle. We'd have to splash her face with water and a wet cloth as she'd just sit there on the nipple also and not do anything (so upsetting). A little bit of a loss is ok but it sounds to me like she needs to be feeding more often so best to try and wake her up, as she sounds like she's a bit of a sleepy bub to me. She's only so little so if she's feeding 2-3hrly during the day then that's best I believe.... yes, follow your baby's lead for sure, demand feed etc but if she's going to sleep for longer than 3hrs and she hasn't been wetting much, then I'd be waking her....
It's sooo hard in those early days isn't it.... to know if they are getting enough etc....and you don't really want to wake them up do you ??? but you have to when you feel she isn't getting enough.... otherwise they just get so tired and fatigued like my DD and it was a hard cycle to break. (but we did have other probs)
I remember DD had really dry nappies but that's only because she simply was not sucking effectively and getting any milk out then it affected my milk supply and my milk dropped and therefore we had to introduce comp feeds of EBM and formula until my milk supply increased and established (which took weeks) but that's only because we had so many attachment issues, sleepy fatigued bub etc etc....
How is your attachment etc? Have you had an LC come and visit you to watch your DD feeding? It might not be a bad idea.... My LC was awesome, and I'm going to see her for the next bub too... even if all seems to be going fine!! Just great support.
ive had 3 early bubs so know the hassle of a sleepy bub too....i agree try feeds every 3hours i find doing things like undressing and making sure theyre not wrapped up help maybe a bath before hand i used to change the nappy first to help wak them up or even a damp cloth over the hair and face....you both with get there you just gotta find your groove....keep up the good work
A nappy change before a feed isn't a bad idea if she's a bit sleepy still. xo As others have said, to cool bub slightly to help her stay awake isn't bad, she definitely won't get cold while she's feeding! I would softly blow on bub to help them stay awake sometimes.
Well done for sticking with it, don't be discouraged by weight loss. You've been given lots of great advice. Have you got an express machine? I have heard of something called dessert feeding. Where you express after you have fed baby then use that to top give them as a top up after next feed. It helps increase supply and apparently is easier for baby, helping weight gain. Perhaps ABA would be able to tell you more about this if you feel it would be of benefit as it was someone from ABA who told me.
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Is this too much of a loss?
but yes i too would feed her a little more often, remember the quantity coming out is as much as what goes in, having said that DD2 could go hours and not wee
and i mean hours!
such a special bond.
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