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.
Mel, you'll probably find that if you wake her for extra bfs during the day it won't take long before she suddenly starts becoming more demanding (and not quite so sleepy).
Mel, everyone has given fab advice as always, waking her during the day to feed more often is definitely the way to go to start with. You're doing an awesome job babe xox
Thank you so much for your support and encouragement. I really want to do right this time round, my last chance and all that. (Although, its quite sad to think this is my last baby, I think I'm grieving already that I won't have any more!!! )
She had a much better day yesterday, and its rare that she will have a feed of just the one side, usually has a feed - conks out - then takes the other side about 10 minutes later - conks out... LOL
So her last feed was from 10.30 - 11.15 last night (I try and wait for her to slip off herself, unless she has passed out cold on the boob) and then she woke up at 2.40 for a feed, had both sides, and then was up again at 6 this morning for both sides.
So I think she fed enough yesterday? I haven't added up the feeds - not sure how it works with cluster feeding, do you count all feeds or is it counted as a feed when she has one side, naps for 10, then has the other side - is that one feed or two?
Hi mel, way to go! Its so confusing in the beginning hey? I would count anything in a 1 hour period as 1 feed. It is normal for bubs to have a few naps while feeding in those early days. The overnight feeding sounds like she'll be stacking on the weight in no time.
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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.
)
way to go! Its so confusing in the beginning hey? I would count anything in a 1 hour period as 1 feed. It is normal for bubs to have a few naps while feeding in those early days. The overnight feeding sounds like she'll be stacking on the weight in no time.
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