Is this too much of a loss?

[Nelle]

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.

[Ellee05]

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.

Thinking of you, you're doing a great job!

[Jennifer13]

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).

You are doing a GREAT job!

[Laranna]

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

[Arimeh]

Thanks guys

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?

[Arcadia]

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.

You're doing so well!!!!!

[~clover~]

Sounds alot better.
If her normal feeds are about 40ish minutes long, I guess that you'd probably count every 40 minutes as a feed, or every time she has a bit of a break.
She's getting the hang of it

[Jennifer13]

That sounds like a better feeding pattern, Mel. While I wouldn't get too hung up on when she last fed (as you're demand feeding, which is good), while you're getting bfing established and she's still a bit sleepy I'd be inclined to make sure she doesn't sleep too long during the day.

BTW, wet and dirty nappies both count, so if you can't tell there's a wee because she's done a poo, that one counts. It's output altogether, not just the wet! My DD did a poo every feed as a newborn so I'd never know if she'd weed or not most of the time.

[Heaven]

That sounds better Mel! She's getting the hang of it. I didn't know what to count as a feed either in the early days because DD was on and off all the time. Boob was my solution to everything, lol.

[Arimeh]

She woke up right at 9am - so exactly 3 hours between feeds

So she fed for around 35 minutes - she's usually 15 mins per side I've noticed, except when she's fuelling up for night time.. haha.. then its 40 minutes each side usually.

Now she's just chillin

Oh - and our attachment doesn't seem to hurt as much anymore? She has that special k lips after a while - she doesn't have it when she first hops on, but gets it soon after - so then it doesn't hurt - so I think she IS figuring it out - finally!!!! I'm still using the shields, but I think my flow is a bit fast for her without them, cos I fed without them at the osteo yesterday and she nearly choked to death.. LOL