hiya... just abt when i was loosing all hope and was thinking of introducing bottle.. partha has moved to two - two and half hours sleep.. night times are still tricky and he often wakes up every hour but day times are being good. i am gettin enough milk thats not the problem but partha just doesnt want to feed for longer than 10 mins... he sleeps right at my nipple atfer 10 mins of feed, the milk still flowing but he just want to sleep. have tried taking his clothes off, skin to skin feeding, opening window for cold air to flow, switched on light, music, constant talking to him evth, he just oblivious to all and just want to sleep after 10 mints of feeding.. any suggestions to keep him interested? he wont even open his eye while winding him. i let him cry the whole house down before feeding him but 10 mins is max he'll take it.. i am worried he is getting only foremilk and no hindmilk at all.. :(

otherwise.. the wind is ok as i have started giving him gripe water.. he is much more relax now...

with all this.. i have decided to delay introducing the bottle for a week. i am still tired as i am not geting enough sleep but he being so lazy i am scared if he is given an easy option, he will refuse the breast altogether....

do u think i am being sensible????

goin to get him weighed this afternoon. if he hasnt gained any weight then obviously expressing and bottle feeding is the only option left..

fingers crossed

deea..

Hey, chloe falls asleep too after awhile so thats when I do a nappy change. If even that doesnt wake him you could give him a wipe with a wipe there much colder and will prob wake him up. If his nappys are the mustardy colour and not green then hes getting hind milk. Also if hes only feeding for ten minutes off the first boob then you could do a couple of feeds in a row off that boob to make sure hes getting the fatty milk before changing to the next breast. Speak to your health visitor about him falling asleep. Also if you get the breastfow bottles the baby has to latch on and suck the same as from a breast so wont get confused and make sure you always use the slowest flow teat to make them have to work harder and prevent wind. Your doing great, it really will get easier, maybe you could consider giving one bottle of aptamil formula as a last feed at night which will make him sleep a bit longer and allow you some sleep.

Jen xx

 

Hi Deea

If fully breastfeeding him is important to you, I would try to steer clear of offering formula. I think it sounds like you are doing a great job. As for the 10 mins, as Jen says offer the same boob for any feed within a 2 hour block, and try the nappy change trick. It is frustrating at night especially.

I think delaying the introduction of expressed milk is a very sensible idea. Again if breastfeeding is really important to you, and he is having plenty of wet, pooey nappies, I would try not to get too worried if his weight gain is lower than the bottle fed charts, as long as it is going upwards. You can get breastfed baby growth charts but I still don't think they are standard issue in teh UK.

Have you popped over to the breastfeeding support board? I think its fantastic.

Tamsin x

Hi,

First off you are doing fantastic - don't let anyone tell you you aren't or that you don't have enough milk.  As long as Partha still has yellow poos and is weeing and putting on weight alls well.  If he is only feeding for a short time and then falling asleep he may be sucking for comfort aswell as food.  Babies have a strong sucking reflex and some more than others - when they are tired, windy, in discomfort or hungry, their instinct is still to suck so can give the impression of being hungry.  It takes a while to learn his cues, i am still learning with William and he's 11 weeks (4 weeks corrected age) old!  If he is crying and it's not been long since a good feed then try comforting him in other ways, rocking, walking round with him, patting on the back whilst making a shushing sound and putting a clean finger in his mouth to suck.  If after 10 minutes or so he has not calmed down or gone back to sleep and is not needing a nappy change then go to feeding him.  Eventually you'll learn what he needs but it's hard to know all the time.  Taking him for a walk or drive can help and being around friends and family helps you feel less alone and more able to cope.