breast feeding help!

lucyloo288

So here's what's happening...

My son won't really wake up to eat. I have to wake him up, and then he falls asleep at my breast after about 10 minutes. I'm waking him every two hours (-ish). I feel like my boobs are getting out of whack tho, because he's not nursing from both at each feeding.

Should I stop waking him every two hours, and just let him eat when he's ready (that's what we were doing in the hospital and he eat great..15-20 minutes on each side, pretty much every 4 hours) or keep doing what I'm doing?

The reason I started doing the two hour thing is because the last nurse that I talked to said she wanted me to feed him every two hours.. all of the other nurses didn't have a problem with how we were doing it..

Help me out, ladies! I want this to work this time, and we were doing so good, I'd hate to screw it up this soon!

lucyloo288

@blessedtxmom just let him lay on me? I know about skin to skin, but what does that do for making sure he's eating enough?

Mijita

If he's falling asleep undress him, tickle his feet, gently rub his sternum try each one see which works best to keep him alert. Make sure you are alternating breast every time you nurse. Some babies well release the breast when they are full or satisfied. If he falls asleep on the breast compress your breast, that'll wake him if he's still hungry or you can try one of the above to wake him.

I don't know if you have the means, but hiring a LC to come into your home may help. They are wonderful and loaded with lots of insight. It's well worth the money!

caroline8_p

No, let him eat as he pleases. Just don't exceed 4 hours. Malia NEVER ate from both breasts at one feeding, I always switched at the next.

The nurses pushed me to feed every 2 hours, Malia wasn't having it. I did what she wanted.

Plus, babies don't need to be awake to breast feed. As long as he is suckling and swallowing, he is doing wonderful. Don't give up Hun

And boobs will be out if whack until supply is established. Then they'll even out.

alymaries

I always fed my lo on demand and my breasts adjusted after a while. She only ever ate off of one per feeding and she gained weight just fine. She slept through a lot of feedings, especially at night. You're doing a great job already!! Do whatever feels right for you and your son.

brodysmamma

If there is a reason to wake every 2 hours (jaundice or weight loss) let him sleep. As for feedings feed off one breast at a time so he gets all the fatty milk (hind milk) and then the next feeding feed off the other breast. Also when I fed my son when he was a newborn after he fell asleep at the boob I changed his diaper then fed him again just to make sure he got enough and emptied my boob. Sounds like you're doing great.

doodles

I agree with these ladies you are doing great! Depending on the fat content in ur milk baby may not nurse very long. Mine never nursed over 7 minutes. He is now 11 months old and weighs 24 pounds! Just switch breasts at each feeding. Good luck

lucyloo288

Thanks for all of the support, ya'll! I decided to feed on demand, not every two hours. He seems to be doing fantastic!

caroline8_p

Great news!

trixiesmom8

Sounds like a great idea! I stopped waking my lo at like 2 months and noticed she started sleeping through the night..it was nice to get 4-5 straight hours of sleep. My lo is now almost 10 months and is still ebf and is doing just fine.