new newborn breast feeding question, please help me!

caroline8_pcaroline8_p
edited August 2011 in Breastfeeding
My newborn is only 1.5 days old.. she mostly WANTS to sleep so I let her. The nurses want me to feed every 2-2.5hrs apart. She isn't hungry then and I can't MAKE her eat! Am I wrong? I'm pretty sure babies let you know when they are hungrry.

Experienced mommies, please help!

Also, I'm thinking pumping & bottle feeding would be best for her.
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Comments

  • rockinmommarockinmomma
    She needs to eat to help establish your milk supply. You can't make her eat but at least try to have her nurse that often. When my daughter was first born she wanted to do nothing but sleep and I let her, as a result she lost almost an entire pound and then it took 3 weeks for her to regain her birth weight. Newborns really do need to eat every 2-3 hours and sometimes they need to be reminded at first. Good luck! :)
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    edited August 2011
    i wouldnt worry about the "scheduled feedings" it can lower your supply. try undressing her, tickling her feet, ect to wake her up and keep her awake. breastmilk digests easier and faster than formula so you dont want to go too long without feeding (again lowers supply and causes weight loss in baby). pumping can be a pain in the butt and you might end up with mastitis and some moms dont take to the pump well. baby can get out more milk efficiently than a pump can. the saliva in a baby changes the breastmilk to exactly what baby needs nutritionally. :)
  • natashalynnnatashalynn
    Nurses really stressed me out when I had my baby, they made me feel like I was starving her cause I wasn't feeding every three hours. I let her feed on demand, cause she knew when she was hungry and would have no problem telling me that lol but some babies aren't comfortable with that. So you gotta make up YOUR mind.
  • preggointxpreggointx
    My baby was born thursday & he wony latch to me ot a shield im going to get a pump
  • caroline8_pcaroline8_p
    Last night... I almost asked for formula to give her. I was sooo exhausted, and she was hungry. I cried because I really do want to breast feed. When I get home, we are going to buy a breast pump, to maybe make it a little easier for us both.
  • Janet_2011Janet_2011
    Is really hard when the baby just wants to sleep.. My baby was like for the first 24 hours but she would still suck on my boobs for ever.. My breast are hurting and my nipples are sore :( I feel like running away from breast feeding. I still dont have actual milk :(
  • snredasnreda
    I pump then wait for my son to wake up. Hes in nicu though...
  • DreaMariaDreaMaria
    edited August 2011
    She's prob tired from labor, but You have to wake her up and feed her. A.)it will help your supply if your breastfeeding and B.) she needs those calories.

    I used to set my alarm for every 2.5 hours and wake up DD to feed. I would always check and/or change her diaper first to wake her up. If that didn't work then I'd just keep her in her diaper while I nursed. If she fell asleep nursing I would tickle her feet, gently tap her heels, gently blow on her forehead, take a warm damp cloth and gently stroke her face, or I would rub my finger near her mouth to stimulate her to keep sucking. You just have to do it unfortunately...
  • DreaMariaDreaMaria
    Oh and my lactation consultant told ve she couldn't go any longer than 3-4 hours between feedings.
  • Beautiful_AltarBeautiful_Altar
    I wouldnt wake her to eat unless it's been more than 4 hrs. And only pumping may diminish your milk supply.
  • myasmommy2009myasmommy2009
    I personally believe that you don't need to wake up the baby to eat, unless it's been more than four hours. A baby will eat when hungry and the first couple days she/he may just be tired from the stress of delivery. And it hurts to breastfeed at first, but use lots of lasniloh on your nipples and try your best to keep at it, cause after the first couple days when they eat, it's actually releaving and feels good to have some pressure off them. Good luck mama, your doing just fine. If you want to pump a little ask the hospital to rent a pump, they work so much better than store bought and if you don't feel like you should pump you give it back :) and they are totally sterile ;)
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  • KareNLoveKareNLove
    edited August 2011
    The first 14 days after u deliver u need to have the baby sucking on ur breast or pumping that way ur body make enough milk, during does 14 days if u don't breastfeed ur body is just not gonna provide any milk or enough,for some girls it takes 3to4 days to really get milk ..just keep the baby on sucking or use the breast pump ;-) ..this is something my Dr told me ;-)
  • lily_glzlily_glz
    Yup you gotta wake her up to eat. I wake my princess up every 2 hours to feed her.. rub her back to wake her up or change her diaper. If you had an epidural during labor that's why she just wants to sleep all the time. It was sooo hard waking my daughter up to feed her. My nurse also said not to let her go more than 3 hrs without eating. Baby needs it.
  • KareNLoveKareNLove
    @lily_glz I agree w u I do the same I wake her up every 2 to 3 hrs she's hard to wake up but changing her diaper always work for me :-)
  • Britni24Britni24
    I had my baby on the 9th and I thought the same thing as you. I figured he would wake when he was hungry and I shouldn't wake him just to feed. Needless to say, he lost 10% of his weight and was almost readmitted into the nicu. You have to wake them to feed plusit helps your milk supply. You will struggle with maintaining an adequate amount of milk if you don't stay on some sort of a schedule. My baby is almost back up to birth weight now and doing much better. Good luck to you.

  • caroline8_pcaroline8_p
    Ok, I woke her & will continue to as advised..

    ★★★★
    Is it ok that she feeds from one side and looks/seems satisfied. And when given opportunity to feed from the other, she doesn't want to feed anymore?
  • kailiasmomma05kailiasmomma05
    U should be feeding her an equal time from each breast that way both keep up with the supply and demand. So feed her less time on one then switch her to the other. It's very hard in the beginning daughter only would nurse from the left side and it was easy since I'm a right and needed my hand. But I had to break that rabbit quick.
  • Math_MommyMath_Mommy
    edited August 2011
    It sounds horrible, but when my son was really little (less than 42 weeks gestation) I would have to really piss him off to get him to eat. Getting him undressed, tickling him, getting his hair wet...anything he really didn't like made him eat better. Didnt have that problem with my daughter; she never slept...and I had an epidural w/ her!
  • caroline8_pcaroline8_p
    I did what the pediatrician said, no more than 10 min on each side, especially when milk hasn't come in yet. She got to about 10 min and let herself off, I tried to re-offer, then offered the other side. And she wasn't sleepy or sleeping.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    @caroline8_p the worst thing you could do is limit time on the breast! a lot of docs arent trained in human lactation..it is ok to eat off one side first then next at next feeding (my son did this). if you limit the time, baby might only get mostly foremilk(first part of milk, less calories) when they need both the foremilk and hindmilk which has the most calories
  • jazzi89jazzi89
    My nb did the same thing. I was in tears I was so frustrated! And the nurses wanted the same thing its hard she was born on Friday and still trying to get used to it
  • starrxoxo9starrxoxo9
    @August22baby how did u get him off the nipple shield?? My daughter refuses to latch on w/out it. She had to be bottle fed in the nicu for 6 days so Idk how to get her used to my nipple.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    @starrxoxo9 was there a reason for the bottle? im just wondering because my preemie was fed through a tube i refused the bottle or we did cup feedings but it took a long time. try to draw out your nipple with a pump as well as get the letdown going and see if that helps. make sure your baby is somewhat sleepy and not frantic...take baths with baby as its relaxing for you both
  • caroline8_pcaroline8_p
    ★★★★

    Ok, today was much better! Skin to skin really does help a lot. I'm only going to offer the right one first, if she ate from both at the last feeding. She sometimes only eats for 5 min on the one.. so I let her take her break, then continue on the same breast.
  • Bahamamama4828 Bahamamama4828
    Yay! :P
  • lilbabythreelilbabythree
    @jane_2011 keep at it. It will get better. Each baby is different, but stick to it. It is well worth it in the end. Glad that she is gettting better at it.
  • caroline8_pcaroline8_p
    Thanks ladies! Oh also, I allowed a binku from the hospital, but with the latching problem, we feel it made it harder. So we took it from her until we see she is fully onto the latching process.
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