First time mom breastfeeding

Charitty - posted on 12/13/2011

I agree with so much you have read here.

Sleep when that baby sleeps. Have a friend come over for help ( with baby, dishes, dinner, etc.) as mom needs to take care of self too. Do not be ashamed that the house is dirty, laundry is not done, etc. it will get done just not today.

In the end, take it one day at a time. Breast feeding is soo rewarding you just need to be patient and the two of you WILL get in that rhythm. And then BAM! Success! You will look back wondering where did that sleepy mom go?

Megan - posted on 12/13/2011

I see your original post is now 2 weeks old. I hope it's going better for you by now. I know just how you feel, and all I can suggest is what I've seen here a lot. Co-sleeping. I did it out of necessity with my second baby and it was wonderful how well it worked! Not only do you have easy access to them throughout the night, but your sleep rhythms tend to match, making it much, much easier to wake when they do. I was a complete zombie for the first 6 weeks with my first baby and we did not co-sleep. I was tired with my second, of course, but nothing like what I remembered the first time around. It does get much better and much easier! If there is a third time (there's lots of debate on that in this house-lol) I am going to co-sleep and not think twice about it. It was definitely the answer for me. Hang in there. Also, if you can, find some breast feeding support in your area. I'm so happy that your baby is a good nurser. But it's such a help just to have that community of support, with everything including sleeplessness to other ideas for positions/sleeping, and on and on. Hang in there!! Good luck with everything :)

Sunshine11 - posted on 12/11/2011

I understand how you are feeling. Start by feeding him in a a good environement. Have good lighting for you to stay awake, nurse in front of the t.v. This really hellped me. I also had my dh get up a few times when I was really tired to help me not fall asleep. Since it was only maybe for 5 or 7 mins of the remaining nursing time. It didn't bother him. I would only give your breast milk. Don't pump and give a bottle. You want him to know your nipple not the bottle. It will get easier that is for sure. I never sleept while my girl was sleeping during the day. It sure caught up with me. Ask a friend or a mother to come over during the day. When the baby sleeps. Tell that person you are going to lay down. You will find that you are out like a light. If you are on the same schedual as the baby you will feel regenreated with with bursts of sleep. Just like the baby. My girl is 11 3 days old. You will hit a time when the baby sleeps for 5 hrs. You will feel great. Take one day at a time. Don't be afriad to have a all sleep day... I say this bec all you do is sleep nurse and eat... it will refresh you and the baby. Good luck...

Jamie - posted on 12/09/2011

we cosleep. I brought my son (born two months premature) home from the NICU at 13 days and just a little over 5lbs.

Sleeping isn't going to be the same for awhile, but it is a lot easier when your baby is right next to you.

Ania - posted on 12/04/2011

Co- sleeping....If you can sleep with the baby it will be much easier and ask your boyfriend for help with diaper change that is perfectly fine I do that with my hubby all the time. If you want to keep good milk supply you have to feed on demand until 3 months when your body will stop overproduction and your breasts will get softer again.

Amy - posted on 12/02/2011

My now 4 month old was the same way. He was up every 2 hours on the dot. I would just quietly get him up, change his diaper and sit in the dark, quiet room and nurse him until he fell back asleep. But it does get easier. Eventually his feedings will spread out and he will go for 3 hours then 4 then 5 and so on. Don't throw in the towel. I wanted to do the same thing. I would catch myself falling asleep nursing. You can pump, but if you let your guy do a feeding, then your breasts may get engourged and can be somewhat uncomfortable. But it shouldn't get that bad if your going to be back up in a couple hours anyways. My breasts would only get bad after about 5 hours of not nursing or pumping.

Lise - posted on 12/01/2011

My baby slept in bed with us from day 1. Learned to nurse on my side, and I started "sleeping through the night" (AKA, her feedings) when she was 3 months old. Heaven.

Heidi - posted on 12/01/2011

Oh and also, there is a way to nurse laying down. If your boyfriend is changing some of the diapers then just have him bring you the baby and you can nurse him in bed.

Heidi - posted on 12/01/2011

Oh boy, do I understand the way that you are feeling... my son is 10 weeks old and colicky at that. The first month is really hard, but it does get better. I give me son 2 formula bottles a day now, so I don't feel like all I am doing is feeding, but waited to do that until he was about 6 weeks. Our doctor told us at his month visit that you can start with the bottle to give you a break and your child will not be confused. If you want to continue breastfeeding (and let's face it, after a certain amount of time and sleepless nights invested, it would be a shame to give it up!) your benchmark is probably about 4 weeks old.

Carol - posted on 12/01/2011

there is definitely a light at the end of the tunnel! My daughter is now 11 weeks old and believe me it does get easier. There were many times in the first couple of weeks that I almost threw in the towel or woke up crying because I was so exhausted. Right now I exclusively breastfeed all day and she eats about every 3 hours. My husband gives her one bottle of formula around 10 or 11 at night so I get a break and she lasts till about 4am and then wakes up for the day around 7. So now I am only getting up once a night so just hang in there if you can....it will get better :)

Liz - posted on 12/01/2011

I co-slept with my son because it was too painful after my c-section to get in and out of bed, let alone bend down and pick him up out of a crib. After I got better, I stuck with co-sleeping -- I learned more about it and came to believe that it's healthy and biologically normal to sleep next to your baby. My son is almost 15mo and we still sleep together.

Kristy - posted on 12/01/2011

I'm no expert on breastfeeding as both of my babies were formula fed but from what you describe as your sons feeding patterns, can be the same for a formula fed baby to. My daughter use to wake up every 2 to three hours at night for a bottle and it would take her an hour to drink 50mils, It seemed like the nights would just be endles and i didn't get any sleep. 2 hours of sleep in one block was a huge success for me. Then i had my son 2 years later and he would wake up and just guzzle down his bottle but he would wake up every two hours on the dot, night and day so it was the same for sleeping. The only thing was he is and was a piggy and would just down a bottle and pass out again. Hang in there, it will get easier, my friends say that after a couple of weeks things get easier, so i hope it does for you to. Goodluck and congratulations.

Celeste - posted on 11/30/2011

Here's some good info about safe cosleeping:
http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/sleep-p...

A good illustration:
http://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleepin...

It was so easy to latch and then go back to sleep.

Or, if you're not comfortable with sharing your bed, you can side car the crib:
http://www.freewebs.com/sidecarcrib/
http://www.drmomma.org/2010/01/turn-your...

I am the *same* way. I hear ya.. Once I'm up, I'm up.

Hang in there, I would say the majority of us have been right where you are right now!

Emily - posted on 11/30/2011

I dont really understand the whole co-sleeping thing and yes I do try to take a nap but its like once im up for a few hours in the morning i get my second wind that lasts forever if that makes any sense

Celeste - posted on 11/30/2011

I wouldn't pump right now. Even if you did let your boyfriend feed the baby, you'd still have to pump that missed feeding..

Do you cosleep at all? That was the only way I'd get any sleep. Do you nap while your baby's napping during the day?

Hang in there. The first few weeks are tough. Things will get better!!