Breast feeding mums

Honestly he will be fine, your milk won’t have come in yet, and he only needs about 25ml and colostrum is really rich. Most of the reason he want your boob is comfort as he has just realised he’s not tucked up safely inside you. But the other reason is his constant feeding is what brings you milk in. To establish you milk supply fully, you need to feed or express every 2/3 hours (8 to 12 times every 24 hours) so even if you formula feed you’ll need to be expressing at the same time. By day 3 I found the pain unbearable and I wish I go help sooner, because with a good latch it’s not painful. Our latch wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either so with cluster feeding I became really sore. Definitely ring your midwife first thing and see if they can help you tomorrow and if they can’t I’d find a lactation specialist who can help you tomorrow. We are 3.5 weeks down the line, and it does get easier. On day 3 I formula fed, but I stopped and started expressing instead. Now I bf and express x

Snap. Baby 2 days old and currently sat here cluster feeding. Trust ur body, you will be making enough. I echo was above poster has said- cluster feeding is normal when establishing milk supply. Sucking is what sends the signals to the brain to get the milk going and without it your supply won’t come in and ur body won’t know how much to make. It’s also a comfort thing (Google second night syndrome ). I found last time once my milk came in baby settled and went three hour stretches. The issue you will have of giving formulae top ups is that baby may not feed on breast as more sleepy and that may affect ur supply . If born at 38+ weeks they shudnt need anything more than colostrum in first few days.

Push through lovely! It gets easier. The first 2 weeks are the hardest as they cluster feed all the time and you run on very little sleep. As long as he is having enough wet nappies do not worry about substituting with formula as he won't need it your body will be making enough even though it doesn't seem like it. This is the point where you almost give up because it is so hard those 2 weeks of constant feeding. Definitely speak to someone about the latch as it will make them feed more effectively too so they are on you for less time as its less work. and get some nipple cream in lansinoh is good as you don't have to wipe it off before feeding. Almost 4 weeks today and I'm so glad I pushed through it's really rewarding. I express as well as breastfeed. He has a bottle of breastmilk at night and then goes on the boob for 10 mins for comfort before falling asleep and does a 3 and half hour stretch till he wakes up again. Then he has a bottle in the morning and that's it. I express during those feeds xx

Trust your body and trust your gut We used a dummy, as we found our daughter was latched for comfort after 40 mins x

I’ve got some cream I’ve been using I’m just finding it really hard that he can be on for 1-2+ sometimes and he can be fast asleep but soon as I try and put him down he screams 😞 night time is the hardest for me. I think my milk is coming in slowly as when he cries my nipples go hard and sore waiting but he is constantly attached. I will push through cos I am really enjoying the experience of doing it with him despite the soreness etc and lovely the cuddles and time we have. I’m just finding it really hard xx

I am finding the exact same I am 3 days PP. i have ended up formula feeding too and baby still is up all night showing signs of wanting to be fed and crying every time I put him down

You’ve had some really great advice from the posters above, I just wanted to add that if you’re struggling overnight I would recommend having a look at co-sleeping as an option and side lying feeding position it saved me with my first ! Best of luck you are doing amazingly! And I promise it does get better xx

I’ve broken down tonight because no matter what we do he just won’t go down or if we even move him to a better position when he’s asleep he’s screaming needing/wanting more. During the day he’s great will go in his basket for short periods etc but soon as 8:30/9pm comes around bam he’s another child. I just feel completely useless and we have no idea what to do moving forward.

@Yasmin honestly it will get easier. But for tonight ring your local maternity assessment unit, they have midwives on all night and can offer advice at anytime of the night (I only found out 10 days in). Them wanting to be held all night can be completely normal, and the constant want to be on the boob is ironically to help bring your milk in and regulate your supply. However, we went to nearly completely expressed milk for a few days just to give my nipples a rest and my local midwife unit leant me a double hospital pump for a week, so definitely reach out to to the MAU tonight and then ring your midwives office in the morning because there is likely so much more support available than you’ve been told about xx

@Mish amazing thank you 😘 xxx