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Overwhelmed and Exhausted

Cassandra

Almost 3 weeks old, Calista wakes up to breastfeed every 2-3 hours! Sometimes she suckles for a whole hour, only stopping for a few minutes to burp! WIC told me not to feed her a bottle because she will have nipple confusion, so I can't let my boyfriend help with feedings by pumping some bottles. How much longer will it be until she can wait longer inbetween feedings?
See also: breastfeeding,
Posted by Cassandra on 02/27/2011 01:09 AM

Bridget

She's not nursing for an hour, she's comforting herself. She does need to feed during the night, but during the day, nurse her after she wakes up. Don't let her fall asleep at the breast because this will become how she falls asleep all the time. If you haven't done so already, start her on a pacifier now or else she will refuse to take it. Pacifiers are okay- they actually help reduce the risk of SIDS. I waited too long to give my son a paci and he refused to take it. I also waited too long to give him a bottle and he refused that as well. If your daughter is nursing well, start pumping and giving her one bottle per day in the next week or two. I hope some of this advice helps. These are things I wish I had known when my son was born. He's now 13 months old and still wakes up every 1-3 hours during the night to nurse himself back to sleep. He's not hungry, it has just become a habit. Good luck!
posted by Bridget on 02/27/2011 12:22 PM

Candice

You can have him help with the bottle of pumped milk. Your child is smarter than that, WIC& sometimes doctors like to cause hysteria. Just rest, feed when she is hungry & like Bridget said... make sure she is eating and not just comforting herself. It'll get better when time goes on! & rest up! It's ridiculously hard to be on call that many times in a day and that often.... Try to pump as much as possible now. This is the best time to do so.

I breastfed all 3 of my kids for a year and am expecting one soon... trust me! ;)

posted by Candice on 02/27/2011 12:50 PM

Cassandra

Thank you soo much for your responses!

She has taken a pacifier since day 1, she loves it. But the hospital started her with a nipple guard and i never removed it, now she will not latch on without it. I can't wait to start pumping and bottle feeding :)

I have tried hand pumping once and it doesn't seem like there is very much... In fifteen minutes I pumped nearly 1 ounce. How much should she be getting?

posted by Cassandra on 02/27/2011 11:59 PM

Cassandra

Also, I think she may have reflux. After every feeding I have to keep her upright for at least 20 minutes or she will spit up a lot if she lies flat or even reclined in her chair.

She has also had thrush since day 1, she is begining to get better.

posted by Cassandra on 02/28/2011 12:30 AM

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