Baby wants boob all the time - help

cleopatra4485

fsdss wrote: »

hi cleopatra

i am a breastfeeding support worker for the nhs, though that only that forms a very small part of my role.
its true that baby is going through a growth spurt at around this time and will constantly feed.
a couple of suggestions, - continue doing as your doing for the time being - make sure you have plenty of fluids - and maybe up your eating habits to 5 small meals a day (i know this may sound bizarre but it can actually work). and plenty of rest!!!!
for those that dont mind a dummy this can help with the constant suckling stage however remove when not needed as to not build up dependency on it.
kangaroo care is another good one - try using a baby sling, it may help.
infant massage to relieve any colic wind / unsettledness.

when i get a spare day i will download loads of bumph from different experts (laleche / NCT / NHS) that i have picked up throughout the years in the hope this helps

thanks fsdss. I haven't been eating as much as I should, as she wont let me lol. I will take your advice and buy a sling to carry her around in, in that case i will have my hands open to make food for myself, tidy up etc etc

pookienoodle

Firstly congratulations on your little one and well done for choosing breastfeeding,I hope you are an inspiration to more young mums.
I agree its probably a growth spurt.
I thought I had the hang of b/feeding and then at 5 1/2 weeks D.S turned into a breast obsessed monster.
also D.S(now 3 1/2) was a summer baby and fed more frequently on really hot days as obviously it is babies food and drink.
I only mention this incase you have recently put the heating on and perhaps the house is a little hot during the day.

gratefulforhelp_2

I echo what pookie noodle has said.
Nicely put.

Have you tried...lots to drink(fluids, not booze!), enough to eat in small, regular amounts, plenty of rest, and maybe try to do a day where all you do is pander to babe's whims (you probably think you do this every day!).

Otherwise, roll with it and enjoy it. It may seem frustrating now, but you will look back on even this time with affection, it goes so fast!

Ruby_Moon

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

No I have no intension of stopping, as hard as this is, I really couldn't be bothered with all the sterilising, making up formula etc. Especially at 5/6 in the morning. Easier just to pop her in bed with me at that time and whip her on the boob.

I will put her on both boobs then, everyone has said this, it was just that one HV that had the opinion of one boob.

If there isn't a breastfeeding support thread, I could change the title of this and if someone could advice of a suitable opening paragraph, before my question?

I really am pro breastfeeding and as a first time mum of 24, I really think more girls should go with it. Its horrible that this society makes it so 'humiliating' and 'wrong' I wont do it in public because of that

I fully support breastfeeding too but I would like to say that in not feeding in public you are, in fact, letting the anti feeders 'win'.
Breastfeeding Mums around Britain should be feeding in public whereever they go and eventually the nonsense will stop. Whilst Mums are hiding, the nonsense will never go away.
I would always have fed my babies where ever I was. On a bus, in a restaurant or shop cafe. If anyone complained then I felt that it was their problem, not mine but to be honest noone ever did.

serena

You can get support and information from the NCT breastfeeding line.
Breastfeeding Line - 0300 330 0771 8am to 10pm everyday.

I agree with other posters who say it's a growth spurt, and she's feeding frequently to up the supply. Mine did this, and when I hit a patch when they were feeding more, then I'd cancel everything for a day or two, have a rest, and eat and drink a bit more. It's quite common about three weeks, six weeks and three months.

sandiep

When my wee one was 6 weeks old, massive growth spurt. One day she fed for half an hour EVERY hour. Hubby came home, house a tip, he asked what i'd been doing all day, and I said "FEEDING THE BABY!!!!!! - ALL DAY!!!!!!!"

It did only last week, and after that settled down fine much more into a routine.

sandiep

Ruby_Moon wrote: »

I would always have fed my babies where ever I was. On a bus, in a restaurant or shop cafe. If anyone complained then I felt that it was their problem, not mine but to be honest noone ever did.

I did, cafes, shops, the car, resturants, safeway, a calmac ferry or two, with friends, trains, fields, anywhere, airports, planes, racecourses (baby started crying just at the climax of a very big race!) everywhere. It was the most bohemiam phase of my life.:rotfl::rotfl:

SugarSpun

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

Its horrible that this society makes it so 'humiliating' and 'wrong' I wont do it in public because of that

Is it a problem in the UK? My monster's breastfed and we'll be in the UK in December. She won't feed under a cloth but where we live nobody minds.

Like the others have said it's probably a growth spurt. Good luck

skintchick

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

While I type this my 6 week old is looking at me, while sitting on my lap and screaming in my face, asking me for boob.

I finding it very difficult to do anything apart from have her on the boob and go on the laptop, which I have pearched on the sofa arm.

She has a feed, I wind her, she then goes back on the boob and falls asleep, I put her down and have about 10/15 minutes before she wakes up and starts demanding. More often than not she just lays there with her mouth around it, with the occational suckle.

I have tried leaving her to cry for a while, making sure she is dry, fed, giving her cuddles first, but no, the only thing she wants is boob

Anyone had this issue and overcome it?

cleopatra4485 wrote: »

It is just a recent thing, she used to just be like it in the evenings when she would need to 'cluster feed' before bed, but now it is all day.

She has a dummy that she happily takes after her last evening fed and suckles that before she falls asleep in her crib. Thankfully she has a good bedtime routine now and sleeps through from 10pm-6am. She seems clued up on the dummy during the day, she will suck it a couple of times, looks at me in dissgust, starts crying and just wont have it.

I think she is getting the hind milk as I followed the HV advice to keep her on one boob for a feed instead of swapping her half way through. I also think this is the case as my poor boobie is left as a saggy spaniel ear, while the other is big and pert :rotfl:

Maybe she is having a growth spurt then and I should just ride with it

You've had some good advice, but I wanted to add mine. My baby is four months old now and still feeds every two hours in the day, every 60-90 minutes at night, and will happily stay attached and sucking for the rest of the time too!

First of all, she is only six weeks old, and they really do need mum at this point. As she is sleeping at night (you lucky thing!) then I think you should remind yourself of the mummy mantra - this too shall pass. Seriously, it won;t last forever.

They do have a growth spurt at 6 weeks (as well as at 8, 12, 16 weeks, then six months, it's neverending!) and they will want to feed more frequently then, but usually that would also entail them waking at night to feed as well.

It sounds like she just really wants to be close to you, so a sling is a great idea. A pouch sling is easy to put on, and I had a wrap sling that my baby loves and will sleep in reliably which is helpful in the day when you need to get on with stuff.

I don't think your HV was totally mad - I often put lilia back on the same boob a couple of times before swapping her, as she often comes off after only a few minutes, and while she is now very efficient at taking the milk, I can tell if she needs more and I too want her to get the hind nilk, not that it helps her sleep!

I think I spent the first 12 weeks just feeding, I felt like that was all I did, but it does pass, even if I'm not the greatest example!

Personally, I couldnt leave a baby to cry. For me, crying is their way of saying they need something, and leaving them to cry is telling them you don't care and won;t meet their need. I know lots of people do leave babies to cry, but it is my personal opinion that that is cruel and only teaches them not to turn to you or trust you.

One last thing - I wonder, if she is sleeping through, perhaps she simply needs to feed so much in the day to meet her milk needs?Have you tried dream feeding her? I don;t do it, but I know other people have had success with it, you basically feed them in their sleep.

But I'm sure it will pass and she will settle down. THey have very small tummies and breastmilk passes through quickly, so she may simply truly be hungry very quickly. As she gets older it will get better.



Oh, and I feed in public (anywhere, in restaurants, in church, on kerbs, on benches) and I have never had anyone say anything negative. And I don;t use muslins to cover up either, so don;t be ashamed to feed your baby when she needs it!

msb5262

Hello OP,
You've had some excellent advice on this thread. Hang in there, it will pass! I'd especially second the suggestion of breast massage; while you're feeding, gently massage round your breast, smoothing towards the nipple to make sure the ducts clear properly.
I think that in most places in the UK, breastfeeding in public is accepted. I've done it everywhere and encountered very few problems. OP, well done to you for your determination to keep going - you're doing an excellent job.
MsB