re: breastfeeding help

Quoting Jays*Mama:" People keep telling me to let my baby sleep too, but she will just keep sleeping. My baby was born the ... [snip!] ... told me to wake her every 3 hrs for atleast a couple weeks to make sure she gains her birth weight back. Listen to the doctors."

definitely.
my pedi said when they're very small and early, they'll "forget to wake up" to eat.

so, you gotta wake her up.
we always start off with a diaper change, this usually gets their eyes open.
if not, i take 'em to the front door and we stand in the door way for a min. the combination of air, sun and wind usually wakes them right up.
if that fails, a wet rag, blowing on her face, any combination of those.

for weight gain try pumping for a minute and then latching her a couple times a day so she gets more of the hindmilk. The hindmilk has all the fats and the foremilk has all the water. I would say 10 minutes is enough time though. If you are concerned offer more often. Sounds like she is gaining slowly since she is at least staying around 5lbs 11oz. If she was losing then I would say you should worry but she isn't, correct? Just stuck at a weight? Much of the time breastfed babies do this for a month of two after birth. It can be completely normal.

Does she seem satisfied? Is she having wet diapers? If so, go by your instinct not the doctors. I have a few friends who were told to give formula for the same reason and it was really hard on their breastfeeding relationship and added a lot of stress. It was not the formula that helped them gain either, it was time.
Every baby is different. Just make sure she is not actively losing weight mama.

Good luck!

Wake her... having a preemie is like a baby from another planet...i hav e one born at 33 weeks if she doesnt gain she can go back to NICU just do the best you can momma it will get better once she grows a little

have you considered seeing a lactation consultant? some are better than others (I'm lucky that mine is amazing), but you could get some good, individualized information for your situation. it is true that 10 mins is enough for some people to nurse, but for me and my unique situation, it isn't. it was also recommended to me that I wake my baby to feed and to nurse for 30-40 mins, switching sides often and trying to keep the baby from sleeping at the breast.

everyone replying is earnestly trying to advice to help you succeed at breastfeeding, and your pedi is genuine in concern about weight gain, but sometimes even the best, supportive pedi's fall short in BF'ing knowledge. I would seriously consider a lactation consultant as your best advocate and chance for success. in addition, it will show the pedi that you are committed to Bf'ing and improving baby's weight.

I have a good LC now, so I am lucky. the one at the hospital I delivered DS at was worthless. but when I found the one I have, it saved me from giving up due to my baby's low weight.

I had my baby girl September 1st at 34 weeks.She was in the NICU for 6 days. When I was breastfeeding her she would fall asleep on me alll the time. Her doctor said she gets too comfortable and it makes her want to sleep instead of eat. She would nurse anywhere from 10-35 minutes. They told me as long as she nursed consistantly for 10 minutes than it was alright. As her stomach got bigger and she only nursed for 10 minutes I would warm up a bottle with breastmilk and she would drink that. She didn't fall alseep when I bottle fed her. She also wasn't gaining weight and at one of her check ups her doctor gave me neosure similac formula and she wanted me to add a tsp per 2 oz when I fed her my milk in a bottle. She gained weight within 4 days then I stopped using it and she started gaining weight on just my breast milk.

Kept waking her up and Im happy to say Brookie is past her birth weight!!! thank you everyone  

Quoting Blessed x2♥:" Kept waking her up and Im happy to say Brookie is past her birth weight!!! thank you everyone  "

yay! she'll probably start packing on the pounds now. =D