At wits end...

I'm breastfeeding DS and want to keep at it for a while...but I really don't know how much more I can take of this...it just seems like all I do is have him at the boob. I thought breast fed babies were to go 2-3 hours between feedings...it is literally every hour for him...

I also can't get him to feed for the full time either, no matter what I do to keep him interested. Sometimes I can but most of the time I can't. I'm so stressed out over this. All I want is to have a successful breastfeeding experience with DS since I fail so horribly with DD...

I also don't know if he is colicky or not. All he does is cry but I can't tell if it is from him being colicky, having gas problems or is constipated. He did have a bowel movement finally after two days and that was from him strugggling to have one.

I just want to cry because I really don't know what to do. DD was so easy...DS is only four days old, five days old in forty-five minutes, and I am already having problems...

<blockquote><b>Quoting Kimiko Tyer:</b>" I'm breastfeeding DS and want to keep at it for a while...but I really don't know how much more I can ... [snip!] ... what to do. DD was so easy...DS is only four days old, five days old in forty-five minutes, and I am already having problems..."</blockquote>




At 4 days old both my kids ate 24/7. It's constant in the beginning then tapers off. Their stomach is the size of a big marble. It empties quickly and breast milk digests easier.

Its perfectly normal he is just bringing in your milk. The first 6 weeks all you pretty much do is nurse. Its constant and never ending. But it does get better. Learn to nurse laying on your side so you can sleep while he eats.

My 2 month old was stuck at the boob for practically the first 3 weeks of her life (she is my first breastfed baby) Literally it was every 30 minutes to every hour. She was crying and screaming constantly, I was ready to give up; crying, stressed, you name it. But we got through it and we're 10 weeks in so far   She has her days where she is stuck and others where she eats every 3-4 hours. May be a growth spurt, may be that he's hungry and making your milk come in faster.

DS ate every 45min for the first 2 months even now at 13 months its still every 2 hours. every baby is different.
Try cutting things out of your diet like milk, chocolate, Ect.

I am currently going through the same thing with DD (she is 10 days old.) I plan on asking her pedi about tomorrow, but it is driving me nuts as well. Today she ate almost every hour to every other hour but would always fall asleep before she was done and then want more 10 minutes later. It has me worrying that I am not making enough to fill her.

Quoting ~Cullen's Mommy~:" I am currently going through the same thing with DD (she is 10 days old.) I plan on asking her pedi about ... [snip!] ... asleep before she was done and then want more 10 minutes later. It has me worrying that I am not making enough to fill her."

My daughter was like this also; falling asleep mid-nurse then waking 10 minutes later rooting around/hungry. I would take her feet out of her sleeper/socks and it'd keep her awake long enough to fill up. Now at 10 weeks she's like a pro; done in 5 minutes lmao

My daughter is 2 1/2 months and for the first 4 weeks she nursed non stop. This is my first breastfed baby. I can't tell you how many times I would cry and wanna give up. To top it off my nipples cracked and bled for the first 2 weeks and I thought I was going to die. I stuck it out and I'm still breast feeding. Hang in there it does get easier. Just feed on demand to build your supply.

Quoting Kimiko Tyer:" I'm breastfeeding DS and want to keep at it for a while...but I really don't know how much more I can ... [snip!] ... what to do. DD was so easy...DS is only four days old, five days old in forty-five minutes, and I am already having problems..."

There's a Reason My Daughter had the Nick-Name "Leach"!
For the first 3-6 Months of her life She was Attached almost 24-7!!
& If she wasn't Attached, God Forbid I put her Down!
Her Father or My Mom could hold her long enough for me to go to the Potty, & the Odd Shower, but really Even if she wasn't eating she Had to be On ME!
Not really a Bad Baby, & I Didn't think of her as Being "High Needs" Just attached Like a Leach, & My Milk was her Blood Supply!

It did slowly Get Better, But really if her Brother is Not around I Still(she's now 2 Years Old, started weaning at a year, was done by 18 Months, mostly Baby Led) find that I'm sitting down with Her On me. Yes Literally On Me.

But you know what. It's Worth it. Yes it's been hard as all Hell at times, & there are times I just Needed, & Still Need time to Myself.

If he is only drinking breastmilk he shouldn't be having any problems with pooping... The first few weeks baby is always on your boobs, but it will get better. Those first few weeks its feed for an hour change, and then feed change all over again. It will get easier.... Just give it time...

Breastfeeding in the beginning kind of sucks, to be honest. My son wanted to nurse all the time and it definitely wasn't every 2 hours. It's rough for the first few weeks because they have tiny tummies and nursing is also a big comfort for them.
As for fussing, maybe try burping him more? DS needed to be burped every 10 minutes for the first few days; I think I had too strong a let down for him.

my daughter was like that.... I cried and cried...one niht it was for 8 hours straight...she finally went to sleep at 6 and we had an appointment at 8...I gave in to co-sleeping and it was wonderful nursing her.. she is now 5 months and a pro at it=) it DOES get better

Quoting Kimiko Tyer:" I'm breastfeeding DS and want to keep at it for a while...but I really don't know how much more I can ... [snip!] ... what to do. DD was so easy...DS is only four days old, five days old in forty-five minutes, and I am already having problems..."

my son has always eaten constantly like that, he eats little bits at a time frequently (which is better now, ive had to try to space them out as much as possible though) but its normal for a baby for the first little bit to eat that way.

as for his fussiness, he may have a little bit of tummy trouble. make sure you burp him well and try doing it more frequently during feedings too. my doctor told me that bf babies have less frequent bowel movements than formula fed babies because breast milk has more nutrients that their bodies absorb and theres less waste, she said even one bowel movement a week is normal (if hes ebf)

are you ebf or also formula feeding? if youre also using formula you could try switching to a different one to help his tummy, i had to switch my son to enfamil gentlease for fussy/gassy babies because his tummy was hurting him so bad he would scream and didnt want to eat or anything. maybe trying something different will help his tummy which will make him more interested in eating. (if you arent giving him formula yet then just keep that in mind i guess for when you start lol)

dont worry, it does get better. if you really want to bf, just keep at it and you'll do fine. the beginning really sucks (i remember how painful it was for me when i started) but eventually you'll get used to it and he should too.

Thanks ladies. He's doing a lot better at feeding. He's doing it longer but is still practically stuck to the boob. Lol, I don't mind it as much now. At least he is gaining the weight he lost from birth, something they were a little concerned about because it was more then he should have. He's having regular bowel movements now. It was just that first day back where he just couldn't go.

I am ebf so no formula for him. Thanks for the tip though if I do switch over. I'm trying not to. I breast fed my DD for three months before quitting because I wasn't getting the support I needed.

I love my son to death but holy hell, I forgot how demanding newborns are! Lol.