Just need support - 6 wk old nursing every 3 hours

[Oct. 04 mom]

I am at the edge -- haven't gotten more than 3 hours of sleep at a stretch because DS nurses every three hours. I don't want to give up BFing, but need a break...any ideas to help him sleep longer between feedings?

Thanks in advance!

A very sleepy mommy...

[Momof3Labs]

I know that it isn't much help, but this is so normal for a 6w old baby. Plus, 6w is a big growth spurt; you may find him settling down a little longer by next week.

Can you pump for one bottle at night and have someone else give it to him so you can sleep 6 hours?

[missym]

This stage is really hard, but you can do it! Lori's suggestion of pumping so someone else can take one of the night sessions is great. Also, I had DH bring the baby to me, I nursed in bed, then he put her back down - so I never had to totally wake up, which was nice. With Becca, I had her in a cosleeper so it was easier.

Good luck, and hang in there!


Missy, mom to Gwen 03/03 and Rebecca 09/05

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[elismummy]

Hi there,
My daughter will be 8 weeks old this tuesday, and I was feeling exactly the same way as you at the 6 week stage: "How can I possible keep this up?", and I just want to let you know that it got better for me starting around 7 weeks. Hang in there, you can do it. And remember when you are mad/tired/cranky etc. how important this is for your baby! You are doing awesome to have made it this far, and it WILL get better!
Best of Luck!
Kati

[Canna]

It will definitely get better. However, it's also completely normal. In fact, it would be totally normal for your baby to be nursing as much as every 2 hours and more oftn at certain times during the day. My DD did! ;) When they are little, they can sometimes need to just hang out at the breast all evening and that is normal, and just what you should do, be tiring.

My suggestions:
- If you haven't already, learn to nurse lying down. It is so restful and it was a godsend once I learned how to do this!
- Really try to nap when your baby does, don't try to get things done during the day.
- See if you can multi-task. When DD was little I could prop her on the Boppy and: read several mystery novels, talked on the phone, ate lunch, typed at the computer. Later I would wear her in a sling and nurse.

Babies have tiny tummies and need to nurse often, plus at 6 weeks he is due for a growth spurt and needs to build your milk supply accordingly. Hang in there! You're doing a great job!

[jillc]

Hi there, Sleepy. :)

The previous posters said it all wonderfully, but wanted to post another "hang in there" note for you.

My DS is 11 weeks old & just a couple weeks ago, he started sleeping for one five hour stretch most nights. This week, he has actually slept for 6 hours a couple times.

But before these wonderful nights, it was more like every 2 - 2.5 hours around the clock.

Hang in there, you're doing such a great thing. He'll start sleeping longer & you'll start getting used to being awakened, so it won't bug you as much, I bet.

I discovered that both my babies slept great when I'd nurse them laying down & then we'd both fall asleep. We're not co-sleepers, but there have been many times that I've done it for part of the early morning to get some much-needed sleep.

Baby crying...
Jill

[spu]

hi there,

I can totally understand how you feel. It's actually quite normal for a 6w babe to nurse every 3 hours. Eventually it will space apart more when he's ready. Here are some things that helped me make sure the girls (and now DS) were nice and full.

-- drink plenty of water. This helps your supply and also helps with your energy and stamina. Every time you nurse, and also inbetween. Keep water everywhere.

-- Nurse 1 side at a time. I know the books sometimes say to switch after 10 min, but depending on the baby's sucking strength, the time of day, the frequency of nursing, and your body, it may take longer to get the rich fatty hindmilk that follows the protein-rich formilk. So keep him on 1 side for as long as possible. That way you're sure to give him the high calorie hindmilk. It's thicker and richer, and takes longer to come down the pipes... and keeps baby fuller longer.

-- If he wants to nurse again, and it's been less than a half hour, nurse on the same side to make sure he's getting all the hindmilk.

-- If he's truly done nursing, then offer the other side. If he's still hungry, he'll take the second breast.

-- when he's nursing, make sure he's not getting distracted or he'll still be hungry. Babies get sooo distracted at their various stages, that they're more interested in what's around them... consequently, they realize they're hungry in the middle of the night. So, even in the daytime, find a calm place, and if you need to shield his view from all the great sights around him, put a blanket up and cuddle him so he can't really see what's behind him.

As PPs said, 6w is a common time for growth spurts. Babies tend to nurse more often. Try not to look at the clock, and follow his cues when he's hungry. It may also be a comfort thing too. The sleep will come. Have you tried a cosleeper or the family bed at all? This has helped me tremendously with DS#3. I couldn't dream of getting out of bed, walking down the hall, and sitting upright 3-4x's a nightlike I did with the twins. It was exhausting...

I might avoid pumping and offering a bottle in the night, because then you're setting up your body to pump which is counter-productive to sleeping... If you miss a feeding because he's getting a bottle, that could also alter your milk supply. I'd pump only when you know you're not physically going to be there.

Hope this helps. Good luck!
It totally gets easier. I remember the 4 month mark being miraculous with the twins. It was like second-nature. I could nurse in the dark, while half-asleep, didn't need to look to see what I was doing... DDs could "find" me better and they knew what they were doing and wanted... hang in there! You're doing awesome!!

susan

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nursed for 3 years!
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charlotte + else
+ cashew!

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[jgriffin]

Nothing to add, really, but hang in there, you can do it!

I found that having DH bring E to bed to me (and take him back to his room when finished) was wonderful. I was still awake, but not *as* awake. And I think I frequently did fall asleep while nursing at night, even if it was for 10 minutes. We set up a schedule where when E woke up before, say 2, it was DH's responsibility to go get him, after that it was my turn. (DH is a night person, I am a morning person, so this helped a lot.)

[wencit]

Just wanted to give you some moral support, too. Other PPs have given you good suggestions, but I want to encourage you to hang in there! Your baby will start sleeping for longer stretches soon enough -- it may be just a matter of a few weeks. I think the first time DS slept for 5 hours straight, he was about 10 weeks old, and I woke up before him because I was dying of engorgement!

Hang in there!

[lisams]

Right there with you! DS is 3 weeks old and waking every two hours to nurse! It's normal, especially during growth spurts but I know how tiring it can be!

It will get better! Wish I had some advice to offer, but just wanted you to know that you're not alone!!

[jniter]

Hi! Yes, it does get better. Whether you decide to pump and have a bottle fed at night or nurse lying down, you should find what works for you. Pumping has its advantages and disadvantages. My LC told me to pump and do the bottle at night because I was ragged and my milk supply was going down due to lack of sleep. DS just turned 3 months and it still works well for us.

For pumping, find a good time to pump. You might not get much at first, so it may take 2-3 pumpings for one bottle. Now it only takes me 1 pumping to get the bottle because my body is used to producing more milk at the time I pump. It takes a while so be patient.

Also, it's a good idea to give your baby a bottle once a day or every other day anyway. If they don't start taking the bottle in the first 2 months, you may NEVER get the baby on the bottle. It's a different kind of sucking they have to learn. If you never get baby to take a bottle, you might not get a chance to get out in the earlier months!

Believe it or not...you may one day miss these days of nursing round the clock. At 3 months, DS is already only feeding 6 times a day and with the nighttime feeding via bottle and one or 2 daytime feeding via bottle because I went back to work, I only nurse 3 or 4 times a day. I kinda miss it sometimes...

[Wife_and_mommy]

Another hang in there!

I *never* coslept with DD. It was invaluable to me with DS, though as it will be with any other dc's. I can't sleep in late with more than one dc so cosleeping it was. I unexpectedly enjoyed it when he was so little.



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I love them most when they are sleeping.--Me
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[MamaMolly]

Oh, honey! I feel it for you, but it will get better!

In our case it lasted until DD was diagnosed with acid reflux at her 2 month check up. The ped. asked about nursing, watched what the baby was doing, and suggested we try meds. It turns out that babies are really smart and the milk was like an antacid!

It has made a world of difference for all of us.

I also want to say how smart you are to have come here for support. I made the mistake of talking to folks who didn't *get* nursing, and they suggested I quit.

I promise it get better, you CAN do this!

Hugs,
Molly

[elephantmeg]

you might try nursing more often during the day to see if getting the same # feedings but more in the daytime would help. DS ate every 1 1/2-2 hours during the day and every 4 at night at some point, but it's all a blur now. Hang in there, the 6 week time is HARD but it's (BFing) so worth it!

[nfowife]

No advice, but I am right there with you. I'm just hoping it gets better over the next few weeks because I am at the point where I am almost unable to function during the day with my toddler!
I had forgotten how horrendous the lack of sleep is with a newborn...or is it that I blocked it out?

[DrSally]

I don't know why my post didn't show up. In any case, lots of wonderful advice. Just wanted to add that giving formula at night, you'll still have to get up, but it will be more work. FFing is easier for about the first 5 or so weeks, but then BFing becomes so much easier/more convenient. You've gone through most of the hardest part, now you have so much convenience to look fwd to--(like 10 min night nursings).