3 weeks is a growth spurt, right?

[TwoBees]

I'm ready to throw in the breast feeding towel. Not that it isn't going well, because it is. DD2 is gaining weight, I'm pretty sure. She regained her birth weight by day 4 and added almost a half pound by our follow up appointment one week later. She is starting to outgrow the newborn clothes. I really shouldn't be complaining. I'm just so tired, and she wants to nurse constantly, especially at night. I'm sorely tempted to have DH giver her a bottle of formula in the evenings so I can pump and then hopefully get an extra hour of sleep in the evenings. :(

[SnuggleBuggles]

I'm a hard core, pro breast feeding, no formula mom. But, during that 3 week growth spurt when ds2 started crying a mere 40 minutes after last feeding at 2am, I almost sent dh to buy formula. But, I sucked it up and less than 24 hours later I was rewarded with a content, sleepy baby and rest for me! Hang in there. Once you hit this point, you should be on the way to things being easier and better. :)

[Snow mom]

If you feel like she's nursing even more continually than normal then it's likely a growth spurt. It sounds like you are doing a great job. Unfortunately (or fortunately?) it's completely normal for babies to nurse what seems like non-stop in the early weeks and also normal for them to reverse cycle where they think night is the perfect party time. You're already through the worst in getting BF established and within a couple of weeks the balance of easier to BF or easier to FF will shift in your favor IMO. It's of course fine to give a bottle of formula or even switch to formula if that is what you want to do. You could also do a bottle of pumped milk. If you want to BF though and are just feeling down know that what you are going through is a phase and it will get easier. Also, I find that IRL support is so important with BF--see if there is a local LLL you can attend meetings of (or most leaders you can cold call if you are having an issue) or even call up a friend who you know BF their baby and ask them to provide some encouragement.

[♥ms.pacman♥]

yes, 3 weeks is definitely a growth spurt. so is 6 weeks, IME. i think there's a page on kellymom about it.

i will never forget being DS being 6 weeks old and i was literally asking myself what have i done (in deciding to have a child)..i was back to nursing him every 2-3 hrs at that point and i was so tired. and yes, at 3 weeks to i remember my mom calling her friend back home who was an LLL leader and she telling me that 10 days, 3 weeks and 6 weeks are the typical growth spurts where baby tends to feed much more often.

and in my case too, both my kids regained their birth weight within 3 days of birth...i had so much milk and my babies would thankfully guzzle it up. i had the opposite experience of most moms i knew IRL whose kid had issues gaining weight and struggled with nursing and eventually stopped/supplemented. i managed to exclusively BF both kids but i must say, in the first couple months i was *exhausted* beyond belief :( not just from the sleep deprivation which was bad enough) but the amount of energy i had to devote to just EATING enough to make all the milk!! until baby was maybe 3 mos old and STTN, i basically felt like all i did was nurse and then try to shove as much food down my throat as fast i could,bc it was never enough.

i don't know, i wish this sort of thing was more well publicized bc as a new mom it's so easy to get discouraged at these times. when my mom visited after ds was born, and at the 3 week point she woudl keep telling me that there must be something wrong with DS, why was he having to eat so much, why don't i give formula, i must not be making enough, etc. i figured ok, she's an older generation and didn't really breastfeed. but here, even amongst my mom friends my age who DO nurse, BabyWise is considered Gospel truth and if your baby isn't sleeping 8 hour stretch at 8 weeks there is something wrong apparently.

ETA: found the page on Kelly mom about it.
http://kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth-spurts/

[maybeebaby08]

I think 3 weeks was my melting point with DD2, I was so tired and DD2 nursed constantly. Like PPs mentioned if you can stick it out it usually gets better within a few days of this growth spurt. DD2 wouldn't take a bottle and I didn't want to give her formula either, but I think I definitely considered it in my over exhausted and emotional state. Hang in there you're doing a great job!

[mousemom]

Growth spurts are so hard. When I was struggling with one with DS2, I found this blog post and it made me laugh a little and also reinforced all the things I already knew in a very eloquent manner - growth spurts serve a purpose, changing the composition of breast milk so it can continue to provide exactly what your little one needs. Good luck getting through this one!
http://nurshable.com/2012/05/27/six-week-growth-spurt/

[marymoo86]

Side lying nursing (in bed) is the only way I can do this easily. It's not the same but definitely easier to doze. Try that if you haven't

[BunnyBee]

Side lying nursing (in bed) is the only way I can do this easily. It's not the same but definitely easier to doze. Try that if you haven't

I agree. That gets me through the first year!

If you want to give a bottle in the evening, it may become a permanent bottle. The constant nursing can be a way for the baby to build up your supply. If you take away the "demand" for the milk, your body may not produce it. That's not to say formula is evil or anything like that, but just to say there can be a reason for the mega nursing sessions. It is hard! Hope it passes soon and you get some more good chunks of sleep soon.