Help! I'm about to give up!

LimeCupcake · May 29, 2008 5:27PM

Lucas is 10 weeks tomorrow andI'm getting fed up! I have been doing really well exclusively BF since he was born but I have one major problem- he only goes an hour at most between feeds during the day!!! He didn't used to do this but started when he had a cold at 6 weeks old. He does sleep 12 hours at night so I know he needs to eat a lot during the day but this is a joke! Sometimes he is feeding for 30mins every hour. I am amlost reaching for the formula in the cupboard to help me out during the day but at the same time I don't wanna admit defeat! I do plan to introduce a bottle though asI will need to be FF by the time I go back to work in August. I wasn't planning on introducing a bottle til he was 12 weeks but I don't think I can even go another 2 weeks!

Lucas shouldn't actually have a problem with taking the bottle as he is used to getting expressed feeds but whether he will like the formula is another matter!

Argh! Any tips to getting him going longer? I have started to offer him both sides and sometimes he falls asleep but if I put him down he'll wake up.

SRM · May 29, 2008 3:32PM

Try waiting for 10 whole minutes (by the clock) before putting him down after he has fallen asleep and let go off you. It usually works as he will have entered deep sleep by then - look out for his hands uncurling, body completely relaxing as the signs - and he shouldn't wake up once you put him down. he may even start to sleep longer. Try not to give up, the first 12 weeks are the hardest and you're almost through...

arg · May 29, 2008 3:38PM

Hi firstly you have been done so well to get this far and should feel really proud of yourself but if you can keep going a bit longer that will be even better! It sounds as if the feeding is going really well except for the frequent daily feeds and you may not want to hear this but I would have happily fed mine every minute of the day if they had slept for 12 hours at night! None of my 3 even slept for 8 hours until they were 8 months or later and this lo at 14 months still doesn't sleep for 12 hours! So you are right, he does need to get all of his milk during the day which is why he is feeding so much.
I had so many problems with bf my first 2 and wanted to give up all the time and the way I got through it was literally to take a day at a time and feel pleased at the end of each day that I had made it through another one! Keep telling yourself how much good you carrying on feeding is doing for both of you.
I have always fed from both sides and If he falls asleep whilst feeding, instead of putting him down try switch nursing where you just change from side to side as many times as you need to during a feed to keep him awake.
The only other thing you can do is hope that he stops feeding so frequently! It would be a shame for you to give up if you had planned to carry on for 12 weeks and if you can manage it you will feel even more proud of yourself.
I hope it doesn't sound as if I am being pushy, I'm trying to be encouraging! xx

LimeCupcake · May 29, 2008 4:03PM

I know I know! Doesn't help that hubby keeps saying "why dont you try a bottle?" I wish I could express more coz that would solve the problem. If I give him a bottle of my milk he sleeps for 2-3 hours duting the day which is fab! Sometimes I think he just wants to feed coz hes bored and being with booby is nice for him. He feeds less when hes with other people or out and about. I do want to keep going til 12 weeks and even then I only want to introduce 2 bottles a day (9am and 1pm) to try and get him to go a bit longer and get into a routine for the grannies who will be looking after him in august. After 20 weeks I will only feed him morning and night myself as I go back to work at 22 weeks and he will need to be fully on the bottle by then (except his bedtime and first morning feed if my milk cooperates!)

I just hope i have the patience to do it...

arg · May 29, 2008 4:12PM

I am sure hubby is only trying to be helpful but you will feel better if you only stop when you want to. When do you express and how much? You are probably right about the comfort feeding and who can blame him wanting to stay as close as possible to you?
I know people who have been back at work and carried on for a long time with morning and evening feeds and I'm sure it will also be nice for you to have him all to yourself for a bit after a days work and being away from him. You can do it!! x

LimeCupcake · May 29, 2008 4:56PM

I express at 11pm before I go to bed. I have done it every night since Lucas dropped his 11pm feed at only 4 weeks old. I donate to the milk bank so it depends how I feel how much I express and how tired I am. They take 50ml a bottle (just about an ounce and a half) so sometimes I just quickly express enough for one bottle or sometimes I try for two. I never usually get more than 100mls at a time (just over 3 ounces). The other day I went to bed early and got up the next morning at 6 and expressed 5oz off of one side (kept that bottle for Lucas lol) but that was a one off. I could never express enough to feed him while I am at work.

arg · May 29, 2008 5:06PM

I think it is pretty good expressing 2-3 oz at night when your supply is at its lowest. You can't stop now - not now that you've said you donate to the milk bank! I do too and know how much they need every drop.
I just meant that you should be able to carry on feeding him morning and evening when you go back to work if you want to x

LimeCupcake · May 29, 2008 5:27PM

Yeah, expressing for the milk bank makes me continue when nothing else does coz I dont want ot let them down. I have been expressing for them for 2 weeks now and have about 18 bottles for them to collect on monday morning. i might try expressing in the morning when LO is getting his first morning feed. I'll need to get more storage containers tho!

Help! I'm about to give up!

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