Appetite Changes

[icemommy]

Hi. My son is 9 days old and I am exclusively breastfeeding him. Last night I fed him before he went to bed and then he slept for about 4.5 hours. I fed him when he woke up. Now typically I wait about 3 hours in between feedings, as recommended by a lactation consultant. Today, however he was hungry after about 2.5 hours, so no problem I fed him then. After both feedings, he showed his rtpical signs of being done....sleepy, stop sucking and refuse nipple. HOWEVER, I have been up with him and it's been about an hour since the last feeding and he seems like he is starving again. He is opening his mouth, turning his head towards the breast, and acting like a crazy boy. But when I put him to the breast, he is hardly sucking. Any idea what this means?? He slept about the same amount last night and had NO problems with our usual schedule. So I'm confused and a little worried. Any insight would be much appreciated.

Thank you!
C

[intokermit]

If he wasn't actively sucking, he probably just wanted a mom flavored binky! Babies, especially that young, are growing fast. If your baby is hungry, feed him. I don't know why your LC told you to wait 3 hours, but BF digests fast. It takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours to digest, so you're going to be feeding him pretty close together. Just keep offering your breast. You're his source of food and comfort.

[RedheadbyChoice]

He might just be needing some comfort and closeness to you, momma. :) Breastfeeding is more than just food, you know. And sucking is an instinct for them, some babies need to suck more than others. Time spent at the breast is never wasted though. Even if he's comfort nursing, he's still helping to build your supply.

Newborns need to be nursing at least 8-10 or more times in 24 hours. Limiting him to every 3 hours only gives him that lower end of 8 times in 24 hours. I'm shocked and astounded that an LC would tell you to schedule nursing sessions. Breastmilk is used so very well by them, that they're hungry more often, they just are.

It's not at all unusual for a newborn to nurse every 1-2 hours, around the clock, in those first weeks. Frequency of nursing is what builds a good, solid milk supply.

I'd suggest letting baby nurse whenever he makes a squeak to nurse. Watch the baby, not the clock. You cannot overnurse a baby. :)

Congrats on your baby, momma! And welcome to the boards.

~ginger

[PeacefulMom]

I'd have to say to throw the word schedule out of your dictionary for a little while! As soon as your baby seems to fall into some sort of routine of eating and sleeping, something in his body will change and so will the routine. It'll be easier on you if you just go with his flow, follow his cues, and nurse him when he acts hungry! Try not to worry too much about the changes, it is all part of babyhood and natural.

Wait till the teeth start coming in!

[icemommy]

Thanks to everyone. Just to clear something up....the LC advised me that he will likely be hungry every 3 hrs but also said to feed him every time he shows the cues. I have been doing this and he has had a few times where he will get hungry after a couple hours but typically the 3 hrs thing has been a really good guide. I know I need to forget about the shedule lol that will probably be one of the harder parts of nursing for me. The "mom flavored binky" thing makes a lot of sense. Thanks again everyone!!

[madelsmama]

I, too, am shocked that a LC would state that he would be hungry every 3 hrs. A newborn will need to feed much more freequently than that, if not to eat, then to suck.

Truly try to avoid watching the clock. A baby knows nothing of a schedule, and should not be scheduled. I know I don't always eat on a schedule, and neither do my girls. :)

And don't be afraid to comfort nurse the baby, or the "mom flavored binky" thing as someone put it above. Your breasts are meant to be the total package for baby; comfort, food, whatever.

Let us know how it's going! It will feel as though you do nothing but nurse him for the first 6 weeks or so. You may or may not enjoy it, but stick it out, and I guarantee that it will get better!

[icemommy]

Okay so I know EVERYONE says babies don't do schedules. But could it be perhaps that we hear that so much that we decide ahead of time that it's not going to work and therefore don't even try? Granted babies will not work with set timed schedules, such as 8am....wake....8:30....eat...9:00-9:45.....nap, etc. But I have had Gabe on a loose schedule for three days now and he is absolutely thriving on it. I feed him when he shows signs of hunger, which normally show around 3 hours but sometimes waver (and when they do I absolutely respond to his needs). He sleeps an increasing amount every night, and takes 3-4 naps during the day. We have a bedtime routine that we try to start at about the same time every night which consists of a bath, feeding, cuddling, and then bed. His response is that he seems very happy and is rarely fussy except sometimes when he wakes up from his long sleep at night.

So my opinion is that schedules really do work as long as they are implemented early and of course not at all strict. I absolutely believe that it is important to respond to your baby's needs and I don't know that the schedule works with all babies. But I think that if you find something that works, you shouldn't let it go, no matter how many people tell you that it won't work! :-)

No offense meant! just trying to express my point of view. thanks!!

[RedheadbyChoice]

There are schedules and then there are routines. Perhaps it's just semantics and it really doesn't matter.

All of this, snort, is just my silly opinion.

To me, a schedule says that 'oh it's 5 pm, you need to eat now' A routine says, 'hmmmmm, you're looking tired and starting to fuss, you're hungry, and it's only 4.45, okie dokie! one breast, nice and warm, coming right up!'

I don't schedule my kids at all, but they have all fallen into a routine of their own. Sometimes it changes because we're busy (I do have 4 kids) and sometimes it changes because one kiddo is ill. Or teething. Or it's nice out that day, so we're going to play outside longer, that sort of thing. Babe naps after lunch-----that may be 1.00 pm today, because DH was home early for lunch, tomorrow it may be 1.30, because DH got home later for lunch. But, it's just after lunch.

A schedule implies to me that one MIGHT (and I'm not saying YOU do, just saying MIGHT) say, 'oh babe, it's 4.45, let's walk about the house and wait until 5 to eat'

Again I'm not saying that all moms who schedule their babies are like that . Not at all. So no snarking at me. ;) Just saying what I know many people automatically think, when they hear that word.

Many many many kiddos thrive on a routine. And there's nothing wrong with that at all. It's the being able to roll with the punches, being able to adjust as babe changes and grows, being able to nurse every hour because babe is having a growth spurt...those are the things that matter to me. For example, a bedtime routine is a wonderful things for many kids. Many others DON'T need it. Neither of those sets of parents are bad or wrong, they're just doing what's best for their kiddo.

And what you're doing, IMO, isn't SCHEDULING your baby. That sounds like you're simply helping him to create and work with his own routine.

I always say, watch the baby, not the clock. :D As long as a momma continues to listen to and look for her baby's cues, all will be well with the world.


~ginger

[icemommy]

Thank you! That's exactly what I was trying to say...I just used the wrong word. :-) Four kids....WOW!! My sister-in-law also has 4 and is planning on a couple more. I just have to say, my hat is off to you!! I'm perfectly happy with just the one for now, but I suppose that will change in time.

Thanks for the advice and the clarification! This has really been helpful!

[RedheadbyChoice]

:D

I think it's just the strong image that most people get when they hear the word schedule, vs. the word routine. One sounds dictated, the other sounds like just life and how things go.

Yep, 4. :) DD is 11.5, next DD is 8.5, DS is 5.5, and baby DD is almost 15 months. Ask DH, and we're done. LOL But, no steps have been taken to ensure that we're done. ;) Me, I'm happy with my 4 but wouldn't cry if #5 dropped into our laps. I've got a few years left before I'd be leery of being pregnant, so it's not a terribly pressing issue for me. As long as there are sperm running about, though, it's always a possibility! My dad, when I told him that, was shocked and disgusted. My MIL, though, just smiled and said, 'we'll love on whatever grandbabies you give us!'

:)




~ginger

[ima062002]

Are you sure this LC was certified? This is just really bad bad bad advice and totally outdated. I am surprised that anyone working with nursing babies would suggest waiting for 3 hours.

You should nurse your baby when it shows first signs of hunger. When my first was born I thought that babies cry when they are hungry only to find out later that a crying baby means that mom missed a couple of hunger cues. If you don't know about them either, see this page for more info: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/start/basics/hunger-cues.html

Breastmilk is digested within 90 minutes and not all feedings are full feedings (we snack sometimes too right :)). Newborns on average nurse 10-12 times early on.

Not all nursing is nutritive nursing either. Some of it is comfort nursing. The human nipple is the original pacifier and there is nothing bad about letting your baby suck for comfort on you. It's a nice way to bond and good practice for your newborn :).

[icemommy]

YES this LC was certified she worked at the hospital. And I guess I must've misrepresented her advice. She said that I should feed him every AT LEAST every 3 hours IF I had not seen any signs of hunger before then. Of course she told me about his signals and that those come first. Gabe's cues are very obvious and I have been reacting to them more than anything.