Newborn Wants to Eat Constantly

See if you can get her to stay awake longer when she feeds - I used to put a cold glass of water against my son's feet and jiggle him a little. Poke him. Stuff like that. It sounds kind of mean but it did get him to stay awake a little longer and eat a little more instead of just snacking. It stinks having a snacker.

I'll just add my two bits: You are doing a great job! Your baby is just going through a growth spurt, and after a day or so (but possibly up to about a week) she will spread out her feedings again (until the next growth spurt). At any time you are concerned about how frequently or how long she eats, just count her wet and poopy diapers and you will know whether she is getting enough. (You already seem to know all this, but being told what you already know is really helpful sometimes!) Also, the sleepiness is totally normal too, and especially during a growth spurt babies seem to sleep more than usual. Sometimes, if you watch closely, you can actually see them grow! :)

Another help: if you haven't already, learn to feed her while lying down. The rest is good for you, and soon you will be able to sleep (at least partially) while she feeds, and you can totally relax. (For me, my baby's bed is mine, so our sleep cycles also coincide. In other words, I go into a light sleep or wake up about the same time the baby does, so when the baby is hungry, I am also ready and not disturbed and we can both happily go back to sleep with the baby feeding as long as it likes. -- see Dr. Sears' book "Nighttime Parenting" he explains what I have experienced with all my babies very well.)

But then, you might ask, about the toddler? While you are feeding the baby, you can read with the toddler, allow your toddler to fetch diapers or other desirables for the baby and save you energy, cuddle with the toddler in a chair or even have him/her lie down with you and the baby (be careful, of course, the toddler doesn't accidentally hurt the baby when getting in position for cuddle-time).

Remember that this time with your little ones is very short -- I was told once, "The days are long, but the years are short."

My oldest is nearly 10 now. I have 4, with one on the way, and I was told that when my first was a tiny baby, and I was feeling much as you describe. I have found the saying to be very true. I have been breastfeeding since the birth of my first nearly without a break (we wean at around 3 years old, so my toddlers nurse through the next's pregnancy and then usually wean a few months after the next's birth). (Of course, they start solids at around 6 months - but they just continue breastfeeding too!) This time of feeding our babies is very precious, and we learn things about our children and their personalities in such a nice way. :)

Also, the leaking milk is also normal at first, and I think it is around 3 months that it doesn't leak so much anymore, even though you are producing plenty of milk, and the breasts get softer, too -- no longer that firm, almost engorged feeling, but still plenty of milk. It is just an adjustment the body makes as it adjusts to your new normal.

Also, being tired around this time is also normal. You have a newborn -- there is care around the clock. You have a toddler -- they need nearly as much (if not more at times) attention than the newborn. You are still recovering from the birth. That was quite an event for you, and your body is still adjusting and readjusting, decreasing blood volume, etc. and breastfeeding helps with all that, too. Not to mention all the emotions...

So, remember to rest as much as possible and focus on the babies (and your husband - remember to thank him for all his great support and care - he will need some nurturing too)and getting enough to eat and water to drink. Be sure to get enough protein, too. Remember that you are still supporting the growth of your baby 100%, even as much as if it was still inside you, only now it is a lot bigger, and getting more so!

You are doing a great job, and it does all work out and "pay off". The effort is worth it!

Hope this helps some - enjoy your babies!...

First of all- way to go giving nursing a try! It is exhausting at time, i know! It sounds to me like your little one might be going through a growth spurt. Growth spurts usually happen around: 7-10 days, 2-3 weeks, 4-6 weeks, 3 months, 4 months, 6 months and 9 months. The spurt usually lasts 3 days to a week and just lets the baby build up your milk supply so they will get more at an individual feeding.
You might also try when she acts like she is hungry right after a feeding to offer her a pacifier (if you are okay with her usuing one) and see if she is simply wanting to suck a bit! If that calms her, then you can wait to nurse.
Good luck! Nursing is time consuming but also very rewarding!

I see you have a TON of responses, so I'm hoping you feel understood and supported! One thing I wanted to offer is that when I had my first daughter, she did the same thing. She could nurse for an hr., and 20 min. later want to nurse again. Finally after 5 weeks of what seemed like non-stop nursing, I finally gave her a binky. I know the controversy surrounding that, but the truth was, she just wanted to suck - she wasn't still hungry. It worked wonders! I could nurse when she truly needed it, but didn't have to be attached 24/7. Good luck to you! I sure miss those days!

I think that she is having her first growth spurt! Don't worry. It's not a pattern that will stay. My first nursed every 45 minutes during several growth spurts that each lasted around 24 hours. My second was more the norm, like yours. Eating a bit more often for a couple of days. I do believe that around two weeks is one of the times to expect it.

Keep up the great work! I know that worn out feeling but it will be so worth it to keep going! Your baby will be in a great pattern soon and will be sleeping more. Just a couple more weeks will mean a world of difference.

Just a reminder:

Breastmilk is best for the baby
You are giving her antibodies for a lifetime
Great nourishment. It is the best food she will ever get in her life!

And - you don't have to wash bottles or get up in the middle of the night to fix bottles

You are saving TONS of money!

Packing the diaper bag is way easier. You have all her food with you at all times.

You can do it!

Your newborn's actions regarding BF are perfectly normal, as are your feelings of exahaustion and discouragement!
J., you can do this!
I had a hard time with the transition from one to two kids, b/c of all the same feelings. It is definitely harder the second time around in being sleep deprived!
I had a LC tell me once to gently rub my son's shoulder with my thumb & forefiger (but with enough force to stimulate a response from him - wiggle, move, wake up, etc) to keep him eating. You can also take their clothes off. And what you're doing is great - feeding one side, diaper change, then feeding from the other side. If all else fails, try a pacifier in between feedings - she might just have a strong suck reflex.
Your baby also might be going through a growth spurt and truly need to eat that much.
Can you pump and let your husband take a night feeding every now and then?
If time/energy allows, you might also want to see your LC or contact LLL or a friend who is currently nursing.
You are not alone - I remember those same feelings very well, and I am about to return to them again with #3 in September! :)

Take care of yourself ~

Warmly,
B.

I do know its hard when you have a 2 1/2 yr old running around while you are taking about an hour to feed the baby.... But do not give up!!!

Every day that goes by means baby is getting a little older and will be more and more aware during feedings.

Since she is such a little munchkin still follow her cues as to when she is hungry. It won't be too long before the feeding schedule settles into a pattern and the time between feedings lengthens.

Does part of your discouragement come from the hormone let down? Perhaps contact your local hospital and see if they have a nursing group that meets once or so a week.

If you do feel like she is just wanting to suck then maybe give her the pacifier... But watch the clock. Since she is on a 2 hour schedule... make sure you are sticking to that. Do not use the paci to replace feedings... Just sorta occupy her till you can sit and focus on her... :-)

Good luck and happy nursing!

You already have such great advice mentioned but I just wanted to also give more encouragement. You are doing a fantastic job!! I know it can be extremely exhausting for the first couple months but it DOES get better! You are providing the best nourishment for her little body plus helping her immune system. Eventually she will start to sleep longer and once you get that first 4 hour stretch of sleep it will feel amazing. Once everything settles in and you get into your groove you will have the convienence of just breastfeeding instead of the hassle of preparing/washing bottles and lugging all that stuff around whenever you leave the house. You have all the right equipment built right in :) Sounds like you have a very healthy little girl just doing a lot of growing right now. Also it's good to have a rough idea how long your are feeding for but try not to dwell on the clock so much. I remember doing the same thing and got that advice from the more experienced breastfeeding mama's. I think it helps you to relax when you aren't stressed about how long they are eating.

Keep up the amazing work mama!

Been there, done that! It's so exhausting in the beginning, but SO worth it! I agree, it may be a growth spurt. The newborn stage passes so quickly, though it doesn't seem like it when you're living on 5 mintues of sleep per day. Keep up the good work, your daughter will be crawling and eating Cheerios before you know it :)

HANG IN THERE SWEETIE..

Nursing is a whole different ball game than bottle feeding.

If anyone offers help TAKE IT. Take the time to get a little nap in, nap when baby naps...

SUPPLY AND DEMAND. I know it's not the easiest thing as a mother..

When breastfeeding you NEED support! It's VERY good you came on here... Some moms just give up.. If you have to or want to that is one thing, but it's good that you asked for help!

Nursing is a AWESOME thing and I am proud of you for doing it! STICK WITH IT!

Babies nurse for comfort. Just like my 6 year old sucks her thumb at night, for comfort..

US MOMS ARE HERE FOR YOU!! :)

Also.. My kids are 19 month apart and I nursed them both for 12-13 months. Which had it's up and down moments..not all easy... but I felt it best for my children.

Hi J.,

You have gotten some great replies already! I just want to encourage you that it WILL get easier and you are doing a super job. My daughters also wanted to nurse nonstop their first few weeks of life and my pediatrician actually advised me to let them. (They both had jaundice and needed to nurse often to clear that out, but frequent nursing the first few weeks is also important to keep your milk supply up.) I agree with the others to try a pacifier to see if she is really hungry or not and to let her suck some more. I don't know where you live, but many hospitals have nursing support groups. I went to such a group and it really helped to hear the struggles and accomplishments of other moms. Hang in there! It is extremely challenging, but you can do it and in a short while you will look back and be so thankful you pressed on. (Your daughter is getting the best nutrition possible, you are bonding, and you are saving big bucks!)
Rachael

I totally know what you mean! I just went through the same thing a few weeks ago. It will get easier! My baby girl is now 8 weeks and eats much less often even though, like your daughter, she was wanting to nurse every 1-1/2 to 2 hours. For my baby, she just wanted to suck so we tried pacifiers but she didn't like them much. It turms out pinky fingers (upside down) did the trick even though it still tied us up from doing anything while she was soothing herself. Now, my baby rarely needs this comfort since she's found her own fingers. I bet your daughter will outgrow this stage too. We also found it helped to turn our baby facing outward when she was tired fussy (not hungry fussy) too and gently bounce her. She would usually go to sleep this way. Good luck and hang in there!

This is VERY Normal!!! Good for you to try breastfeeding!!! It gets a LOT easier -- I promise!! I remember those newborn days and feeling frustrated. What helped is to have some friends who nursed who told me that it's difficult at the beginning. Sometimes just knowing that helped me get through the rough spots the first few weeks. Keep up with it!! This is an amazing gift you're giving your baby!! After those first few crazy weeks, I ended up nursing my first daughter for 13 1/2 months, and my 2nd for 12 months. I'm ready to start it all over again, now -- Baby #3 due in 6 weeks, so I'll be right where you are pretty soon. DON'T GIVE UP!!! GOOD LUCK!!! :)

Dont give up !!! it will get easier.. the baby will get to be a more efficient nurser and the time at the breast will go down.

For the first couple of months - breast feeding is an full time job.. it is just about all you do is feed the baby..

Pretty soon the feedings will get shorter and the baby will be sleep better for longer periods and be more awake and alert during the waking periods..

I know how exhausting it can be with a newborn and a toddler.. I pumped a bottle in the evenings and went to bed early and left my husband with the baby - he fed her a bottle and then brought her to bed at 10 or 11.. that way I got more sleep.

do you have a grandma that can help??? I paid for a nanny to help me when Ihad my second child. she took the toddler out for a while so I could focus on the baby..

Do not give up! Although it is exhausting, everything comes in phases and will pass. Truthfully, I felt like a nursing machine for the first three months of my son's life. If they want to eat, let them eat. Your nursing schedule will balance in the coming weeks and months as you both adjust. So many give up because of the hard work - think how exhausting it is to sterlize and make bottles in the middle of the night. In the end, nursing is actually easier and so much healthier for both of you. It will get better. Each baby is different, and some of them go through a stage of nursing more frequently. If it gets worse,have your husband hold her or try different methods of soothing. Otherwise, hang in there and know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Also, nursing is amazing - so enjoy the gift you are giving your daughter.

around 2wks 5wks and 8wks babies have BIG growth spurts, they will nurse nurse nurse nurse nurse. Which is one of the reasons a lot of Moms think they aren't making enough milk, because they think if they were their baby wouldn't be so hungry :-D. But obviously you know you are making milk.

So here is my advice for your sleepy headed little one. Strip her down to just her diaper, rub her back the entire feeding play with her feet...basically annoy the heck out of her to keep her awake Talk to her sing to her etc.

Remember that this newborn stuff is a stage, and she will get better at nursing, she will grow, and you won't be sitting there for an hour every feeding while she enjoys her meal :-D

This is totally normal, and you are doing a great job! Try to relax and enjoy your baby. As she matures, she will be a more efficient nurser who can go longer between feedings. Rest whenever you can. Your body is going through a period of recovery and change, which is part of why you're tired. Breastfeeding forces you to rest, and that's a good thing. Be thankful that you have plenty of milk and she is good at getting it into her system as often as she needs it. It is quickly digested because it is perfectly suited to her little, growing body. Don't give up. It will get easier over time. This is how it's supposed to be, though in our parent-centered world, you'll hear differently. Babies need a lot of time and cuddling and milk to thrive. You're doing a good job. Try to go with the flow - LOL!

You can do it! Both my kids liked to "hang out at the bar" as one LC put it for the first 2-3 weeks of life. My daughter was a slow eater, so she'd nurse for a little bit, then fall asleep. In addition to all the tricks both Beths offered, I would gently blow in my daughter's face to keep her awake. By the third week, she'd wake up enough to nurse completely, but she was only a single side nurser at a time. She also had a very strong need for non-nutritive sucking, so if you're not opposed to a pacifier, give one to your baby. Otherwise, settle down for a lengthy nursing session.
With both my kids, I swear I spent HOURS on the couch nursing. With my first, I watched a lot of TV and read a lot of books during that time. With my second, I had to get out the toys for my daughter to play with while I nursed, and yes, sometimes she watched waaaaaay too much TV after her brother was born.
BEST OF LUCK! You're almost over the hump! Those first 2-3 weeks of breastfeeding (with BOTH kids) ranks among the hardest things I have ever done.

Hello J. ~ With the exception of Gwen you have received ALOT of great advice. Don't give up. You are doing a great job. I nursed my daughter until she was 12 months; she is now 4; my son is almost 6 months & I am also nursing him...I know how discouraging it can be but like everyone says it does get better & it does sound as if she is going through a little growth spurt. My little guy weighed 6 lbs 7 ozs on day 3 w/a home nurse visit he was at 6 lbs 2 ozs...i was orderd by his pediatrican to nurse, nurse, nurse I nursed him every 2 hours not easy at all; I like you was exhausted in 3 days he had gained 4 ozs...no problem gaining weight. My little guy I say is a lazy eater...he LOVES to sleep & will only nurse one side at a time; I do pump if he doesn't finish & on the weekends (hubby gives him a bottle so that I can sleep in a little) ;0) has not caused any problems w/nursing him at all. At his 4 month checkup he was at 14 lbs & now I guessing he's probably close to 20 lbs at almost 6 months; still exclusively nursed (no solids as of yet due to family history of food allergies). Congratulations on your little one & good luck.

Ok first your doing awesome pat yourself on the back because you are awesome!!!! Ok now from everything I know have done. Babies go through a growth spurt every so many weeks. 3-6-9 so forth. It may be a growth spurt or pacifier thing. Try a pacifier and see if that works to go to sleep. If not than she may be going through a growth spurt. Don't flip out relax and try to make it throught the next 6 days it will be hard but your doing well. You can try some cup feeding of formula to give your self a break if you want. It might help for night feedings. Good luck and keep up the good work.

J., remember you are both adjusting to a new schedule which, to me, sounds pretty normal. I know at times it can be exhausting, but keep in mind that you are bonding in a way with your little one like no one else can, all the while providing her with the healthiest beginning possible! Hang in there, it does get eaasier! Best of luck to you both.

Sincerely,
T. W.

when my LO did this, we found out she was really tired and only wanted the nursing to assist in falling asleep. We used other methods for getting her to fall asleep like bouncing in a sling, swing so she wouldn't get hooked on the breast for sleeping. Good Luck.

Dear J. C.,

It has been over 25 years since I was actively breastfeeding, but what you described sounded very natural and normal. Keep up the good work. It is very time consuming but so very good for you and your baby. The colustrum has good things for the baby before the actual milk comes in and many breastfed babies don't get as many ear infections, colds, etc. If you can find a local LaLeche League in your area, I would attend. You can take the baby right along and you get so much support and encouragement and meet new ladies who also breastfeed.

Sounds to me like you are already doing everything right, but if you would attend LaLeche, you would find out all you need to know about the subject. They charge a small fee to belong but if you just want to always be a visitor, I think that is still allowed. If you don't know where to look, call the hospital where your baby was born and ask the nurse for a phone number. They often have one on hand to help new moms out with.

Hope this helps some. Don't give up. As you get more practiced at it, you and baby get better. When the baby is a few months old you can change the butt and then put her in the bed with you and she will find your nipple and you can go back to sleep. It is so much easier in some ways than bottle feeding and no bottles to warm. You can also express some milk each time before feeding and freeze it to use when you have to leave the baby with a sitter for short times and just add to whatever is already in the freezer. It worked out well for me all those years ago. All you do is thaw and shake well. Of course you warm it if your baby is still young when you use it.

There is very little waste in breastmilk and it is digested more quickly than baby formula made from cow's milk. It is very exhausting for any new mom because they call it labor for a good reason. Young babies this age grow so much and that causes a need for more nutrition. Growth spurts cause much nursing. Get rest whenever you can fit some in, even if it's only 15 or 20 minutes at a time. Your housework will still be there when you get to it. Most of us ladies know that it's hard to keep a spotless house with a brand new infant in the house and most people come to see the baby; not your house.

You could offer her a pasifier but after being used to a warm breast nipple she may refuse it. The only way to know if she is really hungry or simply needs to suck is to offer one and see (after you feel she is done nursing) . Trial and error is how most of us learned what we did since no owner's manual comes with a new baby.

When I breastfed my youngest daughter my doctor did not know a thing about it and told me to supplement with formula. When you do that it tells your body to produce less milk and then you have to supplement more and more and before long you simply don't have enough at all and have to go totally to formula. If she has plenty of wet and poopy diapers she is getting plenty. If you are a smoker the drugs from your cigarettes go directly into the milk and that is not good for the baby, but if you don't smoke, just drink plenty of fluids.

L. C.

My little one did that too. It passed though. She's perfectly happy to go longer periods now. I asked my lactation consultant about it and she said plenty of newborns would rather 'snack' once an hour than eat any other way.

I`ve had 3 children(18 yr. old daughter, 5 and 9 yr. old sons) and with all 3 of them I breastfed and would give them 1 sometimes 2 bottles a day also. My sons seemed to have needed it more. The doctors tell you not to do that(it will "confuse" them) BUT mine were fine! It helps sooo much! It gives dad or grandma bonding time too! If you plan on going back to work it helps because the baby is use to the bottle! If you want to get away for a couple of hours-the baby will be fine and use to a bottle! I have had a couple of moms come into my daycare throughout the years just leaving the baby-expecting to take a bottle from me-when the have never tried themselves! That was awful! Just give your baby a couple ounces a day.

Just a few words of incuragement the longer you nurse the better your chances of NOT getting a few types of cancer. And the amazing health bennifits for your babys imunsystem. Congradulations, and it sounds like your doing a great job. Nursing is hard, I thought it would come naturaly, nope it's learned. Maybe for you could nap and nurse on and off all day. Stash a few snacks and a bottle of water near by for when your all of a sudden starving. One of the other things I did was to prep dinner so it didn't take as long to get that going. It seemed like my baby was allways hungry when I was. :)
Best of luck, A. H

I just wanted to tell you that Gwen is so very wrong. Babies need to eat, nearly constantly, in the beginning. Their job is to grow right now so they need all the calories they can get. Not to mention, breastmilk is very easily digested so it goes through babies quicker than anything else. Don't give up! Hang in there, it get much easier and I promise you'll enjoy it one day.

Also, in response to the person who said to test your supply with the pump: a pump is NOT a good indicator of supply. There's nothing like the response your body gives when you're nursing a real live baby. No pump could mimic that, so trying to pump to determine supply will always leave you coming up short. The best way to determine if baby is getting enough is to count wet diapers!

Congratulations on your baby and hang in there!

Get your supply checked out with either a pump or by weighing her before and after a feeding. If you have access to a lactation specialist call them. I had a similar experience- for me it turned out I wasn't making anywhere near the amount my daughter needed. I hope it is different for you, but it is best to have someone who does this for a living help make that decision.
Good Luck

First, Hooray for you that you are breastfeeding! It is the BEST thing to do for you and your baby! It's very normal for a newborn breastfeeding baby to eat that frequently. Her little tummy isn't big enough to hold her over much longer. Things will even out after your milk supply is established according to her needs....then of course she will have a growth spurt at about 6 weeks and things will ramp up again. If you think she might just need to suck you could offer her a pacifier AFTER she nurses. Keep in mind though that anything other than the breast could interfere with your milk supply. Be patient and don't give up. You are giving her the best start possible!

VERY VERY normal!!

I know some will disagree, but try co-sleeping... it's the only way to get some sleep and you'll find little one will sleep much easier if she's next to you and you don't have to get up out of bed.

It'll get easier.
Try to go to a La Leche League meeting too to find others that are nursing so you don't feel alone!

J.; yes this is perfectly normal, you are doing a great job , my oldest did exactly that and i was tired too at the end of two weeks but i think us breastfeeding moms do tire out more so, i was dead against pacifyers when i had my oldest but at the same time wehre you are now, we went and got one, it did help but those little babies like to eat, my son did 20 minutes on each breast then slept for 2 hours and when he woke up i changed him and fed him again and he slept etc, it got tiring, i understand but keep going , they will balance out and get older but cherish the time you get to breast feed now, and just keepy our strenth up, drink milk or water every time you breastfeed, this will help in your energy intake, sleep when bayb sleeps, let the house go, you will get to do that later, do bits and peices, just be happy , sing to baby while nursing, just enjoy D. s

That's how it is with breastfeeding. Hang in there and it will get better!

hey J. as long as you got alot of great advise from all but one mom as long as baby giving you lot of wet poopy you are doing great keep it up .and don't let anyone force you to give your baby formula all four of my girls ate on demand if that ment ever hour then ever hour when they go thur groth spurts they want a little more I DID CO SLEEPING TOO .do you start on the side you leave off on ?KEEP IT UP YOUR DOING GREAT YOUR GIVING YOUR NEW BABY THE BEST START IN LIFE YOU CAN

You got a lot of great replies I just wanted to say that it is very normal and hang in there if will get easier! I spent alot of time sitting on the couch reading to my toddlers or watching DVDs with them those first several weeks with a new baby!
Blessings, K.

She is probably cluster feeding. Newborns go through spurts of cluster feeding at around 3 weeks and 6 weeks (don't quote me on the exact weeks but I'm sure you can look it up) where they feed like crazy for about 24 hours in order to build up your milk supply as they grow and their nutritional needs increase. Just hang in there and you'll get through it. It's definitely worth it for the benefit of the baby and nursing will help you lose all the pregnancy weight very quickly. It's so worth it. Good luck.

i have a 5 week old at home and was in your shoes a couple of weeks ago. i was very frustrated, tired, and was getting sore nipples! then I read that a common growth spurt occurs around 3 weeks and that the baby may want to cluster feed. I thought the first real growth spurt didn't occur until 6-7 weeks. After a week, my baby settled back into a more consistent 2 1/2 hr cycle again. Hang in there.

Your daughter may be going through a growth spurt. During such times babies will eat more frequently; it lasts for several days. Regardless, it takes a few weeks for both mother and baby to get in a good nursing groove... give it more time - things will smooth out!

I'd like to add that the suggestion from Gwen (below) seems alarmist. Certainly you should consult your pediatrician if you have concerns, but from what you've described, the situation with your daughter seems totally normal - there's no need to supplement with formula or "run" to your pediatrician.

You have gotten some really great support/advice already. I do agree that it is probably a growth spurt.

I found the book "The Nursing Mother's Companion" by Kathleen Huggins, R.N, M.S. to be a great and comforting resource... especially at 3/4a.m. feedings!

"What to Expect You Child's First Year" was also a good resource for me. It does address breastfeeding throughout the book, as well.

Best of luck! It does get easier! I did give my daughter a bottle or 2 a day (actually, let other people give her the bottle), and that eased some of the nursing tension for me, too. Be flexible, be easy on yourself- you are doing your best and your baby knows it!

T.