This doesn't last forever right?

Noelle_303 · #1 April 7th, 2011, 02:01 AM

Breastfeeding a newborn is exhausting.

When she was born she fed every two hours for about 40 minutes... it was just a cycle of feeding and pumping with sore nipples and breasts.

Now she's coming up to a month old and the feeds are stretching to about 2 1/2 - 3 hours apart which should mean there is light at the end of a tunnel right?! It will become easier and I will one day manage to do something else other than breastfeed?

Cause I am exhausted and did not get more than 3 hours of sleep for a month. My favorite part is when she decides to feed every hour for about three hours in a row in the middle of the night...

mgm78 · #2 April 7th, 2011, 04:58 AM

it will get easier. why were you pumping too? just curious. hang in there!

ashley5 · #3 April 7th, 2011, 06:01 AM

Stay strong it does get easier:] I think around the month mark I was exhausted of bfing too, but she got a little better, and found alot of joy in bfing. I went through a couple of weeks where I contemptated just giving her bottles b/c it's so much faster, but this is just me, I realized that I had a goal of bfing her and I found myself being selfish and wanting to stop for not the right reasons. I started focusing on the benefits of bfing, the bond and how close I feel to her that no one else can have with her. That's what kept me from quiting. Maybe you'll have to find something to focus on the make it through the tough days.

L-SBB · #4 April 7th, 2011, 06:01 AM

(HUGS) it does get easier....i remember the first month and it seemed like i never slept and all i did was feed her, just getting enough time to take a shower seemed like a major accomplishment in my day. It gets a lot easier, and actually sooner than I thought...I think by the time we moved past her 10 week growth spurt she was eating every 2-3 hours instead of every 45 mins.

Hang in there, before you know it you'll be where I am and having to chase her to get her to eat anything b/c once they're walking they can't be bothered with boring things like eating anymore

Noelle_303 · #5 April 7th, 2011, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgm78

it will get easier. why were you pumping too? just curious. hang in there!

My milk supply in the beginning was very low.

Thanks girls...that makes me feel better. I'm so determined to do it though and I'm not giving it up...as hard and exhausting it is, I just love it too much, you know?

It was easier though the first week when my mom was here (I am single and it's just me and my daughter living together).

L-SBB - what a lovely name your daughter has

ashley5 · #6 April 7th, 2011, 10:57 AM

I applaude you for being single mother, that's got to be very hard/challenging at times, but you're doing a great job! Bfing gets easier with time, and the sessions get shorter too, as they become more efficient eaters:}

Hazel · #7 April 7th, 2011, 01:30 PM

Yes, it will get easier

The first six weeks or so were the exhausting ones with both my boys since they eat so often and have a couple of big growth spurts--but then they settle into their own little rhythms and go longer between feedings and I started to get more rest

Jule'sMomInOR · #8 April 7th, 2011, 01:32 PM

It totally gets better. It seems like Juliana took a long time to go more than 2 1/2-3 hours without nursing, but she got more efficient at it and the nursing sessions got to be more like 5-10 minutes each within a couple months. The first month is by far the hardest.

Lala78 · #9 April 7th, 2011, 08:19 PM

Ripley still eats every 1.5-2 hours, but usually only eats for a few minutes (6 or less). Then at night she nurses forever! That's fine since we are both sleeping when this happens. For the most part.

provosto · #10 April 8th, 2011, 02:53 AM

It's definitely getting easier already!! My little one just turned 2 months old yesterday and I'm not constantly feeding anymore which is nice. She still has her times of wanting to eat, eat, eat but we've had quite a few 6 hour stretches at night. Last night was 8 hours BUT she had her shots yesterday so I think that had something to do with it. I side-lie nurse in bed with her and that helps to get A LOT more sleep (although not necessarily quality sleep but I'll take what I can get) if you're comfortable with doing that.

stargatemommy · #11 April 8th, 2011, 10:53 AM

It is pretty exhausting! I sure hope it gets easier!

sugarloafbaby · #12 April 8th, 2011, 12:35 PM

It does get easier, that's for sure. The leaking, the swollen breasts, the 3 hour marathon feeds - it all eases up as time goes on. I remember feeling like I would NEVER make it to the 6 week mark! DD still BFs every 2-3 hrs, but she rarely eats for more than 10 minutes. She is very efficient! Plus, she sleeps better and the feeds are quick at night (although the night waking has not let up, which I've heard is pretty common.)

Noelle_303 · #13 April 9th, 2011, 01:44 AM

I did end up co-sleeping

But I don't know...I've never tried side-lie nursing, maybe I look it into it and try. I'll take any minute of sleep I can get at this point!

provosto · #14 April 9th, 2011, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Noelle_303

I did end up co-sleeping

But I don't know...I've never tried side-lie nursing, maybe I look it into it and try. I'll take any minute of sleep I can get at this point!

Definitely see if it works for you guys because I fall asleep within probably a minute of her latching on and don't tend to wake up until her next feeding--or when she used to wake up for a feeding that she is now sleeping through just because my body was used to it.

lunarmagic · #15 April 9th, 2011, 08:09 PM

Side-lying nursing is THE BEST thing ever, I got so much sleep when I started doing that because we never moved all night except to change sides. She would eat, I would sleep.

But regardless, yes it does get better!! They get much quicker about nursing, they space out more, and it becomes a lot less like juggling when you do nurse. When Kate was still nursing every 3 hours during the day at 5 months old it was just a matter of me plunking my butt down anywhere for 3 minutes and feeding her, then off we went again. Much much easier.

BigGrin · #16 April 10th, 2011, 05:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lunarmagic

Side-lying nursing is THE BEST thing ever, I got so much sleep when I started doing that because we never moved all night except to change sides. She would eat, I would sleep.

nak so ditto

Noelle_303 · #17 April 10th, 2011, 05:26 AM

So you guys don't wake up when babies stop nursing...I just put her on the boob and go to sleep until it's time to latch her on again?

lunarmagic · #18 April 10th, 2011, 06:57 AM

Personally I would stay barely awake while she was nursing but I'd drift in and out... when she was done I'd cover myself up again (I get really cold) and fall asleep with her. But even though I was awake I wasn't really *awake*... just kind of drifting in and out. But some of my friends really do fall asleep.

QueenCrafty · #19 April 10th, 2011, 08:22 AM

Side lying took a bit of practice to get the most comfortable position, but it's a life saver. During growth spurts she would eat all night so yes I would fall asleep while she was still latched on. Now that she's older, she will fidget in bed so I just pull her in, she eats for maybe five minutes and then she pops off and rolls over on her own, and then i go back to sleep.

sugarloafbaby · #20 April 10th, 2011, 08:35 AM

I always side lay and nurse at night. Now that she is bigger, I am mostly awake for the feeding since she is so fidgety. I always take her back to her crib after she's done though since I sleep better that way. Sometimes I fall asleep during nursing, but its only when I'm really tired. When she was smaller, I would fall asleep for much longer stretches. We also have a smaller bed, so I just like to err on the side of caution when it comes to cosleeping, which is why I try to move her back to her crib.