[lmunoz8517]

Hey ladies, Carlie was born on the 21st (she is not even 48 hours old yet). I know she should be eating every 2-3, 4 at most hours. The thing is she only wants to eat every 6 or so hours. She is such a good baby, hardly cries and sleeps great. I am a little concerned. I know she won't starve her self and at this young she really doesn't need that much but I also know my body needs her to be at the breast more to stimulate production. I try to get her to eat every 2 or 3 hours but nothing works. I have tried undressing her, a cold wash cloth, flicking her feet, diaper changes, talking, sinking, stoking her lips.....nothing will make the girl eat until she is ready. Sometimes she won't wake up enough but sometimes she just lays their with my breast in her mouth and stares at me. Its like she is saying nope, not until I am ready lol!

So should I keep forcing the issue? Should I call her pedi and have her checked just to make sure she is ok? Should I just let her be and know that she won't starve her self?

I also can feel my milk coming in, they are heavier and heavier every time I start feeding, I can also feel a let down and see the change in her swallowing patterns so I know she is being rewarded for her efforts. My gut tells me she is just fine and is getting what she needs but I worry that I am not worried enough lol!

Thanks in advance for any advice and opinions!!

[mgm78]

I would just keep putting her at the breast, skin to skin contact. If you had an epidural you may have a sleepy baby until it is out of her system. (here is some info on sleepy baby post epidural The Birth of a Breastfeeding Baby and Mother )

here is some advice from Kelly mom on working with a sleepy baby
http://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/new...sleepy-babies/

It should only get better. I would keep a log of nursing sessions and diapers (wet diapers) and if there is a concern, I would call your dr/ped and talk to them. Formula is not the solution for a sleepy baby, so if that is the only solution you get from them, contact your local La Leche league or an LC. But this should get easier, and with your milk coming in, should only get easier.

[hope71012]

I didn't have any drugs during L&D (I was taking medicine afterwords for afterpains...ouch) and DD2 was still VERY sleepy. She still is sleepy.

What worked for us during those first few days was skin to skin. I laid in bed with baby top less, baby in a diaper or just a onsie. I googled different positions and kept trying different ones. My milk came in at the 48 hr mark and I had to express some milk before DD could latch on because I was so full. Staying topless helped because she would help herself, sometimes not even wake up for fuss. She was just start kind of rooting in her sleep and latch on.