Why Is My Baby Still Hungry After Nursing
Your breasts will produce more milk as your baby consumes more of it. You can ensure that you will have enough milk to nourish your baby in the coming weeks by feeding him when he needs to eat. A baby could occasionally still be hungry if he wasnt adequately latched to your breast and didnt receive a full feeding.
This Guest Blog From Breastfeeding Counsellor Emma Pickett Discusses The Dangers Of Promoting A Strict Feeding Schedule At The Expense Of Responsive Flexible Infant Feeding
Add your voice to Unicef UKs Change the Conversation campaign, calling on UK governments to take urgent action to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
Somehow, somewhere, new mothers got the message that the gap between when a baby stops a breastfeed and the time they start to need another one matters a very very great deal. 24 hours a day.
It seems to matter beyond all logic and reason. They see this magic number 90 minutes, 2 hours, 3 hours as a measure of something sacred.
And its crap.
There are mums sitting at home, relaxing and nesting with their gorgeous new baby. Theres a disk from a box set in the DVD player, a cup of tea on the go, a recent chat with a friend. Breastfeeding is going well. Weight gain is fine. Baby is content. But when baby shows hunger cues after only 40 minutes instead of the hoped for 1 hr 30 minutes, their heart sinks and they feel a sense something is fundamentally wrong. They arent doing it right. Their friends baby goes longer. Doubts creep in.
As adults, we grab a cup of tea, a glass of water, a sweet, a snack. We respond to our personal cues and were flexible depending on time of day, the temperature, our mood, our energy levels. Many go to bed with a glass of water or sip from a bottle throughout the day. I dont know any adults that look at their watch and say, Only 30 minutes till my next sip of water or mint! Not long now. But yet we expect teeny growing babies to be governed by this artificial notion of time.
How Can I Continue Breastfeeding If Im Away From My Baby
There may be occasions while youre still exclusively breastfeeding during the first six months when you need to leave your baby for a couple of hours or even longer if you have to return to work or go away for a day or two.
Dont feel like you have to give up breastfeeding at this point. You can still continue giving your child the benefits of breast milk by pumping milk that can be fed to him while youre not there, as Cathy explains:
Express milk for a couple of days beforehand, taking small quantities maybe 40 to 60 ml at a time so you have a bank ready for whoever will be caring for your baby. By taking small amounts, you wont affect your milk supply.
If youre returning to work, talk to your employer to get a plan in place. Many mums breastfeed their baby at night and do the first and last feeds. Then they express at lunchtime to ease any discomfort and provide milk for the next day.
Its usually much easier than people think its going to be, and many workplaces are set up for it these days, she adds. Breast pumps are efficient and will help you manage this juggling act easily.
Natalie, mum of one, US, describes her routine: I feed Dylan as soon as he wakes, and sometimes again before I go to work to get my supply going and have that connection. I pump twice at work for the next day and then hurry home for his evening feed. At the weekends, I dont pump and he goes back to just breastfeeding.
Also Check: How To Help Newborn Sleep In Bassinet
Is Baby Getting Enough Milk
Weight gain:Normal newborns may lose up to 7% of birth weight in the first few days. After moms milk comes in, the average breastfed baby gains 6 oz/week . Take baby for a weight check at the end of the first week or beginning of the second week. Consult with babys doctor and your lactation consultant if baby is not gaining as expected.
Dirty diapers:In the early days, baby typically has one dirty diaper for each day of life . After day 4, stools should be yellow and baby should have at least 3-4 stools daily that are the size of a US quarter or larger. Some babies stool every time they nurse, or even more oftenthis is normal, too. The normal stool of a breastfed baby is loose and may be seedy or curdy.
Wet diapers:In the early days, baby typically has one wet diaper for each day of life . Once moms milk comes in, expect 5-6+ wet diapers every 24 hours. To feel what a sufficiently wet diaper is like, pour 3 tablespoons of water into a clean diaper. A piece of tissue in a disposable diaper will help you determine if the diaper is wet.
How Long Will Medicare Pay For Long Term Nursing
Medicare covers up to 100 days of care in a skilled nursing facility each benefit period. If you need more than 100 days of SNF care in a benefit period, you will need to pay out of pocket. If your care is ending because you are running out of days, the facility is not required to provide written notice.
You May Like: Can A Newborn Over Eat
What To Do If Baby Isnt Eating Enough Breastmilk
If you think your baby isnt getting enough breastmilk, get breastfeeding support from your babys doctor or a lactation consultant. They can help you and your baby work through latching problems, low milk supply and feeding positions, and identify any underlying problems like tongue-tie. Just like you support your baby with breastmilk, theyre here to support you!
Choose a location and call to make an appointment with a lactation consultant
What Clothes Are Best For Easy Access
Nursing bras: A variety of nursing bras are available with snaps, clasps, and flaps that open and attach either in the middle or on the bra straps. Which kind of bra you use is up to you and what you find most comfortable.
If you buy your bras before you deliver, just remember that your breast size will likely increase as your breasts fill with milk, and then change again as your body adjusts to breastfeeding.
Tops: You can buy special nursing wear or just wear shirts that open in the front. Or try a comfortable shirt or sweater that you can easily pull down or pull up to allow your baby to feed.
Whatever type of clothes you wear, they’ll probably need to be slightly larger than your pre-pregnancy size because your breasts are likely to be bigger than usual while you’re nursing..
Read Also: How Often To Feed Formula To Newborn
Youre Changing A Lot Of Diapers Each Day
Diaper duty starts small but, before you know it, those diapers pile up.
How many dirty diapers should a newborn have per day? And what about poopy diapers? One thing thats helpful to remember is that during their first week, your baby will have about the same number of wet and poopy diapers as the days of their life. After that, parents can expect to change eight to 10 diapers each day.
- Day 1: At least one wet and one poop
- Day 2: At least two wets and two poops
- Day 3: At least three wets and three poops
- Day 4: At least four wets and four poops
- Day 5 and beyond: At least 5-6 wets and 3-4 poops
Thats a lot of dirty diapers! To keep babys skin healthy, change them as soon you can and make sure to get into all the folds of babys skin when cleaning out the poop.
Also pay attention to your little ones bottom. If you notice redness, bumps or signs of severe diaper rash, talk to your babys doctor about what you can do.
Breast Or : Which Is Best For Each Breastfeeding
In the not so distant past, doctors advised women to switch breasts mid-feeding, allowing baby to start their suckling on one side and finish on the other.
Today, doctors know that each breastfeeding consists of two types of milk. Experts at the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology say the first to be expressed is the “fore milk,” which quenches your baby’s thirst while supplying sugar, proteins, minerals, and fluid. The second, more filling, and hardier release is “hind milk.” This is the creamy, high-fat, super satisfying and most nutritious milk, and necessary for baby’s growth and development.
“If you switch breasts mid-feeding, you risk giving your baby only fore milk and no hind milk. So it’s vital that you continue to feed until your breast is fully drained, then turn to the other breast for the next feeding,” says Huotari.
Here’s another bonus to breastfeeding one side at a time: The more watery fore milk often causes a baby to have cramps or problems with gas. If you stick with one breast per feeding, making certain your baby is getting hind milk, your baby will likely have less gas and be less cranky as result.
If, after completing a feeding on one breast and being burped, your baby is still hungry, Huotari suggests you go back to the original breast where you started the feeding. Turn to the second breast only after the original breast seems fully expressed.
Read Also: How To Bond With Your Newborn Baby
Can I Still Breastfeed With More Than 1 Baby
Twins, triplets and other multiples can be breastfed. In fact, because multiple babies are more likely to be born prematurely and have a low birthweight, breast milk is especially important for them.
When you start breastfeeding, you may find it easier to feed each of your babies separately. When you feel more confident, you can feed them at the same time. This may take a few weeks.
It can be really helpful to talk to other mothers who have breastfed twins, either at an antenatal group or at a twins group in your area. Triplets can be breastfed, either 2 together and then 1 after, or all 3 rotated at each feed.
Breast Vs Bottle Feeding Time
Babies suck differently on the bottle compared to at the breast. Now, some babies have a difficult time with the bottle and feedings can take long, too. But, since the flow of infant formula or breast milk from a bottle nipple is steady, a bottle-fed baby with a regular, consistent suck can generally finish a bottle in about 10 minutes.
The flow of milk from the breast is not steady like a bottle. Breast milk may start out slow then flow faster once the milk lets down. The flow slows down again as the milk empties the breast.
Breastfed babies adjust their suck speed to the flow of breast milk. They suck approximately once per second or slower when the milk is flowing quickly, and speed up the sucking when the milk flow slows down. So, the time it takes to breastfeed depends on the amount and flow of breast milk and the babyâs suck.
Read Also: How To Make A Newborn Baby Stop Crying
Recommended Reading: What Do You Do For A Constipated Newborn
Factors That Affect Breastfeeding Time
Some breastfed babies can take a full feeding in 8 minutes. Others need 30 minutes or more to get the same amount of breast milk. Factors that influence a baby’s feeding time include:
- Age: An older baby can typically get enough breast milk in a shorter period.
- Alertness: A sleepy baby may not breastfeed as well or as fast as a baby who is awake and alert.
- Flow: If your breast milk flows quickly and you have an active let-down reflex, there is more milk available for your baby right away. However, if your flow is slow and your let-down is difficult or delayed, it can take longer for your baby to get enough milk.
- Health: A premature baby or a baby born with a health issue may tire out easily while breastfeeding frequent breaks can prolong feeding time.
- Latch: A good latch helps a baby more effectively remove breast milk and therefore get a full feeding in less time.
- Milk supply: If you have a low breast milk supply or your baby is going through a growth spurt, your baby may spend more time breastfeeding to try to get more breast milk.
How Often Should I Breastfeed
Newborn babies should breastfeed 812 times per day for about the first month. Breast milk is easily digested, so newborns are hungry often. Frequent feedings helps stimulate your milk production during the first few weeks.
In the first few weeks of life, breastfeeding should be “on demand” , which is about every 1-1/2 to 3 hours. As newborns get older, they’ll nurse less often, and may have a more predictable schedule. Some might feed every 90 minutes, whereas others might go 23 hours between feedings.
Newborns should not go more than about 4 hours without feeding, even overnight.
Recommended Reading: Should A Newborn Sleep In Your Room
Baby Is Gaining Weight As Expected
Its normal for a newborns weight to fluctuate during the first few days of their life. Typically, by day 10, a babys weight has rebounded to their birth weight. Until 6 months of age, babies usually gain between 5 and 8 ounces a week. At five months, your babys weight should be double what it was at birth.
Other Factors That Influence How Long A Baby Should Nurse For
There is quite a bit of variation from baby to baby when it comes to how long they nurse. It also depends on how old your baby is.
The age of your baby is the more important factor. Because your baby must spend a lot of energy just staying warm in the first few weeks, you can expect that they wont need as much milk as they get older.
Also, they probably wont fall asleep on you for the first few weeks because theyre too busy just learning how to eat.
As your baby gets older, youll see less nursing, and theyll fall asleep more often while they nurse.
In later months, breastfeeding becomes more of a sibling bonding time.
The World Health Organization recommends that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life. Many mothers are able to continue breastfeeding after that time, if they choose.
That is a different type of breastfeeding, however, because youll be offering a combination of breast milk and solid foods at this time.
Also Check: What To Give A Newborn For Colic
How Many Years Is A Nursing Program
Registered nurse: two years in an associate program to earn an associate degree, or four years to earn a bachelors nursing degree. Advanced practice registered nurse: at least six years of total education to earn bachelors and masters degrees more than eight years if your specialty also requires a doctorate degree.
Watch For Cues That Your Baby Is Hungry
You can help make sure your baby is eating enough by looking for opportunities to breastfeed, rather than waiting until baby is upset and crying.
If your baby is hungry, theyll let you know in a variety of ways ranging from subtle suggestions to outright demands. We talk about these in terms of early cues, mid cues and late cues.
Early hunger cues can include stirring from sleep, opening their mouth or turning their head toward your breast when you stroke the corner of their mouth.
If you dont respond to these early cues, baby has other ways to let you know which brings us to mid cues. Some common mid cues are stretching, becoming more physically active and bringing their hand to their mouth.
If these mid-cues dont result in a breastfeeding session, baby will take drastic measures to let you know that they are really, really hungry. Theyll cry and howl. Theyll flail their arms and legs around. Theyll turn red from all the exertion. These are late feeding cues and at this point, baby is often too upset to eat. So, youll need to calm them before you can feed them.
This poster shows what babys feeding cues may look like.
Also Check: What All To Buy For A Newborn Baby
Using A Babys Weight As An Indication
Your babys weight is another great indicator of how much you should nurse them. For example, if a baby is too light in weight, they will require a bit more nursing time than a baby thats growing well.
If you notice that your baby is not growing at the rate it should be, you might want to consider allocating more time to nursing. Conversely, if your baby is a bit on the overweight side, you can actually dial your nursing back a bit.
Should I Feed My Baby For A Certain Number Of Minutes Per Breast
Don’t remove your baby from the breast. Allow him to tell you when he’s done with the first breast. You’ll know he’s had enough when he removes himself or when he stops sucking for longer than a few minutes. There’s no specific amount of time he should spend on each breast. If he wants to take the second breast, that’s fine. If not, that’s okay too. It’s important to allow your baby to determine the end of the feeding to allow him access to the higher fat, creamier milk that usually comes near the end of the session. If you remove the baby after a specific amount of time you may hinder his ability to get enough of the creamier milk.
Read Also: What Is Newborn Stem Cell Preservation