Breastfeeding Your Newborn Baby - 5 Tips For Surviving Cluster Feedings
How many times have you heard yourself or someone say, "It must be a growth spurt; my baby is nursing all the time.
" "Honey, the baby's hungry again.
" "No, she couldn't be; I just fed her 30 minutes ago.
" "I really think she's hungry.
She's sucking on her hands.
" "But I couldn't possibly have anything left to feed her.
My breasts are completely empty!" Well, muster up for the cluster because many babies do it, especially in the first few weeks and at growth spurts.
Just what is cluster feeding? Frequent feeding: every 15-60 minutes for 3-6 hours in a row.
It sometimes feels like a continuous loop, so let's get you prepared before it takes you by surprise.
1.
Understand your baby-Babies Need to Eat Frequently.
Want to take a guess at how fast babies grow? What's your best guess? Did you say that by the time she is four months old she will double her birth weight.
Holy moley, that's a lot of weight to gain.
I wouldn't mind trying that: caramel sundaes, onion rings, peach pancakes with whipped cream and real maple syrup.
Oh, yum, but only in my dreams.
But for your little baby? It's a reality, so just imagine how often she has to eat to make that happen.
Breastmilk, breastmilk, creamy, sweet breastmilk 8, 9, 10, 14 times a day.
2.
Learn to nurse lying down-The breastfeeding mother's dream.
I often tell women that they won't fall in love with breastfeeding until they learn to nurse lying down.
Now I know that lying down does not work for everyone, but what a way to sleep while little Emma feeds.
My advice? Practice, practice, practice during the day from the very beginning.
Make sure you have a firm, flat surface to lie on.
Read Dr.
James McKenna's guidelines for safe co-sleeping before you start this.
3.
Early to Bed-Plenty of sleep makes a mother healthy, wealthy and wise.
Babies often cluster feed in the evening between 4:00 and midnight.
Eat an early dinner and settle in for an early bedtime and a longer rest.
New moms need 12 hours of sleep a night for the first 6-7 weeks.
Why?
So sleep as much as you can while your baby eats, especially when cluster feeding and night feeding.
4.
Understand milk production-You're making milk while your baby's drinking.
All of those fabulous milk producing cells are making milk all the time, even when little Tommy is drinking.
So by the time he finishes eating, your breasts, which have been filling back up, are ready for him to eat again, if he wanted to.
The volume will be less, but when the volume of milk in the breast is small, the cream content is high.
Think sweetened condensed milk.
5.
Understand cluster feedings-The more baby drinks, the more milk you make.
It's all about supply and demand.
Cluster feedings are a big boost to your milk production.
Baby drinks; breasts produce.
Baby drinks more; breasts produce more.
Baby drinks frequently; breasts make milk faster.
" "Honey, the baby's hungry again.
" "No, she couldn't be; I just fed her 30 minutes ago.
" "I really think she's hungry.
She's sucking on her hands.
" "But I couldn't possibly have anything left to feed her.
My breasts are completely empty!" Well, muster up for the cluster because many babies do it, especially in the first few weeks and at growth spurts.
Just what is cluster feeding? Frequent feeding: every 15-60 minutes for 3-6 hours in a row.
It sometimes feels like a continuous loop, so let's get you prepared before it takes you by surprise.
1.
Understand your baby-Babies Need to Eat Frequently.
Want to take a guess at how fast babies grow? What's your best guess? Did you say that by the time she is four months old she will double her birth weight.
Holy moley, that's a lot of weight to gain.
I wouldn't mind trying that: caramel sundaes, onion rings, peach pancakes with whipped cream and real maple syrup.
Oh, yum, but only in my dreams.
But for your little baby? It's a reality, so just imagine how often she has to eat to make that happen.
Breastmilk, breastmilk, creamy, sweet breastmilk 8, 9, 10, 14 times a day.
2.
Learn to nurse lying down-The breastfeeding mother's dream.
I often tell women that they won't fall in love with breastfeeding until they learn to nurse lying down.
Now I know that lying down does not work for everyone, but what a way to sleep while little Emma feeds.
My advice? Practice, practice, practice during the day from the very beginning.
Make sure you have a firm, flat surface to lie on.
Read Dr.
James McKenna's guidelines for safe co-sleeping before you start this.
3.
Early to Bed-Plenty of sleep makes a mother healthy, wealthy and wise.
Babies often cluster feed in the evening between 4:00 and midnight.
Eat an early dinner and settle in for an early bedtime and a longer rest.
New moms need 12 hours of sleep a night for the first 6-7 weeks.
Why?
- This makes a tremendous difference in your sense of well being.
Sleep deprivation makes anyone get a little manic and then it's hard to get your mind to relax.
Please your hormones are causing your emotions to run high; sleep helps tame them.
- Every time you nurse, that wonderful oxytocin (makes everything seem so good-wish they could bottle it) floods your body and gets your milk flowing.
And guess what else? It makes you sleepy. - Every time your baby touches your skin, which happens when she cuddles skin to skin with you and when she nurses, your body releases cholecystokinin which cause sedation.
So sleep as much as you can while your baby eats, especially when cluster feeding and night feeding.
4.
Understand milk production-You're making milk while your baby's drinking.
All of those fabulous milk producing cells are making milk all the time, even when little Tommy is drinking.
So by the time he finishes eating, your breasts, which have been filling back up, are ready for him to eat again, if he wanted to.
The volume will be less, but when the volume of milk in the breast is small, the cream content is high.
Think sweetened condensed milk.
5.
Understand cluster feedings-The more baby drinks, the more milk you make.
It's all about supply and demand.
Cluster feedings are a big boost to your milk production.
Baby drinks; breasts produce.
Baby drinks more; breasts produce more.
Baby drinks frequently; breasts make milk faster.
