cant get my baby to nurse long enough

[happy_momma]

My 6 day old daughter is super sleepy and wake up to nurse but only for 5 mins. It takes about 1/2 hour to wake her in order to get 5 mins out of her. She has only pooped 3 times today and is 6 days old. What can I do. I am so worried I am gonna lose my supply and that she is not getting enough.

[alegna]

That could be enough poops. Is her poop yellow yet? Has all the mec. passed? How many wet diapers a day?

good luck!

-Angela

[SpiderMum]

I had this problem with DD. She slept too much, didn't eat enough, then slept even more because she wasn't getting enough food. We had to make her stay awake while eating. I'd sit there and rub her head with a wet rag while she nursed to keep her from falling asleep again. After a couple days she was getting more food and wasn't falling asleep as much. You can also try stripping them down to a diaper to wake them up, playing with their feet, etc.

[jmmom]

I'd switchnurse - AS SOON as you see her sucking slow (usually after only about 1 minute), switch her to the other breast. This should stir her a little and also make sure she's getting good letdowns. I'd also watch her sleep cycles and try to wake her as she shifts into a lighter stage of sleep - my ds has always been really tough to wake when he's in deep sleep.

That's way more pooping than mine did at that age, btw...mine didn't poop for 13 days, and we're still nursing like crazy at 22 months! Relax, do your best, it can take awhile to establish good breastfeeding, you aren't going to mess anything up in 1 day. Make sure there are plenty of wet diapers, watch for yellow seedy poop as alegna said. If she's nursing for 5 minutes every half hour, she could actually be getting enough...

[CellarDoor]

How many wet diapers? I think she should have 6-8/day. Urine should be pale in color.

Some things to try: Undress baby to diaper before nursing (hot baby=sleepy baby), blow in her face to keep her awake, change diaper before changing sides, tickle feet, put something cold on her feet, bounce/swing baby around a bit before nursing (gently, but somehow stimulating her).

Good luck and try not to worry too much (DO keep track of wet diapers and any signs of dehydration, though).

[ICURNMama]

I don't have alot of advice, just and an encouragment that very soon this stage will be over. My DD is 2 mos now and the memory of the exhaustion, frustration and worry of every 30min feeds is already starting to fade. Like the PP said, watch for dehydration, and other then that, things are going to get so much easier soon.

[LoganBsMom]

I came here to write the same post! DD is about 8 days, and same thing, sleep, sleep, sleep. Get her awake long enough to latch on, nurse about 2 minutes, repeat. I am trying desperatly not to freak out, I had supply issues with my first and worry I am starving her. I like the 3-4 hour stretch of sleep at night, but I think I would like it better if it were only 2. Anyway, good luck!