New to breastfeeding, need help please

[organicpapayamama]

So my dd is almost 4 weeks old. We seem to be doing great nursing. Latch is great and she feeds frequently. She has tons of pee diapers. My first question is she isn't pooping a whole lot. My ds and myself tend to go a few days without a bm and it seems dd is the same. I get a poop diaper about once every 2-3 days. While it's normal for my ds and I is this typical of a breastfed newborn? There are no other signs that there may be anything wrong. Also at night she is a great sleeper. I usually have to wake her to feed her. I do so about every 3-4 hours. At her 2 week check up she more than gained her birth weight. Should I keep waking her to feed? And if so when can I start letting her sleep as long as she wants?

[mnagi]

Congratulations on your baby! You may find this thread on baby poop reassuring, from over on 'Life With a Babe'. What you describe is well within the range of normal: http://www.mothering.com/discussions....php?t=1227684

As for sleep, I was in a similar position and at around 4-5 weeks decided to trust baby to wake me if he needed food, which it turns out he did. My understanding is that by this age, as long as they're gaining weight well and you have no supply issues, it's perfectly fine to let them sleep till they wake. Maybe you could call a lactation consultant or La Leche League for a more specific answer? Otherwise, I'd make the most of getting some good stretches of sleep in!

[organicpapayamama]

Thank for the link! I'm not so worried anymore. The last poop was about 3 days ago. It was a massive explosion that leaked all the way up to her back... :/ it was bath time for baby and mama. And before that it was also 3 days so perhaps she saves it for a "poo-splosion"?? Lol

[LorenaAZ]

My little one was EBF and she was not an every day pooper. The longest she went without a DM was 14 days! I almost lost my mind and went to the pediatrician more times than I should have (but he`s my exhusband`s best friend and he understood the first time parents anxiety). He kept telling us that his little patient who went the longest went 18 days without a poop!! And he was a healthy infant. They eventually grow out of it.

Congrats on your little one!! Try not to worry too much.

[livinlovinlaughin]

My DS was EBF and only had a BM once a week which turned into biweekly then once a month! He never had a problem. As long as the BM is not formed or hard everythign is normal. My DS just absorbed everything
Once he started solids at 12months things began to change. He wats all whole foods no junk and now he goes almost daily. Only one time did he get a little bound up (after started solids) but I just rubbed his back and soothed him to make it easier for him to allow it to happen without pain or anxiety. I worried some too even though I knew it was his normal. Just be sure the BM is soft and things will be fine.