my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side

• 11-01-2009 9:39 AM

  scarlet_willow Joined on 12-14-2007 James 23 July '08, Henry 26 Oct '09 Posts 727

  my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact I'm worried that my 6 day old, Henry isn't getting enough from me.  He was born Monday morning weighing 8lb 7 oz, by his Dr appointment on Thursday morning he weighed 7 lb 12 oz.  The Dr. said it was alot to lose, but that it was an OK amount and that we shouldn't worry.  My milk came in on Thursday, so hopefully that was the lowest his weight got before he started gaining again.  BUT he only wants to nurse for 5 min on each side every 2-3 hours (sometimes more often at night).  My la leche stuff says they need more like 10-15 on each side.  So I've been stripping Henry down to his diaper for feedings, tickling his feet, rubbing his torso, playing with his hands, burping and diaper changing before each side but none of that is making any difference in the length of time he nurses.  We even tried putting a cool cloth on his forehead but that just pissed him off haha  Rarely i can get him to go 10 min, but that's kinda with him falling asleep and still sucking, but not necessarily swallowing after the first 4-5 min.  I spoke with a lactation consultant on Friday and she basically told me to do what I have been doing (stripping down to his diaper), but she also had me start to pump whenever I feel like he doesn't have a good nursing.  So during the day i will pump 10-15 min on one or both sides.  I usually don't get any milk or maybe 1/2 an oz combined.  Does this mean he is draining my breasts within 4-5 minutes???  They definetly feel firm and then less firm after a feeding, but I feel pretty full of milk all the time anyways.  With my first son I never pumped this early on, but I would leak and leak in between feedings and I leak alot less this time.  Also, I havn't seen my milk sparying out, but only dripping out.  Does this mean I have less milk?  We are going to see the lactation consultant tomorrow afternoon to weigh Henry before and after a feeding to help find out how much he is getting.  I hope they can spot anything that may be wrong, or just reasure me that everything is OK.  I tend to worry way to much about this kind of stuff.  Have any of you had experiences with newborns that nurse for this short an amount of time?  Should I keep pumping (I hate having to pump so much)?  Thanks for any advice ladies.

• 11-02-2009 12:44 AM

  In reply to

  Quinault Joined on 08-12-2006 Seattle, WA Posts 698

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact Your baby may be a very efficent nurser. I would try to stop changing sides though. You really need to stick to one side a feeding in order to increase supply and get your baby to gain weight. You don't have to spray milk to have alot of milk. Does his soft spot feel a little sunken before the feeding and then plump up after the feeding? Then that means he is well hydrated. (I learned that trick when I had a baby in the NICU for feeding issues) Are his diapers nice and heavy/wet when you change them? As long as there are wet dipes aplenty then he is eating plenty. A nursing baby at 6 weeks literally only drinks about 1-2 oz so don't worry that you aren't making enough. But if you can don't switch sides and he will get more of the hindmilk and gain weight faster. Pumping isn't a good idea if you don't need to. It would be better to feed more often and keep to one side a feeding then to pump. Pumping increases your foremilk ratio and what your baby needs to gain weight is HIND milk. Here take a look at this milk calculator. http://www.kellymom.com/bf/pumping/milkcalc.html

• 11-02-2009 10:19 AM

  In reply to

  angela~2DS Joined on 04-05-2005 VA Posts 1,771	Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact I agree with Quinault, just an efficient nurser. My second never ate for more than 5-10 mins, ever! Mostly 5 mins and nursed until he was 10 months. It's a good idea to go and see how much he weights before and after nursing, but I wouldn't be worried. Good luck! And I rarely squirt milk out at all!

• 11-02-2009 12:33 PM

  In reply to

  Lena751 Joined on 07-25-2008 St. Petersburg FL Posts 1,562	Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact He's probably just a quick nurser especially if you get so little after he nurses. All babies are different but as long as he starts gaining weight, he should be fine.

• 11-03-2009 6:48 PM

  In reply to

  Mom~of~Munchkins Joined on 09-14-2005 Posts 471

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact Every baby is different. All nurse at different rates. If your baby has jaundice, it can sometimes make him too sleepy to nurse vigorously, but if he's waking regularly (for 8+ feeds a day), then don't worry about him too much. After 2-3 wks, you should notice a big difference. Longer feedings and more often, probably, for the 3 wk growth spurt. The problem with nursing in short spurts for some babies is that it causes them to get too much foremilk, not enough hindmilk. The sugar in the foremilk builds up in the intestines and causes gas and green, frothy stools. If after 3 wks, you have noticed no change, do block feeding. Feed on one side whenever and however long he demands it for a block of three hours. Then swap to the other boob for three hours. Etc. This will ensure he clears out the hindmilk. To know if your baby is getting enough, watch for wets and poops. It sounds simple, but rely on it at this age. If there are plenty of good wets, then you're doing just fine. Also watch that he rouses every few hours or so to eat during the day and night.

• 11-03-2009 6:50 PM

  In reply to

  Mom~of~Munchkins Joined on 09-14-2005 Posts 471	Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact BTW: I also think pumping is a bad idea. It will cause you to make even MORE foremilk, which can exacerbate the problem. Don't pump unless you feel incredibly engorged. The reason to pump then is to keep you from getting mastitis.

• 11-04-2009 8:42 PM

  In reply to

  ~Julielle~ Joined on 11-02-2008 Lowcountry, South Carolina Posts 676

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact Catie, saw your post on FB, I'm so glad to hear that Henry is gaining weight good. I hope that you continue to do great bfing! I am trying to get the hang of it as well and I'm having the complete opposite problem as you. Rayce wants to feed for random increments of time. Sometimes 10 min every 45 min or 20 minutes every 4 hours. I didn't know anything about the fore/hind milk so I'm def going to look into this a little bit more before I give up. I had no idea it required an MBA to breastfeed! Keep up the good work!

• 11-08-2009 6:33 AM

  In reply to

  molliensofianluisa Joined on 11-08-2009 WA Posts 4

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact I just wanted to make sure that all of the moms out there look closely at what the lactation consultant has said. This is inaccurate breast feeding information. Many lacatation consultants are not up to date on breast feeding. Please contact your local La Leche League leaders for help with breast feeding. Be cautious of the information you receive and ask where the information is coming from (resources). Doing a weight before and after a feeding is not a way to see if a baby is gaining enough. Pumping is not what a new mom needs to do to ensure a good milk supply in this situation. Putting a child to the breast, checking the latch, and making sure that mom is comfortable is the most important. A La Leche League Leader can be reached by phone and many times actually look at the latch if a mom needs to be seen. Keep up the good work. Breast feeding is the best gift you can give to your little ones.

• 11-20-2009 5:02 PM

  In reply to

  scarlet_willow Joined on 12-14-2007 James 23 July '08, Henry 26 Oct '09 Posts 727

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact Thank you all for all the input!  I wanted to give an update: I went to see the lactation consultant to find out that my son had actually gained a whole pound in 5 days!  I sat down while I was there and nursed him in front of her and she said everything is great and that he must just be a really efficient nurser and that maybe my milk just flows very easily.  She did notice that he is tongue-tied but it doesn't seem to be effecting breastfeeding.  He has a great suck and I don't have any pain as a result of it.  I stopped pumping, I obviously didn't need to do that.  She also mentioned about the foremilk thing and said that if it seemed like he was getting fussy, gassy or having the green poop to put him back on the first side after burping.  He's now 3+ weeks old though and he has settled into nursing closer to 10 minutes, sometimes jsut on one side, and sometimes he will take the second side briefly.  He has had a few instances of green poos, but it hasn't been constant enough for me to change anything yet.  I think it was just part of the process of everythign falling into place.  If it happens again and keeps happening, I will try the block feeding though.  I just wanted to say thank you to all of you!  My milk dried up when I nursed my first son at 8-9 months because i was pregnant, but I didn't realize it until it was too late.  So whenever somethign seems off this time I just immediatly start worrying.  I'm trying to just relax and enjoy it though.  It's so nice having you all to calm my fears :)

• 11-20-2009 9:01 PM

  In reply to

  Mom~of~Munchkins Joined on 09-14-2005 Posts 471

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact I'm so glad there's nothing to worry about. Breastfeeding is hard in that respect. You have to condition yourself to not consider fussy or frequent nursing cues as a sign of hunger, but to look at other physical symptoms instead. I think its a consequence of living in a formula-based society...we feel we have to measure and count the food. Also, don't beat yourself up too much about the supply issues when pregnant. I really, at this point, think there are just some women who do not have the ability to change what happens in the early weeks of pregnancy. I also have a massive supply drop when I get pregnant. My second baby was conceived when the first was just 5 months old and my supply died rather quickly. I didn't really try anything, because he liked the bottle so well that it didn't really matter. The 3rd baby was conceived when #2 was 10 mos old. Same thing. Now, when #3 was 9 months old, I conceived #4 and I tried so hard to keep things going. I ate all of the supply-boosting foods and pumped and nursed constantly. At about 10 wks pregnant, the poor baby was refusing anything but the breast and was down to just 1 wet diaper a day. I knew that I was going to have to cut her off completely to get her to take something other than the breast...so I abruptly stopped feeding and pumping. I never got engorged. I went from 10+ expressions every day to zero...and didn't even drip or get engorged. They say it happens at the estrogen spike in the middle of the first trimester. Some people (with older babies that drink other things during the low-supply period) can nurse past it and get back to normal. Some women aren't affected at all. Those who are affected with babies under 1 yr will likely end up shifting to formula or other milk.

• 11-24-2009 9:55 AM

  In reply to

  scarlet_willow Joined on 12-14-2007 James 23 July '08, Henry 26 Oct '09 Posts 727

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact Mom~of~Munchkins: Also, don't beat yourself up too much about the supply issues when pregnant. I really, at this point, think there are just some women who do not have the ability to change what happens in the early weeks of pregnancy. I also have a massive supply drop when I get pregnant. My second baby was conceived when the first was just 5 months old and my supply died rather quickly. I didn't really try anything, because he liked the bottle so well that it didn't really matter. The 3rd baby was conceived when #2 was 10 mos old. Same thing. Now, when #3 was 9 months old, I conceived #4 and I tried so hard to keep things going. I ate all of the supply-boosting foods and pumped and nursed constantly. At about 10 wks pregnant, the poor baby was refusing anything but the breast and was down to just 1 wet diaper a day. I knew that I was going to have to cut her off completely to get her to take something other than the breast...so I abruptly stopped feeding and pumping. I never got engorged. I went from 10+ expressions every day to zero...and didn't even drip or get engorged. They say it happens at the estrogen spike in the middle of the first trimester. Some people (with older babies that drink other things during the low-supply period) can nurse past it and get back to normal. Some women aren't affected at all. Those who are affected with babies under 1 yr will likely end up shifting to formula or other milk. Thanks for sharing your story!  I think you are right on the BF while pregnant thing.  I got pregnant with #2 when #1 was 6-7 months old and when I did finally realize my supply had dropped, I also had no leaking and no engorgement when I stopped abruptly and gave him bottles of formula.  I even tried reglan and pumping, but I thik it was just too late at that point.  My Dr had reassured me that I should be able to BF while pregnant, and I love my Dr but I feel like in this aspect she really let me down.  It broke my heart to have to give my son formula and the thought of something like that happening this time makes me scared.  But hopefully it was just a pregnancy thing and as long as I can NOT get knocked up, I should be fine.

• 11-24-2009 11:59 AM

  In reply to

  Brenda 3 boys and 1 more Joined on 04-30-2003 Syracues, Indiana Posts 1

  Re: my newborn only wants to nurse 5 min tops on each side Reply Contact I know this is a little late and Henry is doing better now, but I thought I'd throw in my 2 cents.   All 3 of my boys (and it seems that Casen is going to be the same way) were very efficient nursers.  They would be done on one side in about 5-7 minutes and then eat on the other side for about 5 minutes.  They never had green poop and they were chunky monkeys!  I wouldn't worry at all if Henry was eating that quickly, in fact, it might be helpful so that you can get other things done!