Babies do that!

Babies do that!

It can be very hard work, it can cause a lot of problems, but it is normal!
Don't worry, by the way - not all of these are going to happen to you!

Here's a general guide to breastfeeding, it's a good antenatal breastfeeding class!

To get a good idea of the all-important 'Good Latch', why not search on YouTube for 'breastfeeding & latch'. You'll find videos by many different people there! Dr Jack Newman has some good ones ....


Babies can seem to just not get it... see this page, or this one, about how it can take a little time & patience.


Babies can want to feed in clusters, usually early evening. Seems to never be satisfied after a feed. (Although not all the time, 24 hours, and not with pain. And remember that not every fussy time is hunger. Try a sling or soothing bath, massage {you, the baby, or both?!}) You'll need some help while you are stuck feeding!
Links here, here, here, here, here, here for more on this. This KellyMom handout is particularly good - sadly it can't be printed out. It seems like babies want to feed little and often at these times. Also Mum's milk flow can be a little slower in the evenings, but her milk has a higher fat content (so these 2 answers tell us that a large fast-flowing bottle of milk is not a long-term cure).
It does not mean that your milk is no good, or you've run out!
In fact, cluster feeding is a great way to build up your milk supply, and building up for a long sleep. 



Babies can have a Nocturnal time in their earliest months when they wish to be awake in the night & fast asleep in the day. You may have noticed just such a pattern in the last trimester of your pregnancy, too?
LLL has a nice article about this.

It will get better! Aim for small changes day-by-day, and make sure the baby sees there is a difference between night & day.

Babies can have hungry days when they suddenly want to feed all the time. It is thought to be due to a growth spurt. You will feel welded to your chair! You will need a lot of help to get food, drinks, look after other children. You can guarantee it will be a day you have visitors/ make a trip. It generally happens at 2-3 weeks old, 6 weeks old, and again at 3 months old. A day or two (and oh my goodness the nights, too - that can be a shock if you just started to sleep longer!) of making sure you allow your child to feed frequently will provide the increased supply your child needs.
Links here, and here for more on this.
It does not mean that your milk is no good, or you've run out! If you feel your child needs (ask for advice) a top-up then it should be your breastmilk, not formula milk. Let your child demand milk often and you will supply what he or she needs. You are not spoiling your child, you are feeding your child.

Babies can stay asleep for hours when you are bursting to give them a feed.
This doesn't mean they are 'good babies' - generously letting you sleep!
He or she needs to demand milk from you frequently to keep up your milk supply. (By frequent, I mean more than 10 feeds in 24 hours for a newborn, or alternatively avoiding a gap tween feeds of 4-5 hours...But it's best not to watch the clock!)
Frequent feeding in the newborn weeks will ensure that you see good weight gain in your child... but it will also help your child to rid itself of meconium, which will help to combat jaundice. Colustrum acts rather like a laxative in this way.
If the long gap between feeds is not regular, then take care to avoid the problems associated with Breast Engorgement (blocked ducts) - particularly in the early weeks before your supply settles down.

While most well-fed babies will clearly indicate when they need to eat, babies in the newborn period may not wake often enough on their own and you may feel it necessary to waken him so that he gets to eat at least eight times a day.
Another way to solve this problem is to keep the baby with you.  A baby who is held (perhaps in a sling) or lying with you is less likely to zonk out for 6 hours.  A child undisturbed in a crib is more likely to do so. A baby's infrequent waking to feed can be caused by labour drugs, maternal medications, jaundice, trauma, and most commonly - use of dummies/ supplementation with formula.

"A baby who feeds well will wake up when he's ready; if a baby feeds so poorly that he won't wake up on his own, there is no point in waking him up so he feeds poorly more times a day; the point is to get the baby feeding well." Dr Jack Newman

Don't believe the myth that you should never wake a sleeping baby, just don't make a habit of it.


Babies can bring up a whole feed & then immediately feel hungry again. It's messy & very disheartening, not to say worrying. Your baby may have had a bubble of gas underneath that last feed. Do try & bring up those burps, and watch out for the problems of foremilk/hindmilk imbalance. (You'll want to let your baby decide when he's finished at the breast, to make sure he gets plenty of hindmilk. You may find it helps you to offer the same breast at each feed, rather than swapping sides partway through.)
Links here, or here for more on this.

Newborn babies can bring up milk very easily (posset is a lovely word for it) - because their little stomach can't str e t ch as well as ours. How little? Well - see the bottom of this LLL page.
It does not always mean your baby has a tummy bug. Breastfeeding can continue throughout a tummy bug illness in any child, indeed it will be a comfort. (Bottle fed babies are fasted and given only water or ORT, as we adults would - GET MEDICAL ADVICE IF YOUR INFANT IS ILL WITH DIARRHOEA or VOMITING)

Babies can pull away from the breast. Do first rule out the presence of Thrush in the baby's mouth, as a sore mouth can create this sign. (How to spot thrush in your baby.) No thrush? The force of milk arriving in his mouth can be a shock and some babies react big time. A little massage (gentle flat hands/fingertips stroking from the outer breast in towards the nipple) and maybe some warmth may help as it brings the milk in easier. The big answer is to relax - that's easier said than done. Try feeding your baby when they are just waking - a snoozy baby sucks much more gently. Try lying down in another room? (to feed your baby - I don't mean leave the noisy baby somewhere else!!)
Older babies may be reacting to something more interesting elsewhere in the room - they want to turn their & see, but don't let go of Mum first!
Both of these can be the cause of sore nipples.
Links here, or this LLL page (section on Milk Ejection Force) for more on this.

Babies can refuse to feed from you -
Nursing strike in older children?
Sleepy newborns? also LLL info sheet here (try our group's libraries for more like this.)
Just won't!!! See Dr Newman's advice on finger feeding (link here) and get good advice. A bottle of formula need not be your first choice.  A spoon, cup, or syringe can be used to feed expressed breastmilk, or other devices are available. Use a pump or hand express to prevent engorgement and maintain your supply.
Don't take it personally! Stay calm & find a way through. Seek the support of other peoople who want you to be a successful Breastfeeding Mum!

Babies can bite you. Though usually it's toddlers who are teething. It can to be a very irritating habit, but usually they only do it once! They get a big Ouch reaction from Mum, they get upset & then they don't do it again. Sadly a further problem is that they can get such a shock that they decide to go on strike & refuse to feed anymore. They will need a lot of calm motherly encouragement to return to feeding! Talk to your young un - they understand more than you think. You need to show them that feeding & biting don't go together!
If your baby bites while breastfeeding, links here, and here, and here will show you what to do.
You don't need to stop feeding before your child gets teeth, just in case he might bite you!

Rooting - learn to read your babies' body language!
This is the instinctive response of a baby which helps her to feed from the breast; the rooting reflex. When a hungry baby feels something against her cheek she turns towards the feeling and opens her mouth wide. Using this instinct can help to get a baby to latch effectively at the breast. Note that awake babies will always 'turn & open up', even if they aren't that hungry. Mum will learn to spot the other early signs of hunger in her child.
The American Academy of Paediatrics (AAP) recommends that newborns should be breastfed whenever they show signs of hunger. Those signs include increased alertness, activity, mouthing or rooting. Some call this 'demand feeding', while others classify it as 'feeding on cue'.
Many mothers find the fists are the key - watch your baby's fists, they will be more tense when he is hungry.

Always remember -
Watch your child, not the clock.

An american blog recently held a carnival of articles about what other Mums found to help them to get the knack. It's an art, in many ways. You may find some of the views out there to be extreme, or wrong; but hopefully not negative in this case.

Try and use your own knowledge of your baby first of all! It's the best. Trust your baby to let you know what he or she needs and how often. If you have any concerns, always get help and advice.

No doubt this blog will get edited & tidied up someday.
Any comments on this section of the blog will be very welcome! What did I miss out?