Feeding FAQ: 0-8 weeks – Breast Feeding

My 7 week daughter does not seem to feed as much as advised and I am having problems moving on in the routines

I am having problem on the 4 to 6 weeks schedule, and even more moving onto the 6 to 8 weeks routine. My 7 week daughter sleeps a lot. She does not seem to be eating as much as the book recommends, and she quickly looses interest in the breast. She will suck furiously for 5 min, and then refuse to take more. I have just followed your advise to increase my milk supply, but it does not seem to have change much and she often cries for a top up of food at 9.30 am (in the middle of her nap), and at 12.30 pm.
I am having trouble keeping her awake the recommended time. She is so sleepy during the 2 to 4 pm! Please advise, I would love to get onto the routine accordingly, but seams to be failing.

My daughter is fully breast fed. She feeds at 7am 10-15mins, 10.00am 10-15mins, 12.30pm 5mins, 2.15pm 10mins, 5pm 10-15mins, 6.15pm 5-10mins, 7.30pm 5mins, 10.15pm 15mins, 2.30am 10-15mins. She weighs 3.900kg [8.10lbs] and was 2.715kg [6lbs] at birth.

She naps at 8.45-10am, 11.30-2.00pm, 2.45-3.15pm and 3.45-5.00pm. She settles at 7pm.

Take a look at the article on the website, Structure without Stress, where Gina explains that you only move on to the next routine when your baby is ready to do so. Your baby was quite small when born so may not be ready to move on yet. Keep a record of her days and once you see that she is able to stay awake longer between feeds you can move her on a little.

You have noticed that your baby sucks furiously for around 5 minutes when feeding. A baby will suck like this when first feeding as she is getting the fore milk which quenches her thirst. She will then settle to slower sucking as she gets to the hind milk which is thicker and denser. By 7 weeks of age a baby can have speeded up her feeding as she is now more proficient. This means feeds can take as little as 5-10 minutes. Making sure that she completely empties one side at each feed will help maintain your supply.

With a small baby, who seems to tire after a shorter time of sucking, you may need to encourage her to take more by increasing the number of split feeds. Once she has woken at 7am let her feed and then have a twenty minute break before offering her the breast again. Check to see if she has fully emptied one side. Use this method at feeds when you feel she is not taking enough. If you always change your baby’s nappy mid feed you will be giving her a natural break and then offer her the breast again if you feel she has not yet emptied it. If she seems unwilling to take more, check to see if it’s empty and offer her the second side.

You could also help both her and your supply by offering her a small top up feed at 8.45am, before she goes down for her morning nap, and again at 11.30am. These top ups should be continued until she is able to sleep through these naps for at least a week without waking. Gradually cut back on them by a minute or two each day until she is settling without them.

Keeping a young sleepy baby awake can be a bit of a challenge. Make sure the room you are in is not too warm and remove one layer of your baby’s clothing so she is not too warm and snuggly. If you are holding your baby she may become sleepy. Lay her on her playmat for short spells, sitting beside her and talking to her but letting her enjoy a kick. One place most small babies seem to enjoy is their change mat. Providing the room is warm enough let your daughter have a short spell of kicking without her nappy on. Some babies do seem to need two cat naps in the afternoon. One of these could be in her chair and she could have the later nap in her pram when you go out for a walk. Providing she settles well at 7pm your daughter is a baby who still needs slightly more sleep than some at her age.

If you find your daughter often wakes at 7.30pm for another small feed consider offering her a top up of expressed milk straight after her feed at 6.15pm. By this time in the evening your supply may be a little low. Offering her the top up will ensure that she settles well for the evening so allowing you to have a good rest before the 10pm feed.