Three and a half week old using me as paci

[cpamamma]

My 3.5 week old is nursing non-stop. I feel like she hardly sleeps and she wants to be latched 24/7. I also have a 2 year old I need to take care of. I don't remember older DD doing this all day and night. She was colicky but BF didn't soothe her. This one is totally using me as a paci but is not so interested in using an actual paci.

Any advice? Is this a growth spurt? It's been going on for almost a week.

[birdinhand]

That is rough! Sorry, Mama! Babies are programmed to want to suck, though, so really, she would be using a pacifier as her mama. But that doesn't help when you are tired and sore and just want to be able to put your baby down!

Is she having enough wet and poopy diapers? She should be having 6-8 wet diapers (disposables --wait, what board am I on, lol?), or 10-12 cloth. There should also be 3-4 poops in a 24-hour period. If she is having plenty of output, then we know it is going is, and that's not the issue.

So, high-appetite days do occur with babies, days when they are hungrier than others. That could also be what is happening -- growth spurt.

It takes 90 minutes for breastmilk to digest, so it is possible for a baby to want to eat more frequently that that 2-3 hour period we are so used to hearing about.

Reflux is another reason a baby may want to eat and eat and eat -- could that be a possibilty?

It's so hard to get used to a new and different baby when they can be so different than our other kids! You have the experience and the skills, but this baby is a new person with a whole new personality. A lot of moms say at about 6 weeks things get better, and by 3 months, most issues have resolved. Hopefully this is something that will go away quickly. Hang in there!

[cpamamma]

Originally Posted by birdinhand That is rough! Sorry, Mama! Babies are programmed to want to suck, though, so really, she would be using a pacifier as her mama. But that doesn't help when you are tired and sore and just want to be able to put your baby down! Is she having enough wet and poopy diapers? She should be having 6-8 wet diapers (disposables --wait, what board am I on, lol?), or 10-12 cloth. There should also be 3-4 poops in a 24-hour period. If she is having plenty of output, then we know it is going is, and that's not the issue. So, high-appetite days do occur with babies, days when they are hungrier than others. That could also be what is happening -- growth spurt. It takes 90 minutes for breastmilk to digest, so it is possible for a baby to want to eat more frequently that that 2-3 hour period we are so used to hearing about. Reflux is another reason a baby may want to eat and eat and eat -- could that be a possibilty? It's so hard to get used to a new and different baby when they can be so different than our other kids! You have the experience and the skills, but this baby is a new person with a whole new personality. A lot of moms say at about 6 weeks things get better, and by 3 months, most issues have resolved. Hopefully this is something that will go away quickly. Hang in there!

Thanks for the reply. Yes output is good. Many soaked and poopy diapers each day. So I am not worried about supply.

Reflux is possible. DD1 had it but she spit up a ton. This one pretty much never spits up but I am wondering about silent reflux. She ought and sneezes fairly often after eating. She also makes little bubble noises as if something is coming up and she is swallowing it back down. Her 1 month well check is Friday and I'll discuss with her pedi. DD1 was on Zantac. Maybe this one needs it too.

Anyway thanks again. I know 3 weeks is amore rough time. 2-3 months and I will be loving BF just like with my first I am sure.

[Spunkify]

Non-nutrition sucking, aka comfort nursing, is very common in young babies. Some babies have a stronger suck need than others which could explain why one child of yours does this and one does not.

Is your baby throwing up? I'm talking projectile vomiting not little burp ups or vomiting regularly?

[Spunkify]

Non-nutrition sucking, aka comfort nursing, is very common in young babies. Some babies have a stronger suck need than others which could explain why one child of yours does this and one does not.

Is your baby throwing up? I'm talking projectile vomiting not little burp ups or vomiting regularly?

[The Fancy Pansy]

From your second post, I would bet she has silent reflux. Both of my girls have had it. And it runs in families, so since your DD1 had it, that increases the likelyhood.

[mommy24babes]

You could try cutting common allergens out of your diet. It makes a night and day difference in my nurselings

[keen1981]

It's really common. I would not assume anything is wrong.

You are not a paci! You are doing exactly as nature intended.

[abunchoflemons]

my boy seems to be like at week today.... when he isnt getting enough like eat snack sleep & repeat lots. try massaging breast when baby eats to help milk let down & feed faster. mine,s suck power isnt there to pull all out without help like my second who was a champ from start. but could be spurt they all grow differently. my boy is bigger thabn second by 3 lbs or so birth weights yet she was better .my oldest was bad nurser. yet my milk was in fastest with my boy than either girl.

[Nerissa]

My DD (#3) did this. I was not prepared. My boys were nurse and be done kids. She did get a little better. I did keep offereing the paci since I knew she would need that when I returned to work and for my sanity. It was really starting to affect me mentally all her comfort nursing. She has decreased quite a bit, but still nurses way more than the boys did.