Breastfeeding question

[littlebean]

I'm due on 12th of oct & planning to try & breast feed but just wondered how do you know when the baby is hungry? I know when my sis had her little boy the MW told her to feed every 3 hours to start with & then go to 4 but he was bottle fed. Do you do the same or do you wait til they look for milk?

[DrFluffy]

They root when you cuddle them (little head butts!), they start sucking their fists, they look like they are breast feeding (sucking and their little tongues pop out) and finally - if you've missed their cues or they have woken up hungry, they scream the place down! Trust me - you will know when they're hungry...

In our naivety, we set an alarm for every three hours on out first night home... Hahaha! Didn't need it - LO was alarm enough!! X

[Hidden]

Yep

I agree with the last response made by Dr fluffy.

When babies are hungry they "very cutely" start sucking the fists & if you fail to notice that they'll soon let u know by shouting / screaming at the top of their lungs

On average its usually every 2 & a half hours to feed a newborn child.

xx

[littlebean]

Great ladies, knew someone on here would be able to help me. That's one of the things I was worried about breast feeding but feel abit better now.

[Hidden]

i don't know if they have them in your local area but they have breastfeeding classes/tlks where i am and you can go and get a bit more knowledge if you feel tht might be useful, maybe ask ur midwife if there r?

[Rachaellindseywalker]

James pretty much only woke up to eat in the first few days, he'd eat and then drift back off. But as he got a little older it was the sucking and the rooting that gave away when he was hungry. We went to a breastfeeding class before he was born and the midwives after delivery were really helpful too. I think part of it is instinctive too, my boobs tell me when he wants feeding now!

[mrsturner17]

I breastfeed and trust me you will soon pick up the signs, nibbling on hands, they also start slapping their mouth together, and I was told in the hospital to try wake them every 2-3 hours but I found she wasn't hungry that often and then got ourselves into a routine where I'd wait for her to let me know when she was hungry and that now suits us both fine xx

[littlebean]

Thanks, I was panicing the baby would go hungry & then afraid of getting stressed & giving up if cant tell

[Hidden]

Reading all the responses it sounds like all babies are the same!!mine too sucks her fist,thumb if mummy is taking ages to responds she screaaaaams!!!!!haha sooo cute.x

[char17000]

I just wanted to add something - agree with everything above but would just say that if you've missed the signs and the baby starts crying, its too late to breastfeed them and you need to calm them down before trying to breastfeed - i missed my first son once when he was a few weeks old and it took a full 45 minutes to calm him down! The hospital will give you a littke leaflet to help look for signs after you've had the baby. Babies also make a little 'aha' noise when their rooting and going for their fists so you'll see and hear when they want a feed