Baby nighttime feeding routine?

Question

Can anyone who has had a baby offer me some advice? 
For the first two weeks of my sons life(this coming Oct.) my husband will have work off. During that time we’d like to share the responsibility of getting up at night to feed the baby as much as possible. I plan to breastfeed and am debating of the best way to do this. Do we A.) have me breast feed him every time he needs to eat and then pass him off to my hubby every other time afterwards to burp and rock him back to sleep, or B.) have bottles of my breast milk in the fridge that he can heat up and give him every other time he feeds so I don’t wake up every time. 
I worry that having him give the baby bottles right off the bat will cause nipple confusion and my baby won’t want to breastfeed since it’s much easier to be bottle fed. 
I also feel bad having my husband get up and take 10 minutes to just warm up a bottle when I won’t even have to get out of bed to feed him. 
What did you do/what would you recomend?

Answer

It will definitely be too soon to sleep through alternate feedings in the night. You would need to get up and pump during those feedings if you choose to do that. The first 6 weeks are crucial for establishing your supply, so really the best thing is for you to nurse each time through the night. If you skip feedings, your supply will tank. Have hubby get up and burp and change the baby if he is willing. The first month or so, baby usually poops every single feeding so you will need to change every time. Once they are a month or two old, you can get away with one or even no diaper changes at night if they don’t poop. It’s rough, I’m not going to lie. I suggest working on the side laying nursing position as soon as you can, so you can lay in bed and feed. My back killed me always sitting up to feed and learning the side lay about a week in helped immensely! I would watch videos on my phone or scroll Facebook to stay awake during night feeds. Use a Hakaa on the side you aren’t nursing on. That will catch whatever leaks and you will be surprised how much that is in the beginning! You can save that milk to start building your supply until you really get into pumping if you choose to pump. Before bed each night make sure to have diapers, wipes, your Hakaa, nipple butter, lots of water, maybe a snack, extra swaddle blankets by the bed ready to go so you or hubby don’t have to get up for anything. Best of luck!!

Answer

You won’t want to sleep through those nighttime feedings mama if you plan on breastfeeding! I plan on switching off feedings with my hubby, but pumping while he is feeding baby with either previously pumped milk or formula. You don’t want to skip feedings altogether by not emptying the breast. Breastfeeding is a supply & demand system. If you aren’t removing milk each time baby is needing to eat, then your body will make less milk over time. Look into “pace feeding” as well. It’s bottle feeding but still mimics the speed of breastfeeding so that babies don’t favor the bottle and it’s easier to switch back and forth from breast to bottle when/if needed. If you want to do all the feeding and no pumping, maybe ask dad to get up with you and do the diaper change or just be up with you for support! I can remember wanting to do everything myself with my first, and in the middle of the night when it seems like all you get done is breastfeeding, its nice to have your husband just be awake and present with you getting through it. Hope this helps a bit!

Answer

My husband and I both woke up with baby in the beginning. He would change her diaper and then I would breastfeed her. He would go back to sleep after changing her diaper. It was helpful and comforting that he was up with me and willing to help. Later on when he went back to work I did more of the night time stuff but when I went back to work I started exclusively pumping and he took over night feedings with a bottle. It worked out well for us

Answer

Following

Answer

I had a c section so I woke hubby up each time I needed baby. 
He slept while I fed him and then I woke him back up when I was ready to put him back to bed. 
Baby will fall asleep on the breast most likely. 
I didn’t see a need for him to be awake with me unless I was having a hard time with something. 
He also wasn’t off work. 
But still, you have to be awake to feed the baby anyways. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Answer

My husband had 3 weeks paternity with our first. When baby woke up - he got her, changed her diaper while I repositioned my pillows to breastfeed. I’d do one side - hand off to him for burp, while getting ready for the other side (she didn’t have a hugely good latch at first so I’d tuck a wash cloth under my breast to catch spillage) and then we’d do the same for the other and then usually take turns putting her back down. The first week or so it usually took all 4 hands to get baby in position for breastfeeding (sounds silly but it does take some learning and trying out different positions). Then when he went back to work, he’d help the first night feed and then I’d be solo the rest of the night. He left for 2 months for work when she was about 5 weeks and wasn’t home until she was 3 months and by then I’d transitioned her into her own room and nighttime feedings were easy. That was also the first time we gave her a bottle (at 3 months)

Answer

The first couple weeks baby will be cluster feeding. So baby could be latched on to you for hours on end. I try to pump when I can but I don’t stress over it. I usually sleep in our recliner in the living room and sleep on and off throughout the night and watch Netflix when I’m awake. My husband will help takeover during the day and I will get some rest in the bed untill baby needs to feed again. My husband helps as much as possible but baby will be with me for the most part because of breastfeeding. Plus with us having two other little ones to look after I need for him to get his rest so he can watch after them.

Answer

I would say that even if you do have a good supply that early, you may want to get up and pump because it's really about supply and demand at that stage until you regulate. Plus you may not be able to sleep because of fullness. (I can't exactly remember that early in ) I would maybe have him burb and rock. 
Also my son drank his milk cold without a problem, so I also suggest trying it cold first  before creating a habit. 
Good luck

Answer

Personally, I think in those first couple of weeks you might still be working on getting a good latch and evening out your supply. You might not have the luxury of having extra bottles of breastmilk in the fridge at that point. Breastfeeding can be very challenging at the beginning. I think you’ll actually stress less if you stick with feeding one way for the first little while (unless you end up having to supplement anyways).
If Dad really wants to help in the nighttime, then yes, let him burp and do diaper changes if needed.

Baby nighttime feeding routine?

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