Okay let’s talk about nursing, and one thing I’ve learned this 2nd time around!
Sofia nursed very slowly, she fell asleep soon after she started nursing (I had to tickle her feet to keep her going), our sessions were slower & longer, and she asked more frequently: every 2hours FOR SIX MONTHS, day and night.
Beckham eats a lot more since the start. More frequently during the day (every hour) but less at night: after we made sure he gained enough weight the first weeks, he now does one stretch of 4h (sometimes even 5h) and 2-3h the rest of the night.
And although I’m also breastfeeding him exclusively, like Sofia, he is gaining weight faster, which is helping his longer stretches.
HOWEVER, the first 4 weeks (we are on week 5 now) he woke up every hour in between feedings too, NOT to nurse, but to complain about his belly.
During the day, he kept crying with what seemed like "belly aches" too, even before the witching hours.
I kept asking my pediatrician and she did not hesitate to say it was normal and I could use gas drops.
But I am a person who likes to get to the ROOT of the problem, understand it, fix it or minimize it if possible instead.
So I asked my pediatric nutritionist @dra.mafergastropedia and my lactation consultant @vialactancia
They analyzed
1. that the latching & positioning was correct = not getting air in his belly
2. See if it was colic or aches/intolerances = yes they work w colic too
3. my nutrition: no, not only dairy consumption can affect their bellies, but foods high in FODMAP which are a lot
We saw none of that was affecting him. Which is great to rule out. The concussion? Beckham is more sensitive to stomach immaturity. Babies stomachs mature at around 4m, and some are more sensitive to it. Esp at the very beginning. Sofia never complained.
Now he is WAY better, he is growing and his digestive system is developing and maturing too.
Moral of the story: even second time mamas can benefit of a good team of experts to help you navigate through challenges or worries that may rise.
See how I nurse here