Settling a newborn

[JitkaTomas]

Our baby boy is just over two weeks old and is a bit of a handful. Very hard to get him to settle after his feeds. He was born after 37 weeks and was 2.37kg so he is on the small size and has some catching up to do. His digestion/wind seems to give him a lot of distress but midwifes and health visitors are happy that there isn't anything medically wrong.

I found that when he finishes his feed if I leave him suck on the empty bottle this seems to settle him. I've tried using a dummy but the empty bottle seems to work better.

I'm worried that this will only make his wind worse, however to date that doesn't seem to be the case.

Anyone have any advice or similar experience?

[MoonFaceMamaaaaargh]

hi jitka, congratulations.

Newborns are pretty much all "hard to settle." they are programmed to want to be in your arms, safe and sound.

I don't have experience of bottle feeding so can't answer your question re wind. If you try posting on the breast and bottle feeding board you will find lots of opinions and help. Maybe put that your ds is bottle fed in the title so you pick up the right people. Good luck.

[Iggly]

They settle best in your arms when they're teeny :) Which means more cuddles for you.

What is happening with his wind and digestion?

[mad4mainecoons]

imho - mum to 2 dc. 1BF 1FF.

just cuddle, cuddle and cuddle some more!
when they are teeny thats all they want is to be close to you and it will do him NO harm at all! just ignore all the talk of spoiling him, making him a clingy baby etc. its all crap.

cuddle him till he settles then genty transferr to wherever he sleeps - or just sit back and enjoy the cuddles.

with my DS (firstborn) i spent so long worrying about routines and getting him to sleep alone, that i totally forgot to enjoy him but with DD i was prepared, i just cuddled and fed her to sleep then transferred her to bed, if she woke i cuddled / rocked some more. slowly she needed less and less cuddling and by 4 months was going to sleep on her own in her cot with no rocking. it is exhausting, but try to enjoy it, you will get your arms back soon and then you will miss all the cuddles.

re - the wind, there are so many opinions and none of which is the completely right answer - just do whatever seems to be working at any particular moment, they all seem to suffer at about this age and you just have to ride with it. both of mine used to like being held horisontally acorss my tummy (with me standing) almost laying along my arm and being rocked to sleep (it did seem to help release the wind from the bottom end iuswim )

keep coming back here too! it helps your sanity