6 week old - too much sleep and not enough weight gain - any suggestions welcome

[pasteldama]

As a first time mum of 6 week old ds I've been reading some of the topics on this site and found it really reassuring to know there is help and understanding out there, whatever the problem.

I wonder if anyone has any advice or experience for me as I think I am making myself paranoid by reading the baby books concerning the amount of time ds sleeps. Basically he sleeps pretty much the whole time between feeds (breastfeeding only, 2.5 to 3 hours between feeds - he's pretty much regular as clockwork, especially at night). So he's awake for half an hour or so at each feed, and then maybe another hour in the morning and possibly one in the evening - so I get a short period of alertness, though some of that time includes crying! He does look at his surroundings and responds to light/dark at these times but I wonder if I should be stimulating him more. He doesn't like the bouncy chair at all and screams if I put him in it, so the only way I can get him to look around is if I carry him around. The books say he should be sleeping 15-16 hours at this stage. If I take him out, whether it's in the sling or the pram, he immediately falls asleep so he's not getting any stimulation from the outside world, and with the weather the way it has been the last few weeks it's difficult to get out anyway.

He's just been weighed and the doctor said she doesn't think he's putting on weight quickly enough so I have to get him weighed for the next 2 weeks (he's 10lb 2oz, put on 1lb 6oz over 3 weeks from last weighing). Could not getting enough food be making him sleepy? He fusses at the breast, often making lots of noise and pulling and kicking his arms and legs, and then vomiting up some of his feed - but there are plenty of wet and dirty nappies.

So is he just developing at his own rate or is he missing out on something? I wondered at trying to keep him awake but then I read that doing that is a mistake and produces an overtired baby who only sleeps fitfully.

I am getting myself into a bit of a state about doing the right thing for him, and this blummin' constant snowfall is giving me cabin fever which only makes my state of mind worse! Being realistic I think this is such a minor issue but it's getting magnified in my mind as the days go on. Any advice very much appreciated!!! x

he sounds fine to me! 1lb 6oz is fine for 3 weeks surely?

you are doing fine

stop worrying about stimlating him, simply being alive is stimulating enough at 6wks!

put away the bouncy chair till 12wks

and put the books away too

keep going out with him even if he sleeps, it;ll help you

take weight-gain panic with a pinch of salt - is he weighed naked on the same digital scales every time? and plotted on the WHO ebf charts not the red book ones? If no to any of the above stop worrying.

He sounds absolutely fine to me, just be grateful you seem to have got the feeding right, in that he is doing it regualry adn can't be that hungry or he would wake up.
my first screamed pretty much all the time and totalled about 12 hours sleep per 24, my second by contrast selpt so much - 21 hours out of 24 that i worried the forceps delivery - she was 9lb 5 oz had caused a problem, u ntil it became clear she was absoutely fine and oddly, even though she fed well, she did not actaully gain weight so very quickly, but i guess noone was worried as she was so big to start with.

I agree, keep going out and about - very good for you to get out and walk, meet others and it will help get perspective on things, actaully now i remember one of my NCT first time babies slept all the time too, i just used to be so jealous.
i agree about the stimulation, just being awake and looking around is exhausting for them, think of all the stimulation, light, sound ,smell etc
good luck

Thanks so much for your messages, it's so hard to get things into perspective sometimes. Paranoia takes over.... I'll calm down and let him get on with doing his thing. Very much appreciated x