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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Calling all night time feeders - always up feeding when we should be sleeping! Let's keep each other company PART 2!!

999 replies

Writerwannabe83 · 05/06/2014 21:14

I think to start the new thread off we should reintroduce ourselves and our babies for the sake of our own memories and also for any newbies who may join Smile

I have a 10 week old DS who is EBF. Has been sleeping through the night for the last week and I'm just waiting patiently for things to go downhill as I'm sure they will Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 25/06/2014 21:07

midnight - how often has he been weighed since birth? Is it that he's regularly weighed and it's been a gradual decline, or has it been a while since he was last weighed (I.e over a month) and now he's sitting at a lesser centile than previous?

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FrankelandFilly · 25/06/2014 21:09

midnight I would try not to worry too much at this stage. Increase the feeds where you can and see what happens at the next weigh in. We experienced weight loss with DD which did result in us switching to formula (there were other contributing factors too) but that doesn't mean it will be the same for you.

Can you get to a breastfeeding support group to ask for advice, or ask your health visiting team if they have a breastfeeding specialist you can talk to.

midnight1983 · 25/06/2014 21:13

It's been a gradual decline, and I've had him weighed almost every two weeks. I had a serious dairy allergy when I was a baby and my LO does have some green, shiny nappies few times a week and so I wondered if he was sensitive to me eating dairy, but they told me not to change my diet yet and to see if he improves next week.

I really hope your LO feels better soon, sounds very unpleasant for him Hmm

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 25/06/2014 21:20

What centile is he on now?

DS was born on the 75th but is now bobbing along on the 50th, sometime he bounces up near the 75th again but then sometimes drops to nearer the 25th. I think it's harder for BF mothers as we just don't know what they are taking.

When DS had a week of poor weight gain (3oz as opposed to his usual 8-10) I was advised to start offering both breasts as this was something I'd not been doing. I've been doing it for a few weeks now and am getting him weighed again a week today. He certainly feels heavier but there's just no way of knowing is there.

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TwentiethCenturyGirl · 25/06/2014 22:17

I know it's easier said than done midnight but try not to worry - it sounds like your HVs are relatively relaxed about it at the moment and at least they're keeping an eye on things.

I have to have DD weighed every two weeks because she's on medication and they need to calculate the dose by weight. TBH though, I probably wouldn't bother otherwise - I can tell she's doing OK and it's easy to get stressed out by numbers on the scales.

All the classes and groups round here are in the morning too. I think it's because afternoons are hard work for mums with more than one because of school pick ups.

midnight1983 · 25/06/2014 22:19

He was on the 25th for a month but now the 9th! I did speak to the breastfeeding specialist and she asked me if I wax worried before I had him weighed, and I said no I wasn't concerned before as he is chubby, healthy, active, smily and he is developing new skills - I do think the centiles are a bit misleading as some babies at his age have solids etc...does formula promote weight gain or us it just that you can measure intake?

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 25/06/2014 22:24

I think there are a lot more calories in formula.

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Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 25/06/2014 22:26

But it can also be a case of it being used if professionals suspect milk supply is low. I.e if a baby BF's for 20 minutes and then still guzzles down 4oz of milk afterwards it may indicate that baby hadn't had much from the breast.

This is just theory though, I don't know if it is correct.

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midnight1983 · 25/06/2014 22:29

Ok, well I'll see what happens next week. I'm not against mixing in some formula, I just don't want to spend the money! If he needs it, then I'm willing to give it a go.

Yeah, the HVs have been relaxed and I'm grateful. I'm really an anxious sort of person so this could do my head in.

Good luck everyone for peaceful nights Grin

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 25/06/2014 22:37

Have you seen the poster called tiktok who is on this forum a lot? I'm guessing her job revolves around BF based on her knowledge on the subject so perhaps you could send her a private message to ask for advice?

DS fell asleep at 10pm but keeps wriggling and stirring. I don't think I'll be getting 8 hours tonight!!

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Cannotbelieveit · 25/06/2014 22:39

Midnight look at this

look at the baby not the scales

Tonight DS fed until just after 9 and fell asleep. We've come to bed now though as he fell asleep a bit earlier than normal I think we will be up soon!!

Cannotbelieveit · 26/06/2014 00:46

Just as I thought we are up! He's just fed for 11 minutes and fell asleep tho! I think we are on for multiple wake ups tonight! Shock

midnight1983 · 26/06/2014 00:49

Cannot - thanks for the link. That us more or less how I feel, so I will continue to take advice but to look at baby's behaviour and demeanour as well.

I have had 2 wake ups already and so I think I'll be joining you for those multiple wake ups tonight!

midnight1983 · 26/06/2014 03:45

On wake up number 4...think I want to cry

mrsmugoo · 26/06/2014 03:59

Evening all - a better night here. On second feed. Did first one at 1ish.

Having a banana to try to help me get back to sleep...

Yorkie78 · 26/06/2014 04:02

That article is fab Cannot thank you. Our dd was on 0.5% at birth, a premie by a month, she's gone up a bit and at 15wks is now being compared with the full term babas. She's a runner bean build thanks to her dad by the looks of things and I think that's what the gp and HIV have identified. Hope everyone gets a bit more sleep. Have been off here for a few nights as dd was sleeping a bit more. Not sure if by chance, age, the thumb sucking or osteopathy from her aunt. Looks like it might be regressing a bit though. :( is that common does anyone know? Can you don anything to lessen it?

Yorkie78 · 26/06/2014 04:03

I meant hv sorry, one handed typing and no glasses on

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/06/2014 04:23

Oh midnight - sorry you're having a rough night Thanks

I'm up with DS - he went almost 6.5 hours so I can't complain. He's feeding now and his stomach is absolutely gurgling. I'm hoping he will give me a nice big burp once he's done!!

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Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/06/2014 04:31

yorkie - apparently babies have a period of sleep regression at around 16 weeks. I think my DS went through it a few weeks earlier as he went from being a good little sleeper to a little monster when he was 12 weeks old. He seems to be going back to his old routine again now though. I'm seriously hoping it was an early regression otherwise it's still yet to come Grin

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midnight1983 · 26/06/2014 04:51

Writer- Glad your LO has managed some rest, hopefully he's feeling better?

I am up again. It's one of those situations where he sleeps well on either of us but moans when he's put down. What I don't understand is some nights he will happily sleep 5-7 hours on his own and others not be put down at all! It's driving me mental!
Thinking about some sort of sleep training as I feel he could benefit from learning to self settle more effectively, but I wonder if he's too small now.

Cannotbelieveit · 26/06/2014 05:32

We were up again at 4 but he's been wide awake since! We've come into the lounge and I've put him in the swing. I'm under a blanket on the sofa pretending not to hear his grunting Blush

puggywug81 · 26/06/2014 06:29

Sorry you are having a bad time midnight. I don't think you can always go off weight as long as baby is having wet and dirty nappies and seems alert I don't think you need to be too worried.

Had a better night here put Fin down at 9.30, an hour of hair stroking and shushing, a couple if false starts more hair stroking and shushing then he slept peacefully till 4am, then an hour of intermittently putting dummy in then up for a feed.

Original poster
Writerwannabe83 · 26/06/2014 07:55

midnight - in terms of self settling I started doing it at 6 weeks as advised by my HV because I was so exhausted with having to rock/feed DS to sleep for him then to only wake up when I put him in his Moses Basket and be back at square one again. I told her that cycle could go on for hours and it was just too much. She told me to start 'teaching' him how to self settle byutting h down in his basket when he was sleepy but not asleep. It took some time and perseverance but it worked. At times it was like a battle of the wills, DS constantly fidgeting and grizzling, dying to be picked up and me refusing to back down Smile

So for 7 weeks now he's been self settling. I feed him, wind him and then put him straight down even if he's totally awake. At times he will play around, googling, singing, excitedly kicking etc for up to an hour but on occasions where he is very tired he will be asleep within ten minutes.

Sometimes when I put him down he will start grizzling and moaning but I put myself in a position where he can see me so he knows I'm there, I will hold his hand but I don't make eye contact or talk to him. If he starts getting really upset and starts to actually cry as opposed to grizzle I will give him maybe30-60 seconds to see if he settles down again but if not I will pick him for cuddles, rock him, wind him or sing to to him - whatever is needed Grin As soon as he has calmed down I put him straight back in his Crib.

Some nights it can be very tiring when he constantly cries when he's put down, but like I said, it's just a case of perseverance. He still obviously has his bad days if he's really tired or unwell (like he is a little bit at the moment) so I make allowances for that and happily cuddle/feed him to sleep to comfort him, but otherwise he is generally pretty good at falling asleep by himself.

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mrsmugoo · 26/06/2014 08:14

I am trying on the odd occasion to see if DS is ready to learn self settling - last night I laid him down drowsy but is eyes popped open, he wriggled around and kicked his legs for about half an hour with me shushing and putting my hand on his tummy and then that descended into crying as he just literally did not know what to do. He fell asleep with about 3 sucks on the boob!

It's a developmental milestone and DS has just not reached it yet! I'll keep trying and it will click eventually I'm sure. He's getting much harder as he gets bigger and heavier to lift asleep. I can't lift him asleep into his cot so he's going to be still co-sleeping until then.

midnight1983 · 26/06/2014 08:40

Puggy, thanks, yes I agree objectively but it's hard not to worry! I am a big worrier though. He has lots of wet/dirty nappies - in fact he managed to per on himself three times in a row during nappy change yesterday!

Writer - when you were teaching him to self settle did you pick him up at all or leave him to grizzle? My boy cries like crazy in the evening if he's tired and not being rocked and I don't know how to handle it if I just put him down. Glad it's working for you though and I'm sure I'm a bit braver I can get it working too.