Is this normal behaviour for 3 week old baby?

[jaabaar]

Hi,
Sorry I posted this earlier under another talk subject, was advised to post it here! Sorry if you came accross it twice... thanks

My 3 week old baby has following routing after being advised to feed on demand after initial 3 hour feeding due to sugar levels (heavy baby):

approx times:
goes to sleep 00:00 wakes up 7:00
goes to sleep 09:30 wakes up 14:00
goes to sleep 17:00 wakes up 20:00
goes to sleep 00:00 wakes up 7:00 and so on

I am worried about the long sleep of 7 hours? this stated from 2 weeks.

I am of course NOT complaining, just worried to leave without feeding for 7 hours??? and sleeping without waking for 7 hours???

I bottle and breastfeed as was advised to do so at birth as baby was 4.932 kg/59 cm (10 lbs 14 ounces).

At the moment she is 4.74 kg (has not put on weight but also not lost for past 2 weeks).

thanks.

jaabaar - I can understand your concern.

This is really unusual behaviour in a baby of any age....a baby who is not gaining weight, and who sleeps for long periods, and is feeding (by my reckoning) 4-5 times in 24 hours would not normally be fed 'on demand'. This normally needs much more proactive feeding, both to ensure the baby's adequate nourishment and growth and hydration, and to preserve the breastmilk supply.

Most babies of this age are feeding at least twice as often as this.

Mixed feeding from birth is likely to reduce your milk supply, too, so the point about preserving the milk supply is doubly made, really.

A stable weight means your baby is basically ok and so no panic buttons - but I do think you need to see a midwife or health visitor and discuss your very understandable concerns about his growth, sleep and intake.

Hope all works out well.

Why was you advised to mix feed and who suggested it? Is the bottle EBM or formula?

I would think the bottles are what has pushed your baby into a routine (even if it's not a deliberate thing from you).

Tiktok: thanks for your reply. I was also thinking of more proactive feeding but midwife said not to worry about it.. Still her answer did not completely put my mind to rest.

ConfuddledDOTcom (lol nice name!): the pediatrician at birth said I must top up as baby was very big and sugar levels were low. Sugar levels became normal after 3 days.

Shall I go to helath visitor and raise the subject again? should I worry?

jaabaar - I would follow tiktok's advice. She really does know what she is talking about.

Have you expressed between breastfeeds? That would help build your milk supply. I have a friend whose children sleep that amount, they reduced slightly as they got older, but still sleep about 17 hours a day (not kidding!) and they are 4 and 2. Personally I think they look ill, but it suits her as she doesn't need to deal with them .

However I will also add that my sister slept that amount all her life, and still loves her sleep. My gran used to say that she would be retarded because she was never awake long enough to learn. She isn't retarded. but she does have a rare kidney condition which has nearly killed her several times.

Get her checked out, just in case.

jaabaar - yes, speak to the health visitor again.

If you are keen on continuing to breastfeed, I think you will probably have to take action asap....yes, expressing will prob be needed, but the main thing would be ensuring frequent effective direct breastfeeds. Most women would not be able to build up and maintain a bf supply on mixed feeding plus 4-5 feeds a day, so it's likely you would need a 'rescue plan' for your milk.

That is a separate concern to your baby's growth and sleep, though - the possibility is your baby is sleeping a lot to conserve his energy and that's not good. It's not anything to panic about, but it's not good for this to go on unchecked out.

Hi all,
thanks again for your input which i much apreciate. I went yesterday to the health visitor at the baby clinic.

She weighed the baby and she had put on about 200 grams in a week. She was happy with it and said as long as the baby puts on weight and feeds well during the day it should be fine. I forgot to ask about the breastfeeding and the nurse did not come yet to our house.

I will go for weigh in weekly just to keep an eye on it. The thing is that she just ate bf and bottle just before going for weight in and no poo poo done yet. so maybe this contributed to the 200 gram...

Thank again.