Help - SLEEP & FEEDS

[bigbaubleeyes]

After bf first three weeks we have changed to bottles (got infection after CS).

The last two nites have been terrible - all of a sudden I feel like I don't know what I'm doing anymore (he was quite content and sleeping 5/6 hour stretch at night)

He was awake for 8 hours last nite from 12 to 8am and slept most of day. His feeding and sleeping seem to be all over the place - I was happy to follow baby's own routine but I can't seem to keep track of whats what - snack feeding all the time. I am at the stage of do I/Should I wake hime up for feed if he falls asleep before end of the bottle? He is also sleeping in bed and just won't go in basket - at the moment I'm happy just to sort out feeding and sleeping patterns.

I'm confused as to what to do for best and tempted to read Gina Ford

Sorry - my DS is now 4wks

I believe even Gina Ford would say her routines don't really apply to a baby that is just 4 weeks old. I'd try and get DS to fit into a set routine in time, but do it very, very slowly. I'm sure he'll settle down in time.

Ginas routines start from 1 WEEK old.

The 2-4 week has the following eat/sleep times: (I got some good ideas from the book but didnt strictly follow it as we didnt agree with all of her methods and how strict she is)

Feed times:
7am
10am
2pm
5pm (half a feed before bath)
6.15pm (other half of feed after bath)
10.30pm

Naps between 7am and 7pm - Maximum daily sleep 5 hours:

8.30/9am till 10am
11.30/12 noon till 2pm
4 till 5pm

Bedtime - 7pm but you wake baby for a feed at 10:30pm

The best advice I could give is to wake your lo for a feed every 3 hours during the day as this will help him to recognise the difference between night and day. What flow teat are you using? If he falls asleep at all feeds you could try using a faster flow to see if that helps.

You will find your lo's routine changes from week to week and sometimes day to day so what is a problem now will be a distant memory soon!

take care

Hi BBE, sorry things have gone a bit hectic for you.
Don't know if it helps but everything calmed down for me once I read the Baby Whisperer book (Tracey Hogg). Basic principle is 2½ to 3 hour blocks during the day in which they eat, then have activity (changing nappy / play) then sleep.
Worked from day 1 for us. Still not perfect but we are so much more in control than before.

Hope things get better for you both.

Message withdrawn

Another thing to try is to take her outside as much as possible during the day, especially when it is nice weather. This makes is quicker and easier for her to recognise the difference between night and day (or so I read somewhere).

Thanks while I think we needs some sort of loose routine I don't think I can go the full Gina Ford hog - BUT I will use her times as a loose guide as to how much sleep etc.

Last nite he grisler on all nite and i felt awful doing this but kept him soothed as much as possible with dummy and he slept brokenly all night and had lots of 1oz 2oz feeds its madness!!! I also gave him water as he was constipated and this seemed to help.

I will loosley follow 3hr timings and see how it goes. I have questioned his formula too (Hipp Organic) and will definately try a number 2 teat (AVENT)

Still recovering from CS but shold have use of car back next week if all well at 6ek checkup so this shold make a difference I hope.

THANKS EVERYONE

bump

Hi Bigbaubleeyes

Fab name!

Its hard isn't it - DD is only a few weeks ahead and am a first time mum.

Anyway, another vote here for the baby whisperer - i follow it really loosely now (DD is 4 months) but found it particularly useful when i was first trying to work out what to do when! Its a bit more 'gentle' than Gina (not that have read).

Do you have a night time routine? Think its a good place to start. Decide on a set' bed time' - might be quite late at 4 weeks, and follow the routine every night. Any waking after this point treat as 'night time' - low lights, not to much activity etc.

I read a summary of some research somewhere recently that said that babies who go out (i.e in the outdoors) between 12pm and 4pm sleep better at night. Something about exposure to the sunlight (what there is at this time of year) helping to regulate day/night cycle. So maybe a daily walk in the early afternoon, although cold weather not v condusive to this! It doesn't matter if babe falls asleep during the walk.

I'm a big believer in sleep breeds sleep and since DD has starting napping regularly (not set times - i just judge) she has slept better at night. This will come in time with your LO - its still very early. I did used to wake her if she ran too far into the next feed time, although i know some people don't favour this approach.

I'm with the others on trying a different formula too. We have started DD on a bottle a day, tried a few before she took to Aptimil. One of the others did seem to give her poorly tum.

HTH

Thanks MART I decided to bath betweem 6 & 7 earlie and bed by 12 - 1, I thought if I stick to these fixed points for now.

I'm dreading thru the nite as he has slept from 3pm to 10 pm more or less - I bathed in middle but he wouldn't take a bottle at 6pm (last at 3) but I thought its a start. Last bottle at 10pm

I'm hellbent on getting up in the morning blind open and windows!!! I will take out tomorrow after 12. HV due tomorrow - I'm interested to hear what she has to say - have long listof Q's ready!!!!

Well here goes for the rest of the nite - I feel like I'm forcing him to sleep when clearly he doesn't want to and rely on his dummy too much. Ooooh but I love him!!!

I'm going to check out Tracey Hogg too guys thanks.

Pablopatito, oops sorry I only skimmed the responses and missed yours re the sunlight

DS satyed in his basket all night hurraaaaayyyy!!! I hope it wasn;t just a one off!!!.

I kept him awake this morning with a lovely wash follwed by play and bottle. I then took him for a walk locally for the first time so he has been exposed to frash air and sunlight.

Based on the three hour guidance for feeds he's due one in half hour so I am pondering whether to wake him - if there's anyone there what do you think?