8 week old - formula feeding 1-4oz every 1-4 hours - will only sleep in arms

[LouiseS05]

Hello,

I wondered if anyone could offer any advice...or even tell me it's completely normal!

My LG is 8 weeks old & formula fed (she was combi fed until 4 weeks). She feeds every 1-4 hours (day & night), she can take anything from 1oz to 4oz... she is gaining weight well and the HV has no concerns. We are starting gaviscon for reflux as she does suffer with that on and off. We also give Infacol before feeds.

She also will not sleep unless in our arms. We manage around 1-3 hours sleep a night when she goes in her next to me crib. She would sleep for hours and hours on my chest!

Has anyone experienced the same? Just exhausted and hoping this will settle 🤣

Thank you ☺️ x

She is young. It will pass. It's not thst uncommon. If you worry talk to HV or GP.

I feel your pain.

Is she happy on her back sometimes when awake eg nappy change, play time?

Are you able to transition her to crib or somewhere safe and cosy after she's fallen into deep sleep on your chest?

Will she sleep in the pram?

Thank you for responding. She occasionally sleeps in the pram on walks. And she is very happy playing on her back yes, just as soon as we place her in her crib or Moses basket she is wide awake. Hopefully it will get better soon 🙏🏼🙏🏼

Have you tried without the infacol? The orange flavouring made my DDs reflux worse

It will settle.

Really hard when they are this age. My eldest really wouldn't be put down, she's now a thriving almost 5 year old that's happily takes herself off to bed so please don't worry about the things you do now.

What worked for us- I would go to bed at 7pm (yes seriously) and sleep until around 10pm when DH would bring child up for a feed whilst I was half asleep (appreciate you are bottle feeding so skip this bit). He would then take child back downstairs until 12am/1am (his normal bedtime so adapt as necessary, no falling asleep on the sofa in this house). He would come to bed with her and I'd take over from 12am/1am-5am whilst he slept. Meant we both functioned and although it meant missing out on our alone time it worked for us 😊. Meant we could both just about function having had a solid 5 hours rather than 9 hours of broken sleep or whatever. Then he'd get himself ready for work and then in the hour he had spare I could lie in, eat and shower in peace until he left for work.

Hope this might help and keep going, you are nailing it ♥️ x

No we haven't! I will definitely give this a try! Thanks so much

This is reassuring that you made it to the other side 🤣🤣
Thank you for the tips we will definitely try them! I also don't want to sleep on the sofa or Co sleep in bed! & this is the advice I keep getting from people but we just refuse to try it (for safety reasons)!
Thanks so much xx

You need to do what feels comfortable for you. You'll be out the other side before you know it x

Agree stop the infacol. I'm a mn and parents often use as think it's good but as orange flavour it makes worse

Same for some autism medications - flavour orange

Do uou swaddle ? I'm a firm believer of swaddling as makes baby feel more secure and feels like being held

Make cot warm with hot water bottle so not placing down cold after warm
Cuddles

Don't over feed if have reflux

Look up paced feeding

Its quite common for 8 weeks old especially those with reflux.

Try reducing infacol, especially in a feed prior to a nap or overnight.

Hopefully it will pass as they get older and the reflux improves. Bare in mind that gaviscon might not be enough if the reflux is worse than mild and omperazole might be needed

Have you propped the head end of the cot up? Put something under each leg. It can help if babies have reflux.

Dd had cmpa and not once slept for more than 20 mins, quite literally ( as insane as it sounds) and fed about an once or two every hour or so. We kept being told it was reflux and the cot propping helped but it was only resolved after four months by a milk change when symptoms escalated. If your baby is generally settled this onviously isn't an issue but if there are other concerns maybe bear it in mind?

Awhhhh she's just being a baby. Have you heard of the fourth trimester? It will pass but baby is basically blind and wants to be held and feel secure. I spent 3 months on the sofa with my baby and he's now 11 months and an absolute tearaway.

I'd take a look at how you're preparing bottles because things like the prep machine and shaking instead of swirling can make them worse.

Sounds totally normally baby behaviour. We as a society are so obsessed with thinking our babies should sleep on their own, sleep for solids number of hours etc. life becomes a lot easier when you just “go with it”

It's hideous I know but she is still so tiny. She was inside you a few weeks ago!

Co sleeping saved my life! Can you try that? My husband and I joke about the shift work that is fourth trimester as we just took it in turns, a few hours at a time to cuddle our first all night long (until I realised I could co sleep and then did that!)