5 wk old feeds every 2-3 hrs during the day but every 1-2 hrs at night - agh! Any advice?

[MrsHY1]

Hello
I know she's still very small but just wondered if there's anything I can do to improve my baby girl's night time sleep as she's setting quite a demanding schedule! Basically she's napping quite well during the day (still hit and miss but will have a few power naps as well as longer one out in the buggy in the late morning, and perhaps an hour in the mid afternoon) and will feed well every 2-3 hrs, however I can count the times I've had 2-3 hrs at night on one hand. I'm co-sleeping with her so I can get as much rest as possible but do wonder if I'm contributing to the problem - maybe in my half-sleepy/ sleep deprived state I'm not interpreting her signals correctly and am shoving a boob in her little face when actually she might not need feeding. That said, she does seem to drink well when latched - albeit sometimes for a very short time - although often hard to judge as I'll often nod off once she's latched (I've perfected a technique where I can lie flat on my back and drape her across me). I can't complain too much as she'll then nod off between feeds unless the poor thing has a windy behind (!) but I am rather envious of my NCT buddies who can often get a 4 hr or even more uninterrupted stretch (one of them got 7 hrs last night!!). Any thoughts? x

Hi it is a hard one when your breastfeeding cuz you can't give them nothing else part from the boob. I have two children a boy that's 7 and a girl that's just turned 1. My boy was bottle fed and my girl was breastfed when he was 5 weeks I gave him a lil bit a baby rice b fore b d as he was a hungry baby. Maybe your baby is sometimes goin in the boob for comfort and no actuallytaken milk have you tried a dummy I know the hv yell you not to use them cuz it can sometimes confuse them but it's worth a try

rach, that is utterly dreadful advice. Solids should not be given under 17 weeks.

Baby rice at 5 weeks!

No real advice other than to say, stick with it, it will get better. The little one is just still finding her routine.

Definitely try not to feed her unless she ramps up her noises a bit. I have a 7 week old and he makes a lot of noise during the night even when he isn't hungry. If that doesn't work she is either feeding lots at night to get you to make more milk or she as day and night mixed up. Does she go back to sleep quickly during the night after a feed? Is she awake for little periods during the day?

Don't worry though. Whatever it is, it will sort itself out over the next couple of months. Roll on 12 weeks!

I found with ds he gradually got his day and night right from about six weeks, maybe hold out a bit longer? It's so tough in the early days! Worth it though

Thanks all! I really appreciate you all taking the time to reply. I think she more or less gets day and night- during the day she has nice periods of alert time but that can descend into overstimulation very quickly so I have to watch it. At night she goes straight back down more or less, I will see her eyes open and search for mine but if I shut mine and pull her into my body she'll nod off. Good point she's so cute and I love her so much it makes me feel a bit sick (although that might be the tiredness :)) otherwise she's be in the wheelie bin ( joke!! Don't report me!!) xx

Im sorry but if you read my message properly I said I gave my son baby rice I never said she should give her baby anything part from a dummy if that's her choice. And as for me given my son baby rice it was my choice as I said he was a hungry baby I changed his milk from sma gold to the hungry baby but it never dome nothing for him and every baby is different and need different things than others

I used to say I'd put ds in the shed it's quite likely a comfort thing some of the time but it's nice that you can comfort her so quickly. Ds was similar, he's now 12 months and sleep 12/13 hours every night. It won't last forever

Well all I can say it never done my son any harm he is a healthy 7 year old who likes his food and before you have a go at someone who you don't even know or know there background is that information is basied on a percentage off children not all children so some may need food earlier than others do and some may not and for your advice I never done it with out speaking to my hv before and I would prover my child to be full not hungry as the milk wasn't filling him up as it should he only got 2 or 3 spoonfuls which my health visitor said it was fine

You don't know it hasn't harmed your son rach and I hope for his sake it won't cause him problems in the future.
You should report your health visitor if she is still working for giving such dangerous advice.

As I said my son is a healthy 7 year old who would rather choose fruit over sweets he is top off his class in school really good at maths and reading so for his sake I know he's ok he has a healthy diet so I know he will be ok in the future but thanks for your nice messages

The plural of anecdote is not data. It is DANGEROUS to give solids under 17 weeks. You cannot know at 7 years old what impact your choice has had. A hungry baby at 5 weeks needs more milk not baby rice.

What research did you do before making your decision? How many paediatricians/dieticians/nutritionists did you consult?

I am staggered by your ignorance, tbh.

A quick google provides this link, rach

www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/doc/1423.pdf

Quotes:

Infants weaned on solids before 17 weeks have... "an increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease in adult life."

Infants introduced to gluten before 17 weeks... "increase the risk of celiac disease and T1DM."

Right ok seems as you think you kno me all so well. For the 1st 2 weeks off his life he was on the gold sma whilst he was in hospital he was drinking two yes two off the glass bottles hew was going through two tins off milk a week at 7 oz so went to health visitors and she said to put him on the blue sma so I did but he was still drinking 7 oz bottles then went back 3 weeks later and she said try him with 2 or 3 baby spoons off baby rice with a 4 or 5 oz bottle which I did only at night times . Sorry if it seems rude but he is my son and so far he is healthy I wasn't coming on here for people to be rude when they don't even know the person or the really reasons behind it yes people can have the opinions but at the end off the day it's not your child

No, but you are the one using your story to advise another mother. You brought this up! Either, you didn't know the risks or you do. If you do, why would you share such a story? You do understand the very real, statistical risk in giving solids under 17 weeks?

It was your choice but, equally, it is my choice to point the significant risk in choosing to do what you did. Welcome to the internet. Welcome to debate.

Look I understand where your coming from I weren't telling her to feed her baby at all .but my son is healthy active happy little boy but at the end off the no one knows what kinda life style he will have when he's older but I know when he is under my roof he eat fruit and veg has plenty off fish in his diet only has a couple off sweets a week

No like I said I weren't advising her to give her baby at all and like I said when you kno the full facts behind the person's choice then you can have your debate but if the milk weren't filling him up what else are you ment todo

Again, I repeat, the plural of anecdote is not data.

By sharing your story, you are tacitly advising. Whilst there is ongoing debate regarding weaning between 17-26 weeks, there is no debate about weaning below 17 weeks. No HCP would ever suggest baby rice at 5 weeks. It is dangerous.

If you keep telling people, "it did my DS no harm," you will be challenged by lots of people - not just me.

The plural of anecdote is not data.

Sorry to say that this is still the same for us at 16 weeks.

All these people,who say it gets better.....when exactly??!

At the end off the day there is nothing I can do now is there all I k no is my son was a hungry baby. All the advice you get told changes so much aswell and they are basing that information on a percentage off children but how much research is actually done on hungry babies.

If a 5 week old baby is showing hunger cues, you feed milk. If it's temporary, it may be a growth spurt. If you are concerned about how much formula milk is being consumed then you consult a doctor to investigate issues such as reflux/silent reflux where the baby may choose to over feed to get relief from the symptoms. If you are breastfeeding, you don't need to worry about over feeding.

You do not give solids.

DHSS weaning advice from 1974 instructed parents not to wean before 17 weeks. It's hardly a recent change.

I weren't breastfeeding him due to health reasons. And like I said you dint know the full story of you think I took my choice lightly I never he got checked for that and like I said he was fine and has been fine since and I hope he carries on being fine like I said he has a healthy active lifestyle and I will do my best to keep it up for him he's had no health issues in the past or upto now

Gah Kelly! You have my sympathies. Sorry my post seems to have inadvertently started a war!