Implementing a 'routine' to help baby settle

[newmumgg]

Hello there

My baby boy is almost 5 weeks old. He is mainly on formula, and has been for a while now. He is a good, healthy weight.

The issue I am having is that his feeding is very erratic - sometimes he'll take a good full feed and then not need to eat again for 2-3 hours (during which he sleeps, albeit on me). At these times, when he is awake he seems alert, relaxed etc.

At other times he'll snack - 1oz here, 1 oz there, with a 10 minute nap here and there. During these times, when he is awake, he is quite cranky.

I feel that at these times, he becomes overtired, so then when he does eat he falls asleep quickly, but then wakes because he is actually quite hungry. Does this make any sense? Or am I just making this up?? This tends to happen in the mornings - he wakes up around 6am cranky, unsettled, a bit hungry and tired, so I feed him a bit and then it starts from there for a few hours (on/off eating and sleeping, crankyness etc) until the afternoon when he has a good long nap and then wakes a lot more settled! The evenings are similar to the mornings, but I find the mornings more difficult (maybe because in the evenings my husband is home from work to help out).

Anyway, I am keen to hear your experiences of feeding (and sleeping) routines for your newborns! Also any advice on how to change the mornings so that he either sleeps for longer or takes a good feed.....

Hope that makes sense. Thanks in advance!!

 

[c1403]

My LO was like this the first few weeks after she started formula (she started at 3-4 weeks). I just fed on demand and she would sometimes be so exhausted from being cranky but she also had silent reflux. Her nap times were all over the place so we just tried a varied routine of feed, change bum, play, cuddle etc to try and settle her.

By about 7/8 weeks her feeding settled down and she would take 3-4oz every 3 hours, with maybe a nap in between....shes now 12 weeks and still feeds every three hours but 6oz and she sleeps longer during the day night

I think all babies are different and find their own way and routine eventually.

x

 

[keepholdingon]

My LO doesn't eat on a consistent schedule either. He'll be 4 weeks on Saturday.

He pretty consistently would eat the same amount and his routine was pretty set. He'd eat, sleep, diaper change, play, sleep, eat, diaper change, play, etc... these past couple of days he's up for longer (which makes sense as he's getting older!) but when it comes to eating, he's just not eating as much as he used to. A couple of days ago he'd consistently eat 3 oz and sometimes even 4 oz if he went a little longer between feedings. For the past few days, he's sleeping more and only taking 2-2.5 oz at a time.

I realized I think he has thrush (doc appt tomorrow, we'll know then!) which makes it difficult for him to take a bottle. I think not as much food is making him sleepy (he's still eating enough throughout the day, though). I also suspect he's got reflux, but the doctor dismissed it last time I was there and brought it up. I'm going to ask the doctor about it tomorrow, too (seeing a different doc).

I'm trying to start early on routines with him. What I've been doing is feeding him, keeping him upright for a bit afterwards (to see if this helps with possible reflux), cuddles and then swaddling him and putting him in his crib. If he's not tired, I'll keep with what I'm doing and let him stay awake, but when he starts getting sleepy I'll start the "nap/bed" routine. I always put the same music toy (a stuffed seahorse that plays music and has a light) on when he's in his crib so he knows it's quiet time and time for a nap. At first, he'd cry in his crib for a bit and eventually settle and go down for a nap, but now he just coos for a bit and then falls asleep. The swaddle, I think, helps him feel cozy and safe.

When LO is eating, I'll sometimes have to tickle his chin or his back to wake him up or like, reset him cause he'll stop sucking lol. Also, I make sure to try and burp him, as sometimes he'll only eat an ounce or so and then stop. Once I burp him he'll usually take more. Sometimes he won't eat because he has to poop! Once he poops he'll usually take more of the bottle. Your LO may have a tummy ache (have you tried gripe water? I'm not sure if it does anything for my LO's stomach but it absolutely gets rid of his hiccups when he has them!)

I'm bottle feeding expressed breast milk but he mostly eats formula. Whether it was due to my csection, antibiotics they must have given me, poor latching, thrush, me giving up too soon... I don't know! I'm trying to get him back on the breast more but our routine right now seems to be working. Hope you figure things out soon!

 

[pichi]

i would say look into the EASY routine found in the baby whisperer book. it makes a lot of sense EASY stands for: Eat, activity, sleep, you. we started this with our DD when she was around 6 weeks and it worked great for a routine (note; routine and schedule arn't the same ) and our DS seems to be falling into the routine of EASY by himself at just 3 weeks by himself.

because your little one is still small don't feel rushed into implementing a strong routine, as long as you keep to your routine loosely your baby will realise too