two more problems!

[marley2580]

So my health visitor finally decided to show up today and weigh Kaya, and as it turns out she's lost weight over the last two weeks! She's now 8lb 15oz, two weeks ago she was 9lb 5oz. The HV is coming back on friday to weigh her again and see if she's put on even an oz, she couldn't see what was causing the loss as Kaya is feeding well and you can hear her get the milk. Now the last two days or so she's been wanting to eat a lot, but I'm convinced that some of it is for comfort as she sometimes falls asleep almost immediatly. I've got loads of milk, it leaks everywhere when she cries and if she lets go at the wrong time it spurts everywhere! I think that she's just destined to be a skinny baby and it's her baby fat that's falling away. But does anyone have any other ideas about what could be going on? She's very alert and seems well in herself, though she gets a lot of wind.

This leads me on to my next problem. Last night Kaya didn't got to sleep until about 5.30am! This is despite having been awake for hours and hours. She seems to be turning night into day as she does most of her sleeping in the morning and afternoon and from about 4pm she's wide awake and just takes short catnaps. It's not too much of a problem at the moment as I can try and catch up on some sleep during the day, but in the new year I'm back at work and I'm going to need at least some sleep. I've tried giving her a bath before bed but it doesn't seem to be helping. I co-sleep with her which makes things a little easier, but the OH needs to sleep coz he's at work quite early in the mornings.

Anyone got any advice?

 

[Wobbles]

Well we had HV 5 days ago she said it was not uncommon that babies lost weight on first weigh after birth - made us feel better she was 6 something! Exactly 7 at birth. Today she came out again and she is exactly the same weight. She doesn't seem odd with us at all no obvious reasons etc - I said we were sure she'd gained weight looked a lil bigger and she said something like they can grow for the room to gain on the fat and not do both at one time. Shes coming out in 3 days to see like you if shes even gained a little bit and just for our own mind Im keeping a food diary up to that point. Just carry on as normal but jot down the feeds (this was my suggestion) ...

Oh Im a div your breast feeding - are you expressing. I wondered about BF tbh and how you know what they take in because they may look like they are sucking but its not always same pace/flow from the bottle imo.

Try not to worry - Like my HV said baby will take what they want they will let you know if they are starving.

Caitlin has a screamin moment at the smaller hours too - last for a couple of hours she will fall asleep be zonked we put her down *snap* shes off again! My OH was co-sleeping with her at one point until we were told by HV cot deaths are more common in the arms

 

[marley2580]

I'm not expressing as you're not supposed to introduce a bottle until they are at least 6 weeks old. Also, I'm not really wanting to use a bottle at all, so it'll be a last resort I think.

Kaya doesn't tend to scream, she's just very awake and alert. She only cries if she wants changed or fed, otherwise she's quite happy to be shoogled or sit in her bouncer.

I've done a fair bit of reading into co-sleeping and there's a lot of thought that, if done properly, it can reduce cot death as the breathing of the mum can remind the baby to breath. So for the first few months they should only sleep with their mum (so mum is in the middle), don't smoke, drink or do drugs, make sure that there's no heavy blankets or loose pillows etc. In countries such as Japan, where co-sleeping is the norm, cot death is so rare that they don't even have a name for it.

 

[Wobbles]

I wasn't suggesting move her to bottle just got so far in and it clicked you weren't bottle feeding lol

Strange the info that is conflicting isn't it but the thought and the horror on their faces scared me

 

[mickey]

possibly 'cos she is awake a lot!

I wouldn't worry too much as they say some people are putting too much into this weigh chart!

just wait until she gets weighed next time and what HV said!

we want to got to the baby clinic on friday, cos I want to get her weighed as well.

so far her weight was fine, but she didn't get weighed for about two and a half week now!

but I am telling you, she is eating like a horse (I always wonder where in here small belly this all fits!!!) and she is more awake during the night than during day!

as yours, until 4 am, 5 am and then she would be fine until evening time again, what is messing up my sleeping pattern as well

 

[Lucy]

Marley did the HV use the same type of scales as the ones your daughter was last weighed on? Was she just in a nappy when she was weighed? Need to make sure she's always weighed on the same type of scales and in similar attire.

Re the feeding. Sounds like you have a good supply, how long does she stay at each breast for? It's important she gets the fattier hindmilk from your boob(s) at each feed which helps with the weight. It could also be that she isn't drinking effectively, is her head in a good position when she feeds (e.g her chin isn't pushed into her chest or she doesn't have her neck really extended up?).

Like you say it could just be that she's a wee slim baby.

Agree about the co-sleeping, if done taking precautions like you mentioned it's actually been found to reduce cot deaths.

 

[marley2580]

It was the same type of scale and she was naked when weighed both times. I'm not too worried as I can see that she's growing, it just seems to be long ways - she's long enough for 0-3 month sleepsuits now, when two weeks ago she wasn't. She stays on the breast for 30-40 minutes but dozes while on it (though she does still seem to eat). She's staying on so long that I'm getting sore again!

She's sleeping a lot today, so I may actually get some sleep tonight. That may just be wishful thinking though.

 

[Wobbles]

Agree about the co-sleeping, if done taking precautions like you mentioned it's actually been found to reduce cot deaths.

What co-sleeping with baby? Where did you get that info from Lucy?

I'm curious now why the shock horror was on my HVs face - it scared me to think of it

 

[marley2580]

For more info on co-sleeping check out

https://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T071000.asp
and
https://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article2115373.ece

 

[Wobbles]

Thanks

Those co-sleeper bed looks ace don't they!

Marley have you told HV your co-sleeping? What was her reaction? Not too keen on the fact the reaction ofmine made my heart stop!

 

[marley2580]

Haven't told her because she hasn't asked lol. My sister told hers and she said that she was creating a rod for her own back as she'll never get her son into his own bed. TBH, I couldn't care less what she thinks, almost every parent I know co-sleeps to some degree and I don't know anyone who's lost a baby to SIDS so far (touch wood). Having done it for weeks now, I find that I am very aware of Kaya in bed and can wake up before she does and sooth/feed her before she needs it.

Oh an we bought a babydan sleep and safe bed rail for our bed so she can't roll off once she starts rolling.

 

[Wobbles]

So bubs is on end of bed protected by bed rail? What about blankets? as normal as you would in their moses/crib? What about you (blankets/duvet)?

 

[marley2580]

I have a light duvet which she shares, though it's better if they have their own blanket, because she tends to sleep really close to me. She sleeps with her head about breast level (for obvious reasons) and the duvet as high as her belly. In our bed it goes OH - me - Kaya - bedrail.

 

[Wobbles]

Oooo I'd have cold toes - I love wrapping myself in the duvet so that would scare me and selfishly I love my baby but I love my duvet Not off the idea now although she seems ok at the moment poss something to consider look more into nearer the time I guess its one of those Mummy knows best moments - Thanks

 

[mummyoffive]

Hi Marley,

Try not to worry, every baby grows at its own pace and it is completely normal for babies to lose weight in the first weeks after birth. The charts are certaintly not set in stone they are an average and as long as baby looks happy and healthy and u have no concerns then its just likely baby will catch up. Baby will get into more of pattern with sleep with time- try to keep day times for play and light etc and low light or dark for night- some may find it harsh but i didnt put any toys or music things on of a night and all mine (apart from prem) slept through the night at 2 months- they still all go to bed at 6 pm and rise at 6-7 am. There is a lot of conflicting evidence with regards to co-sleeping but in general it is not advised in the uk and it is as u say advisable not to smoke and drink or take drugs- health visitors and midwifes are health professionals there to advise you however it is your decision what you follow . good luck x

 

[Jamie]

Wobbles- the drs over here freak out like that as well if they know you co-sleep! Personally - i think its a personal choice/preference. I've never co-slept, just something i wasnt comfy with (i worried enough about him breathing and being too cold/too hot LOL) and didnt want to take my chances of him relying on it ya know?- not something i wanted to have to wean him off later on down the road ya know? My friend co-slept with her son from day 1 and loved it!

 

[Margerle]

I co-slept with DD, and as a single mom at the time it was wonderful.

I'm probably going to have a place for LO to go to sleep (didn't even have a crib for first baby) but will probably try to co-sleep a lot with this one too. Its just easier for me to BF that way, and take care of night time changings etc.

But...

DH snores really bad. I'm not sure that's condusive to co-sleeping or not. I'm sure it will entirely depend on the temperament and personality of the baby growing inside me LOL.

So right now, I'm open to either option.

 

[Tam]

We co-sleep with Alfie.....

It was not intentional, but we had my Dad come to stay and he was having the nursery, which was no problem until Alfie got too big for his crib and we had no where else for him to go.

I was obviously scared as there was no way we wanted to squash him and blankets was another worry, so we decided to get a double duvet and fold it in half, then in half again. That is laid in between me & Paul and we have his blankets and towels around the undersides to sort of prop the sides up to stop him rolling out and he is too high for us to flatten.

We have been like it for months now, we are sorting his nursery in the new year, and to be honest he is such a laid back baby, that moving him to his own room I don't think will be an issue. But if it is, then we will deal with it when it happens...

Just an idea of our set up.......




Alfie sitting next to his bed on the left......That blanket, he can't sleep without it to suck.

https://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n86/no1tam/Photos/Readyforbed.jpg


Alfie having a snooze whilst I get his night clothes ready.....(you can see Paul's face in the beackground, which gives you an idea of how high Alfie is)

https://i110.photobucket.com/albums/n86/no1tam/Photos/Alfieafterafeed.jpg


Now Alfie can roll, the duvet is just folded in half now and is more packed around the sides so it cocoons him and he stays in his bed, as when he first started rolling about, he ended up on top of Paul

As for blankets, the only one he has in bed is that one he sucks, we do cover his feet with the duvet, but he kicks it off as soon as it touches, so I am forever trying to get his blanket off him when he is asleep to cover him up.

And now I have done this co-sleeping, I love it and wouldn't have it any other way with Alfie. I am a nightmare tho and do get in trouble for playing with him, as he is so accessible, so I wind him up when he should be going to sleep But on the other hand, when he wakes he is happy just being patted or he just lays their sucking his blanket or humming, it's ace & I feel safe with him right next to me.