Author Topic: Is a very short activity time OK?  (Read 689 times)

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Offline Urbsvox

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Is a very short activity time OK?
« on: December 12, 2013, 19:47:57 pm »
My DD is 8 weeks old and on most days has very short activity time.  For example today one EAS was:  E @ 1:45p, A @ 2:00p and S @ 2:18p.  I generally try to distract her & do something to change things up a bit and thus extend A time, but today she started to yawn and cry not even 10 minutes after her feeding.  Is it OK to have such short A time? 

This week she's a good sleeper, so when she gets fussy like what is described above, I swaddle her and lay her in her crib.  She can get herself to sleep with a pacifier without my help.  She does flit in and out of sleep though, about every 45 minutes (sleep cycle) although sometimes she does sleep for an hour or more at a time.  I find that she's getting better with sleeping as she ages.  She's been on EASY for about 2.5 - 3 weeks.

She is not a very good eater (bottle and FF), but we are working on that.  I suspect a tongue tie, although the doctor says it's not indicated (she was lip tied however and we did cut that).  She can't decide if she wants the standard flow or the infant flow nipple from one feed to the next. In addition, she usually stops after 2 oz and resists the remaining 2 oz.  I try to stop feeding and do some activity so that I can distract her and resume the feed so she'll consume the remaining ounces.  Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. 

Now that I write the above, I see that I have mini activity times interspersed with her feeds. 

Will my pattern disrupt her otherwise good EASY routine? 

Will this be an issue when I try to cut out the nighttime feeds?  Right now she wakes at 12a and 3a, give or take.  She downs 4 and 3 oz (but then again sometimes only 2).  I have tried to redistribute more ounces during her day feeds to no avail.  I know I haven't been on EASY long enough to observe a real pattern but she's so responsive that I want to either start or continue to do what's right so that we work closer to longer nights; I'm worried her short activity time will impact our endeavors.  She will sleep from 7p to 12a without waking although she did wake for her DF last night.  When she does wake, she goes right back to sleep. 

Sorry if this post is jumbled. I've written before (about her feeding) but she changes her wants and fusses week to week. This week no activity time is the predominant factor. 

Any advice or thoughts are welcome.
Thank you!

Offline weaver

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Re: Is a very short activity time OK?
« Reply #1 on: December 12, 2013, 20:22:42 pm »
First off, don't start worrying about how to drop night feeds now. In baby terms, that is years away. For us, months, but for her, literally, a lifetime, she will have changed so much by then nothing you do now will really matter. 

For the first couple of months, she will change *a lot* so don't be surprised by having a moving target (so to speak).

If you're worried about feeding, pop over to the Bottle Feeding FAQ and board.
FAQ's - Frequently Asked Questions & Related Information - Bottle

I would say, though, in answer to your main question, that if she is sleeping well during the day and at night, then don't worry too much about length of A time.  She's still very young!
*Anne*, loving mama to a honeybee (2010) and a sweetpea (2012).  BF for 4 proud years.


Offline michaeljacknnugg

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Re: Is a very short activity time OK?
« Reply #2 on: December 12, 2013, 21:36:48 pm »
Agree with pp. Every baby is different and if you're reading her cues and responding to them, you're doing great!
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