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SLEEP => General Sleep Issues => Topic started by: mcconnfamily on August 02, 2005, 04:20:39 am
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My ds is 8 wks today and I have been doing EASY since he was 2 weeks. I need some advice so please help me!
1) Is this an appropriate schedule for an 8 wk old. I'm afraid that he is not eating often enough and I'm not sure if I should wake him from his nap? I haven't been. This was his schedule today for example.
7AM - Wake and feed/activity to follow
7:45 - 10:45 sleep with a little waking up in the middle
11:00 - feed/activity
12:00 - 2:30 - sleep
2:30 - feed
4:00 - 5:20 - sleep
5:40 - feed
6:30-6:45 - sleep (fussy in the evening/resists sleep the most)
7:00 - feed again (trying cluster?)
8:30 - 9:00 - sleep
9:00 - nightime routine (bath, feed, songs, sleep)
10:00 - sleep (hasn't resisted but once yet . . . . crossing fingers)
2) As you can see, sleep varies mostly because he resists each time and it may take a while to get him down. I've done swaddling, pat/shush, black room, etc. they work after a while but it feels like I keep resorting to the swing during the day. He usually gets a bit more sleep in the evening but tonight would not settle. Any sugg. on how to get him to sleep quicker and easier? I think he's a mix between spirited and textbook in some ways.
3) At night, he usually falls asleep while I'm bf him but wakes some when I burp him. Usually at this point he is groggy enough that I can put him down and he does cry after a bit. If he starts we go in, put his paci in, and he eventually will settle. It took from 10:00 - 12:10 until he finally fell asleep for more than 20 min. I'm worried that I shouldn't bf him to sleep but it seems like it helps so much to get him to calm down to be able to fall asleep. Is this bad?
4)Also, I'm not sure how much to feed him from the bottle when my husband is watching him. We've been giving him between 3-4 ounces. If it's anymore than that he spits up quite a bit so I'm worried that it's because it's too much, or is it silent reflux or something like that.
I soooooo appreciate the advice!!!!
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O.K. let's start with feeding first. You're bf so it's not as easy to tell how much he's getting. Here's a math problem for you: his weight times 2.5 divided by # of feeds a day= #ounces per bottle or feed roughly. If he's spitting up more with the bottle, it may the formula or if it is ebm, it could be the nipple flow is too fast. Make sure Daddy burps him every 2 or 3 ounces as well. BF is so much different than Formula feeding.
Now let's play his sleep....
Do you really want him to be til 10 p.m. when he's two? Not being judgemental, just serious. He will get used to whatever schedule you put him on, and the older they get, the harder it is to change. You may try bedtime routine earlier in the evening, like 6 or 7 for now (bath may be too stimulating so late in the day) and let him sleep til ten or eleven and do a dream feed. He's going to want around 12 hours sleep a night without feedings really soon. I think that's why his morning nap is so long....he is still trying to catch up with his night sleep.
It is not "bad" to feed your baby to sleep. It's not a great habit to start, however. Just do your best to keep him at least semi-conscious (sp?) so he'll understand that he is supposed to sleep in his crib w/o the boobies. After his bath, you'll probably need to feed him to calm him down. That is totally okay.
Did I get everything?My mommy brain is too tired. Just hang in there, sweetie.
Oh, don't wake him up unless it's been four hours since he last ate. And he'll let you know if he's hungry, and as long as he's putting on weight, it's all good.
Crystal