Newborn: does this sound right?

[dmills]

Hello.  Just a few questions, please.  I have read the BW books and been on the site since ds was about 6 weeks and he is now 29 months.  We just brought our dd home on Saturday and she is eating about 2 ozs. every 3 hours.  I have been waking her during the day to feed.  Then we do 2 or 3 cluster feeds at 2 hours apart in the evening ending at 9pm(we are early to bed early to risers)...then she has slept until 1:15 or so, then to 4:30 or so, and then maybe a catnap then up for a while.  Does this sound ok?  During the day, she is sooo impossible to EASY with.  One day she will be up for a long stretch and the next I can not get her to wake for anything other than to burp and the after eating diaper change.  She is only a week.  Is this normal?  Any ideas or suggestions?

[rebecaq]

Hi dmills,

Congratulations on your new baby girl!!

I imagine that this being your second your anxious to get her on EASY so there can be structure in your day.  I'm sure she'll be on a routine soon enough, especially since you have already been through this once 

However, the first six weeks of a baby's life is a bit erratic. EASY is recommended since birth mainly to get the mom used to going through the motions of it and to help you read your baby's cues. For exampl is she has fed recently and starts crying you can rule out hunger and see if she has gas or is sleepy.  At the moment your dd is getting used to life on the outside, is recuperating from labor and delivery, is figuring out this whole nursing thing etc etc etc.

From what you describe she's doing exactly what a newborn does.    Try to not stress about EASY (especially the times) right now and just keep a predictable E-A-S pattern for her. She'll have the hang of it in no time!

- Beca 

[dmills]

So does it count as EASY if she really doesn't wake during the A during the day as long as I am still feeding her than burping and diapering?  What about the pat shush...technically she is already out when I put her down.  A few times I have seen her yawn the 3 times, stare, and start closing her eyes...I lay her down, but she will wake up after a few?  How should this be handled or do I need to wait a few more weeks?  Pat shush when sleeping on back...how!?

[rebecaq]

Right now burping and diapering ARE her A time 

You can start shhh/pat now, and sounds like she needs a little bit of comfort for those times she does wake.

You're doing great hun! 

- Beca