Quick Question from a New Mum

[CC's Mum]

Ladies - my nearly 3 week old DD currently takes anywhere between 80-120ml every 3.5-4 hrs.  Through the night she seems to want it a bit more frequently (I have been fighting this and wanting her to go her full 3.5 hrs) and as a result I am knackered having been awake most of the night.

A couple of people have suggested feeding her when she needs it, including the HV so that's what I am going to do.  Is this correct???

Thanks

[Mariek]

Hi

I wouldn't expect her to go more than 3/4 hours at a time without a feed at that age. I think it's about timing when they're so little (for example if you can feed them at 11.30pm and then 3.00am and then again at 6.30am it's only one feed that's the middle of the night (so you're getting at least some chunks of sleep in overnight)).

Have you tried cluster feedings in the evening? This is when you feed them at say 6pm, 8pm and 10pm to stock them up a bit before bed....you could also try a dream feed at about 11.30 (were you feed them without waking them). Can you give us an idea of her schedule throughout the day, it may be that some tweaking of that could resolve the issue of feeding more at night.

love

[travis's mum]

Why don't you try feeding more often during the day, maybe every 2.5/3 hours (I thought when they are this young this is how often they should feed any way) hopefully if she has enough ounces through out the day she might not be as hungry at night and might go for 4 hours if your lucky?

[CC's Mum]

Thanks Maria.

Today, she has had 100ml's at 5.15am,  90mls at 9.15am & 12.15pm, 120mls at 4.30pm.

Between 9.15am and 11.30 she was wide awake and we had lots of interaction, singing, dancing and the HV was here, so she was weighed and measured etc etc.  She then slept between 1.30 and 4.30. After the 4.30 feed she was awake till about 6.15pm (not particularly active, just lying in her cot looking at the world) and she is now fast asleep.

I would now normally just wait till 8.30pm and then 12.30 etc etc, fitting in a bath if poss.  The problem is she is always wide awake from the 8.30pm feed till about 11-11.30pm.  Then hubby wakes her about 12.30 to give her a feed.

Do you think the 6.00, 8.00, 10.00 would be a good idea?
Do you think hubby should just leave her when she goes down at 11.30pm?

So many questions??

[Mariek]

Hi

It sounds like your lo's timetable is a bit erratic, Do you have your her on a schedule? Babies thrive on routine.... which is the essence of Tracy's EASY plan. Have you read Tracy's book(s)? If not you could check out the EASY forum for some ideas of a schedule.

I don't want to write a huge post about EASY if you're already doing it but if you're not and you want some ideas just let me know.

love

[DREAMER]

How much did your LO weigh at birth?  They say that the less they weigh -the more they eat, which definately seemed to have happened with Makaylah - she was born 5.15 and left the hospital at 5.6 and she definately made that statement very true!  She seemed to consistently eat and go through major growth spurts - as with another woman I know who's baby weighed almost the same.
I was told to let her eat when she wants to b/c she is making up for the weight she wasn't born with.