Premature baby

[Loll]

Please can anyone give me advice about how I should treat my now 10 week old baby girl in terms of putting her on E.A.S.Y?  She was delivered 8 weeks early - so is really only 2 weeks old in terms of her true gestational age.  She is also still very small - weighing 5lb 11oz.
We've been trying to implement the routine for about 4 weeks now.  She seems to be quite inconsistent with the timing and duration of her feeds, especially during the day and is gaining weight quite slowly.  She wakes up, feeds for about 10 - 20 mins and then falls asleep.  If I do manage to get her to stay awake for a bit of activity, she is always showing signs of hunger again before I manage to get to the S, so I often end up feeding her again.  I'm exclusively breastfeeding and because of her slow weight gain I'm so worried that I'm not feeding her enough!

Thanks
Louise

[thitz]

Louise, I just remember that the BW book says that premature babies pretty much just need to eat and sleep.  Also, I believe that you should try to keep her awake for longer feeds by using a cold wet cloth, playing with their hands, a diaper change, or sitting them up.

If she is hungry again before her sleeping, I would feed her but do a diaper change so you're not feeding to sleep.  Then put her to bed.

Definately check with your doctor if you're concerned about the weight gain.

Hope that helps, Tarri

[woopster]

Hiya, my 2 are now 22 weeks.  They were 12 weeks early, so are now 9 weeks corrected, I think.
They are just getting to the stage where they are having some activity, but most days all they want to do is eat and sleep, until it gets to the evening...then they are WIDE awake  :roll:
Are you breast or bottle feeding?  I think when bf they are more likely to 'snack' as it's quite tiring.
I think you should just go with it for the moment and feed whenever she wants to in order to establish your supply. 
You will gradually be able to stretch out her routine.

[Loll]

Thanks!

I think I'm probably expecting too much of her as it's tempting to think she should be conforming to what other 10 weekers are doing. also introduced a dummy which I was dead against!  But after reading about it in the BW, I decided to give it a go as she was always crying for a suckle every time I put her down.  She manages to use it and dutifully spits it out when she's had enough!  My only worry about it now is that I don't give it to her when she actually is still hungry - I'm still learning her language!
The nurses have told ne not to worry too much about the weight, as bf babies tend to be a bit leaner and slower to gain anyway, and that she will make it up as she goes along - maybe having a slow or no gain one week and then compensating by a big gain the week after.  She's due to be weighed again tomorrow - so fingers crossed.

Louise

[CT Mommy]

Hi ladies!

Debinoz from the EASY forum told me to contact you all. I have an 11 week old ds who was born 4 weeks early--so he is 7 weeks, corrected age, at this point.  He put himself on a 3 hour schedule from the minute he was born--would eat then sleep and wake up at the 3 hour mark.  You could set your watch to him!!  The nights have been rough b/c he was literally up every 3 hours 24/7, but at least I knew that at 10, 1, and 4 he would wake.  Until...last week.

Last week, he had two nights were he slept 6 and 7 hours, respectively.  I thought we had crossed a major hurdle and there was actually a minute when I thought the dark circles would disappear from my eyes.  Then he started every 3 hours at night and every 2 during the day.  He has about 5-6 naps a day, ranging from 15-40 minutes and wants to eat again.  I can keep him up 1 1/2-2 hours most times, but he wants to eat at 2 hours, which pretty much blows the EASY routine since he'll eat and immediately fall asleep.

Did I mention I've had him on EASY since we left the hospital (until the above events started?  Also, I have a 22 month old dd who was on EASY, so you'd think I would know what I was doing.

He was born ONLY four weeks early and was relatively big for a preemie, 5 pounds 7 ounces and has gained very quickly, especially for a BF baby.  At his 8 week well baby visit he was 11.5 pounds!  I would guess aroun 13.5 now!!

Are my expectations too high?  Given his weight, chronilogical age and structured routine since birth, I would think he would be sleeping better at night and at least taking one good nap/day.  I feel completely defeated b/c I am working so hard at this with no results.  Is this a preemie thing or am I really doing something wrong.

Please help!
Nicole

[Chantel03]

hi ladies!

My ds was a premie and he was 4 1/2 wks early weighed a little over 4 pds.  First thing first for the first few months of his life he was eating and sleeping thats it.  He would eat every 2hrs aroung the clock until about 3mths old or so.  I also had to pump and then bottle feed him my breast milk cus he didnt have a stong enough suck.

The thing to remeber is dont compare to others lo's they are diffrent.  They need to feed and grow.  It was really hard for me to get Tanner on EASY, and didn't really get him on it until about 4mths old.  Dont worrie it will get easier.  Tanner started to put himself on his own schedul as he got older, and healthier.

Also wondering if any of you are getting your lo's an RSV shot?  Well that's all for now but if you have any questions you can pm me.  Tanner is now 16mths and looks like a 2yr old so it doenst take long tell they get caught up.  hang in there, I promise it will get easier.