1. 2 hour schedule: At 4 weeks my pediatrician said a growth spurt was probably the cause of the 2 hour feeding schedule. She was napping long but that has stopped. I've tried to extend the times between feedings by small increments with no success- usually backfiring. I'm so tired and have been home bound because she doesn't take a bottle very well so I've had to be present at all feedings- I have sore breasts! And, she doesn't take a pacifier- I've bought about 5 different kinds to no avail- and I've tried desperately to use them and teach her to take one but it usually makes her irrate. I need help with getting back to the 3 hour schedule.
Many breastfed babies take longer to get to the 3 hr schedule. Growth spurts tend to throw everything off for awhile. Are you sure she is past it. Sometimes they can last two weeks. It is VERY important that you let her nurse as often as she likes during these times, the more you do, the quicker your supply will go up and then she will extend between feedings again. You can try putting back to the same breast to try to double the supply on one side so to speak. That sometimes helped as then I would get very full on one side and fill her up longer. Make sense? You're also stimulating for more milk production this way.
My dd would also not take a bottle from me at this age and would refuse or CRY at a pacifier so that was out. I was the pacifier :wink: I'm sure you feel like one as well. Do not feel as if you have failed or anything, we were on a 2 hr feeding schedule as well until about 5 months.
2. Short naps- like mentioned before, she's been napping for shorter and shorter periods- usually between 30-40 minutes. She gets so upset at multiple attempts to keep putting her down. Strangely enough, she is very happy once unswaddled and begins to coo and smile even after these short naps. Every once in a while, she does sleep for 1.5 to 2 hours. She's also been very hard to put down for naps since birth. It's always been a struggle. She has spent a lot of time in the swing because of reflux. I've been working on getting her into the crib more- but she sleeps so much better in swing (even when it's off). So, yesterday we started the pu/pd to try to help teach her to settle down on her own and hopefully one day go to sleep on her own (which she has done a total of only 4 times since birth!) I'm so afraid to put her into the crib and walk away because she immediatly fusses when she hits the sheets. So I have to immediately begin with shush/pat. Since she's happy should I not force longer naps? How would that affect trying to get to a 3 hour schedule?
Is your crib elevated on one side? This might help the reflux. You can try giving her gas drops right before you lay her down. I would also at this age get my baby to sleep in a bouncer and then transfer her. I would try to get her to have longer naps. Ideally 1.5 hrs 3x per day. If she doesn't sleep the whole time she will be early for a feed perhaps get overtired...you won't be able to maintain the pattern.
3. Swaddling- it seems as though she's starting to fight the swaddling process by getting very cranky and almost inconsolable when the swaddling is done. Infact, when she shows sleepy cues and we start walking up the stairs to her room, she's started to cry almost in anticipation of the whole nap routine. However I've seen improvement over the last 24 hours since doing the pu/pd. She's starting to settle faster in the crib versus keeping her in our arms till sleepy. I've tried to leave an arm out a couple of times but it seems to only frustrate her as she swats her face and finally finds her fist or back of the hand but not her fingers yet. I've tried putting her down recently unswaddled twice which only ended with a hysterical baby after about 30 minutes. Any advice?
I would go for a sleep sack or bag like the grobag or halo sack. I wish I would have found mine around this age but only found it late at 7 months. It is really great and can keep them contained but free. It also has become a sleep cue for my dd so when she goes it in she knows it is nap time, then we rock and sing and then into crib.
4. Pu/Pd and shush pat. The pu/pd seems to be going okay. But recently after putting her down and waiting the 20 -25 minutes, she sleeps on her own for maybe 10 minutes then is stirring and fussing. I begin the shush/pat and have to continue until my lips are so chapped and my arm is about to fall off! As soon as I start to slow down the shush/pat after 10-12 minutes she immediately stirs and fusses. I feel as though I've become a prop. So, do I stop doing the shush/pat and pu/pd after 40 minutes when she wont stay asleep?
Do you know your babies temperament? If she is on the touchy side pat/shh might be too stimulating. Have you tried just placing a hand on her. You need to go as long as the sleep is supposed to be- so 1.5 hrs. I did this at this time because my dd would not sleep longer than 20-40 min and I was desperate. We did PU/PD. We went on for a very long time. But eventually she learned to sleep longer. If you run into a feed though, you feed, but then will have a very short awake time, because overtired from PU/PD, and then put for a nap a bit early.
I really do feel that because you are breastfeeding you should slow down, re-evaluate a growth spurt, and remember that it is harder for bf'ing moms often times to get to the set 3 hr or even 4 hr schedule. The pattern of EASY is what you really want to achieve not necessarily the times.
I know that I personally was behind formula feeding moms about 2-3 months on feeding intervals. Stress will also affect your supply. Make sure you are eating and resting when she rests, even if you don't sleep make sure to close your eyes for a second.
