Author Topic: Nighttime feeds - struggling  (Read 1393 times)

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Offline The Vern

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  • Linnea Beatrice Christina - January 5, 2006
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Nighttime feeds - struggling
« on: February 09, 2006, 00:32:35 am »
My lo wakes around 3 and 6 a.m. Both times she is screaming bloody murder to get some food. But as soon as she's on the breast or has the bottle in her mouth, she takes a couple of sucks and then falls stone cold back to sleep.  She is extremely hard to rouse again and the feeds take at least one hour, for her to take just a couple of oz.  It's really frustrating and more disruptive to our nights that it need be.  Any suggestions?

Offline Colin Macs Mom

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Re: Nighttime feeds - struggling
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2006, 01:06:21 am »
How old is she?

Have you tried cluster feeding in the evening, and/or getting more into her during the day?
Jessica
Mom to Colin Ronald, August 18, 2005
Spirited + Reflux =  :o


Offline The Vern

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  • Linnea Beatrice Christina - January 5, 2006
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Re: Nighttime feeds - struggling
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2006, 17:53:50 pm »
She's 5 weeks old today.  Have not tried cluster feeding. Just started trying dreamfeeds. How would cluster feeds work?  Is that a better option than the df?

Offline The Vern

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  • Linnea Beatrice Christina - January 5, 2006
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Re: Nighttime feeds - struggling
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2006, 17:59:10 pm »
Also, I know you're not supposed to engage her at night, but in order to get her to eat anything, I've started turning on lights, talking to her, etc.  However, nothing seems to work for more than a minute tops, then she goes back to sleep.  I put her in her crib and she wakes immediately to eat, but again falls right back when I give her breast or bottle.

Offline Colin Macs Mom

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Re: Nighttime feeds - struggling
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2006, 18:01:41 pm »
If she's 5 weeks and only waking those two times, that's fantastic! Sounds like you have a great sleeper, count your blessings!

Cluster feeding means feeding every two hours or so... for example, if bedtime is 8, then feeding at 4:00, 6:00 and 8:00. It doesn't always work and some los won't take that much, but it's worth a try. It's not necessarily better or worse than a df, just another method. Some people cluster feed and do a df, but once again sometimes then the lo won't take the df because they're so full.
Jessica
Mom to Colin Ronald, August 18, 2005
Spirited + Reflux =  :o


Offline Noelle

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Re: Nighttime feeds - struggling
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2006, 18:54:52 pm »
Hi  :)

I agree with the above posters and try both.  If one of them isn't working very well, concentrate on the one that does.  :)  Another thing that popped out at me is that you mentioned she only takes a little bit and then is done?  This seems to me she may be waking more out of the need to suck..is waking but doesn't know how to fall asleep on her own without sucking.  You may try popping a pacifier in and see if that helps...if it doesn't help after 2-3X then I would feed her especially since she's still so little.  I would still try to keep the light/activity to a minimum though if you can.  HTH  :)
**Noelle**  Formerly JohnandZoesMom