EASY with a 3 week old:NEED HELP!!!

[sl]

Hi everyone,
I just want to start by saying that this website/forum is a dream come true. I have a three week old and we have been trying EASY for about 3 days.  I understand that it will require more time to get into a so called "routine", but I have some general questions.  My son (born at 9 pounds 1 oz) naps during the day for about 1.5-2 hrs and takes about 3ozs of formula. I've tried to give him more bu 3ozs seems to work for him.  We do cluster feeding at 6 and 8 and a dreamfeed at around 10:30pm.  He still seems to wake up every 2hrs or so hungry.  I've tried to give him a pacifier but he wants to eat.  Is this normal or am I doing something wrong?  Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Lori

[yaheli]

Hi,
this forum is a dream come true for me too!
anyway, when my lo was 3 weeks she was eating every 2-2.5 hours and it was her EASY. at the beginning she was only awake for A a few minutes, and it gets better when she was older.
when she was 4 weeks she was eating every 3 hours and sleep from 8 till 11 (dreamfeed), than eat again at 2 and than 5, and since she was 7-8 weeks she slept from 8 till 11 (dreamfeed), than wakes up in 5, so it was great! so I think it's normal...
Enjoy him!

[Finns mum]

I'd guess he's probably waking because he's not getting enough milk during the day. As your son is quite a big baby, his stomach is probably big enough to drink more in one go, and this would help to tank him up to get him through the night. I'd maybe try working on reducing the amount you give him at night and trying to up the amount you give him during the day even if it's only very gradually. I think I remember reading in the BW about giving him boiled water at night instead of milk, or I might be making it up! I'm not speaking from experience here as I was lucky with our son who went at least 4 hours between feeds in the night form the start, so please feel free to correct me anyone!

[15milner]

Firstly congratulations on your new little one and on finding this site.

the first few weeks are when you can start to get into the rhythm of EASY but times will change etc, but as long as you keep to the order of Eat, Activity (which at 3 weeks will be very short), Sleep and then some time for you.

I can't comment on the amount of formula at 3 weeks since I bf, but you could try posting that question on the bottle board.  A 2 hours EASY seems perfectly normal for this age, as is night waking.  It is far too early to replace a formula feed in the night with water, he needs the calories during the day and night.  A stretch from 10.30 to the morning without any calories is a long time when you are only 3 weeks.  He may have a bigger tummy, but not that big!

Alex

[* Paula *]

Hi Lori, welcome to the boards.

I totally agree with Alex.  It is very common for your lo to be waking so many times for feeds in the night.

Have you thought about perhaps doing a 2.5 hour EASY to help your lo tank up more during the day?  It may be worth a try.  Also does your lo sleep into the next feeding during the day?  If so I would wake him when he is due for a feed during the day to ensure that he takes all his calories in the day time.

At this age, all they do is sleep and eat.  It will get easier as he gets a bit older.

Also you say you are bottle feeding, what bottles are you using?  What size teats are you using?

Paula x