Please adivse...night feeding and baby that fusses during diaper change?

[liv'smom]

My lo is 4wks old and we've been trying to implement EASY from day 1. However, I am not sure we are following it correctly.  Duriing the day we change her diaper as part of A and sometimes have to do it mid-way through a feed b/c she often falls asleep.  But at night I was wondering if it would make more sense to change her first, then feed her so she can go right to sleep b/c she does not seem to like it when we change her diaper?  She fusses and sometimes cries. 

Also, we have been feeding her on demand but waking her during the day if it has been 2-2.5hrs since she last ate.  For the most part, she has beens waking to eat every 2hrs.  However, we have not been doing a cluster feed.  Is a cluster feed necessary at this age?  Frankly, I don't really know how to cluster feed given how often she eats. 

thanks
Joanna

[*Mona*]

hi Joanna

first, no cluster feeds are not a necessity and if you're feeding her that often there's no room for cluster feeding anyway, right?

second, if she's able to go longer than 2 hrs between feeds, try keeping her longer, 2,5 or even 3 hrs. at almost one month she should be able to go 2,5hrs without much problem.

and finally- sure you can change her diaper first and feed her then. there's nothing wrong in feeding to sleep AT NIGHT as you want to get her back to sleep as fast as possible right?

you're doing great

Monika

[suzie767]

hi joanna,
its entirely up to you of course but you dont always have to do a nappy change at night feeds. this didnt occur to me at first but when i tried it my lo went to sleep much better after night feeds, it also helps thm tell the difference between night and day to have as little stimulation as possible

if her nappy is soaking wet or soiled i would stll change but from about 1 month we slapped on the barrier cream and just changed nappy at df and in the morning.

disposable nappies are designed to keep lo's dry for up to 12 hours these days and your lo shouldnt feel discomfort

hth

ps i would try not waking your lo for feeds unless she has gone 3 hours or is low birth weight or premature (this might help her get to 3 hour easy)

 

[nona]

ditto the pp!!  why don't people advertise this to new moms???  my lo would freak out everytime i changed his diaper during the night before/after feed. (granted if you LO continually falls asleep during feeds that is a different story.)  once i stopped this, our nights went so much better. also, if you are swaddling you can just leave you LO swaddled while you feed her. i was paranoid about diaper rash etc but diaper rash cream solved that worry. also, you can consider going up a diaper size at night if you're worried about leaking. wish someone had told me about that a long time ago!

i cluster fed for a while but we were on a 2.5-3 hr schedule. i eventually stopped b/c i was tired of doing it  . i didn't notice a big difference w/ nights with or w/o but it doesn't hurt to try. i still do a dreamfeed.

[*Mona*]

I agree with not changing the nappy if it's not necessary BUT when you do [i.e. nappy's 'soaking wet' or dirty with poo], just try to be as quiet and as gentle as possible, dim light, low voice [I wasn't talking to my dd at all at night] etc. and it REALLY isn't such  a problem...
but true- if not necessary, don't change it.

[liv'smom]

thank you so much ladies.  i am going to try skipping the diaper change at night.  i think lo is confusing day and night so hopefully that will help as well as help get her to settle and sleep better

[suzie767]

glad we could help ftm- you r probably already doing this but heres a few tips on how to help yur lo tell the difference between day and night. as per pp advise very low lighting (or non at all if you bf-not so easy with ff) no talking or activity of any kind. this will help your lo be calm enough to go back to sleep but will also be a clear difference to the hustle and bustle of her day times and will help her to understand that night time is for sleeping and day time is for play