feeling a bit unsure..

[DoubleK]

ok, so i just assumed that i would remember/know everything from DD1.. but when it comes to feeding.sleeping, im a bit unsure.

bit of background.. i breastfed DD1 exclusively.. she never had a bottle, and i fed her until she was 2 and a half. i used to feed her to sleep (the main reason that i fed her for so damn long!) my health nurse always mentioned the feed-play-sleep routine, but i didnt really take on that routine, i just thought one day she will just go off to sleep on her own... well that never happened of course!

so, i am determined this time, NOT to go down that track! we are breastfeeding perfectly, the MCHN is happy with her weight gain (she is now 3670g, she was 3040g at birth)
at the start, DD2 would wake, id feed her, change her nappy and feed her again, wrap her (also never wrapped DD!) and put her in bed awake...(she would have been awake about an hour in total) and she was asleep in about 10 mins

now, 2 and a half weeks later, she is awake for about an hour and a half-2 hours. she wakes, i feed, change, cuddle/'play' and wrap her, put her in bed... and it can take anywhere from 15 mins- 45 mins for her to go off to sleep... she doesnt cry of scream, but she makes noises, manahes to get her hands out of her blanket, and will eventually start to cry after about half an hour..

~should i keep her up for longer?
~should i pick her up, comfort her, then put her back in bed? (im worried this will cause a need for being rocked to sleep?)
~we have been using a dummy, which seems to help her to drift off about half of the time, the other half, she screws her face up and spits it out.

during the day, she will sleep for 2-4 hours at a time, but come night time, i *think* its only about 2 hours at a time, and we're up for half an hour each feed (feed, change, wrap, bed.) i will admit that i put her back in bed, and i go back to sleep.. so im not sure houw long it takes her to go off.. lol

sorry if im rambling..i guess what im looking for is a bit of feedback... am i doing the right thing? is this what all babies do? (go off easily sometimes, and other times not..) does anyone have any hints or tips for me?

[Olive]

sounds like your doing a great job!!!
id actually put her to bed sooner than 1.5 hours! she may be over tired which is why she is taking long to fall asleep!
DD is 5 months and i put her back down after 1hr 15 mins, shes asleep in 15 mins

[boobaloo]

i think you're doing fine - dd was the same during the day, sometimes she's go straight to sleep in the bassinett, other times it'd take her a while to put herself off.

now she's a shocker - but she was the perfect newborn..

[~clover~]

Your doing great hun. Just remember that all babies are different. They all eat, sleep & cry different. & it all changes all the time.
Just go with the flow & do what you feel your baby needs

[DoubleK]

thanks girls! the main reason she stays up for so long, is that i just dont get 'tired' signs from her... she looks wide awake..

maybe i should just put her down and see how she goes.. so, like an hour is long enough for her to be awake?

[SamiH]

aaaaaahhh elusvie things

Yes, I would try and start the bedtime routine after an hour - 1hr 15 mins .... by the time you wrap/cuddle/sing whatever is your thing!

Good luck

[naomi54]

Ive been wondering the same thing, although Cam does things a little different, seems im doing as you were doing with Krystal, Cam normal feeds on the boob to sleep or cuddled into me....i did this with Lachie, and i dont want to do the same thing, but im worried with having a 2yr old around that changing things will be hard, especially at night time, cam normal co-sleeps with us, but again means i dont get much sleep as i have DP and DS1 in the same bed most times, but he doesnt seem to like sleeping in his cradle....just had a check up with Child services, so hopefully with some of her tips and some from here, we can change things.

Thanks Rach, i know what you mean by "knowing" it all from 1st child lol

[SamiH]

Congrats!!

Its easy to offer advice from outside - so I know that whatever info people provide you can only use what suits you and bub.

I think 2 hours is far too long for a 2/3 week old bub - I would aim for around 1 hr 15 mins and then wrap, a little cuddle and see how she is then.

At night, if she is not crying when you put her back down after a feed - I also think that is fine that you leave her there - she is adjusting, and you are trying to help her get her body clock in order by putting her straight back to bed after a night feed - all good things

[Lulu]

I third that! Get her down earlier hun, it would cut out alot of the messing about xoxoxo