I'm needing some reassurance that I am doing ok here. My baby is 7 weeks old, I am demand feeding and co-sleeping which seems to be working well for us. My baby is a very hungry little thing at the moment and we are feeding every 1.5-2 hours, with her sometimes taking both breasts!!
I'm finding that she doesn't really nap in the day time, she can have a few 20 minute - half hour naps and maybe once every 2-3 days she will have a 3 hour nap in the day. She sleeps really well at night so far - we go to bed at 9pm, feed to sleep and then she is awake at 2.30am for another feed and off to sleep again 15 minutes later.
Does this sound ok to everyone? How can I get her to have a longer nap in the day time? She can be quite cranky at times, and I just know that she is tired. I just feel that I am doing something wrong. Lots of people I know have their babies in these "routines" but to me and our way of life, I just can't bring myself to be that rigid with her. Overall she is a really happy little baby.
Not actually sure what I am asking but just wanted some reassurance.
My mum has just been for a visit and tells me that we are "spoiling" her by picking her up every time she cries but I refuse to let bubby cry. There is no need.
it sounds like you're doing a great job, meeting your baby's needs. fantastic!
my ds2 was a really bad day sleeper when he was a newborn and i would find a good way to get him to have a longer sleep would be to put him in a sling and go for a long walk. this worked wonders and really got him used to sleeping for longer periods.
Sue - 7 weeks is waaay to early for a routine. Yes SOME (I still have never met one) babies do fall into a routine quite quickly, but they were going to do that anyway, regardless of what their parents did.
Slings are awesome, walking in the pram can work wonders. Bubs is still so little.
i agree with the others - you're doing a fab job! at 7 weeks i was definitely flying by the seat of my pants, going along with whatever worked & letting my DS take the lead. some babies are just hungry - my little man is similar & still feeds every two hours at almost 11 months, plus solids. naps here didn't really settle down until 6mths.
Your dd sounds exactly like my DD1!! I did everything to try and get her to sleep longer, and in the end I was exhausted from trying lol. Like Ginger said, you're meeting your babies' needs, that's all you need to do hun.
All babies are soooo different. My 2 DD's were completely different as babies. One fed every 2 hours around the clock and thought sleep was for the week. The other fed every 3-4 hours, slept like there was no tomorrow and was just a really chilled bub.
And it's not 'spoiling' her by picking her up. It's called being loving and affectionate. Just remind your mum of that
Isn't it funny how just a few words from mum or MIL can take the wind out of our sails? Even when I didn't agree with either of mine it would still make me wonder for a little while. Grrrr!
My DD and I are doing exactly the same and she is nearly 5 months! We feed 2 hourly sometimes more, sometimes less, feed to sleep, co-sleep and pick her up when she grizzles. It's working for us.
As long as you are happy with how it's all working, then ner ner to whoever tells you otherwise! After all it's your child, not theirs!
Keep up the great work! Your little one is very lucky to have you for a mummy
Ignore them hun! At 7 weeks old she is still just tiny, no way are you creating a 'rod'! She needs all the love and attention you are giving her.
FWIW it probably wasn't until about 12 weeks old that I felt DD & I were in some sort of 'routine' until then I felt like I was all over the place and had no idea what I was doing, but we both survived and DD is a healthy, happy 10 month old so whatever I was doing worked!
DD was only ever a cat napper too and I could never get her to sleep for much longer than 30-40mins during the day. even now I feel pretty special when she sleeps for an hour! Lol.
You'll work it out sweet, so just keep doing what you are doing because if your bub is fed and happy then you are giving her what she needs
No such thing a spoiling a little 7week old. That's the best age to enjoy all the cuddles, kisses,holds, and everything else that sounds like heaven for you an your little baby.
You are doing a great job Sue, just enjoy
Ugh, went to my child health clinic today to get Evie weighed and asked about the napping in the day time - she was very judgemental about us co-sleeping and feeding to sleep. Telling me that I needed to put her down in a cot, wrap her and pat her to sleep. She then offered me a referral to some clinic where we go and spend the day and learn how to get baby to sleep properly. AARRGGHHHH!
Evie also gained 110g today - which is low for her other weight gains which haven't been under 350g. The nurse told me that weight gain is "small and she should be gaining more". I reminded her that she has gained over a kilo since she was born and is gaining fine.
Why did I go to that stupid clinic???????
Anyway, I am not taking on board anything that nurse has said and am more confident today that we are doing a good job.
Thanks again people
xxxx
Oh dear. Sleep clinic for a 7 week old that wakes once in the night?
Sounds like you're doing ace. You can always call and make an appt with another MCHN if you like, you don't have to stick with this one if you feel she's not a good fit with how you parent.
Nightmare hey?
Think I'll just muddle along and take her to my GP clinic to be weighed - there are nurses there twice a week to do the weighing and stuff.
If she wasn't sleeping well at night I'd be wanting to do something about her sleep during the day but I am happy to let her do her own thing in the day time - I am sure that she'll sort her sleep out at some point, with a little help from me of course!!
Honestly, if you are happy with what you are doing and your little bub is happy and doing well, ignore her advice. I used to lie (well not lie..just omit telling the truth!) to my MCHN because she would kind of start lecturing me about what I should/shouldn't be doing and making me feel like crap (think I did a boo hoo post one day about it). My current one (we moved towns) is quite good, and although she is about 50 seems fairly easy going.
I definitely wouldn't worry about taking her to a sleep clinic just yet! At 7 weeks she is still figuring out how the world works!
sleep clinic for a 7 week old??? eeeek!! And 110g weight gain is fanastic!!! I personally wouldn't be bothering with going there for check ups. If you have a good gp, just go there. I've never been to a health nurse, too many horror stories!
Sounds like you are doing a great job. Unless you are concerned about your baby's weight gain I see no reason for you to drag yourself off to weigh her anywhere, MCHN or GP office. If you are interested in how much she is gaining stand on the scales with her, then without her, and the difference between the two is her weight. I really get annoyed with society's obsession with weighing babies, it just ends up with concerned parents who end up doubting themselves.
Honey, sounds like you are doing a fabulous job!! I'll swap your pretty good 7wk old night sleeper for a very poor 13 month old night sleeper lol. Although he's pretty much always been a shocker! As for day sleeps, slings can work wonders! As for feeding to sleep... ummm well I must be a TERRIBLE mother... I have fed to sleep Oskar and now Elijah. Although, Elijah will let you rock him sometimes but Oskar oh no way it HAD to be boob! I do sometimes (like last night) co-sleep with Elijah cos I need sleep too! You know, in what we call 3rd world countries, feeding to sleep, baby wearing and co-sleeping are NORMAL! It's what you do, it's how you do it. The baby has been fed, nurtured, carried and slept with you for 9 months prior to being brought into our world, so what is so abnormal about it??
I would stay away from that MCHN. I didn't take my boys to one ever! If there is something not right you will know, you have a mother instinct and you'll find that it's right when you learn to trust it! Unfortunately so many of the MCHN's are "by the book" and what they learnt in theory. That'd be nice wouldn't it. If it was like theory then ALL of our babies and kids would sleep, eat and well poo (cos I can't say the other here lol) the same now wouldn't they.
So, like I said, I think you are doing a FANTASTICALLY WONDERFUL job! Like you said, it's working for you guys. Only thing I can suggest for day sleeps is the sling.. or actually Oskar liked sleeping on his tummy in the day - could try that? Just don't tell MCHN pmsl.
Making a "rod"?
Sleep clinic for a 7 week old that wakes once in the night?
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