one week old not sleeping UPDATE

So for the first few days ds wouldn't sleep at all. I would bf him and 5 minutes later he would cry and want to be fed again, wouldn't take pacifier but was rooting looking for food. He would bascilly eat for 4 hours and sleep for 1. I think that was because my milk hadn't come in yet be he was really hungry. so, things have gotten a bit better but still goes through phases especially at night when we try and put him down for his first sleep where he won't go down, just wants to eat constantly. Idk if he's not latching or just not being productive or is this just his awake time? do I need to stimulate him to get him sleepy and if so how do I do that? he seems to be peeing and pooping enough and when DH does his one bottle feed in the middle of the night he falls right asleep....anyone have any advice? thank you!


update....my friend suggested it could be gas because they can confuse gas pains with hunger, so I gave him the drops and he fell right asleep! I am hoping that's all it was and we have another good night tonight!

Message edited 5/11/2013 4:18:43 PM.

Re: one week old not sleeping

sounds like he's not getting enough milk from you. I didnt' breast feed no advice.. sorry..

Re: one week old not sleeping

Posted by Linda1003

sounds like he's not getting enough milk from you. I didnt' breast feed no advice.. sorry..

Message edited 5/10/2013 11:41:13 AM.

Re: one week old not sleeping

20 minutes per boob.
Pump if you can.
Feed every 2 hours (starting, which gives you an hour off between feeds).

If your kid needs more, supplement with formula.
My kid needed more for a period of time.

Re: one week old not sleeping

I wouldn't worry about not getting enough milk just yet. I would keep him close to you. The first couple weeks are dedicated to holding and feeding your newborn as they are not used to being on the outside yet. Try letting him sleep in your arms or at your breast after feedings. You'll get nothing done but its such a short period of time to sacrifice.

Eta: let him nurse all he wants, that's what is establishing your supply.

Message edited 5/10/2013 12:00:48 PM.

one week old not sleeping

This was my DS in the beginning too. I think it's normal. Some of the nursing may be for comfort but either way, it's helping to build your supply. Around 2 weeks PP it started to get a little better and it was much better by 6 weeks. Hang in there, it's tough in the beginning!

Re: one week old not sleeping

I should add at his check up he lost more weight so Iam a bit concerned he's not getti g enough. He was a week late, could it be a growth spurt?

one week old not sleeping

It sounds very normal to me. DD spent all evening nursing in the beginning. From around 7 until 10 or 11 pm she was constantly wanting to be on the boob until she'd finally pass out for a few hours. She did take two weeks to start to gain weight well and the LC encouraged me to hold her ALL the time, specifically me. Let him nurse as much as he wants and hold him a lot since both will help build your supply. Personally, I would avoid supplementing unless you ped or LC tell you it's necessary (although if you plan to stick with a bottle once a night then go with it). Just keep at it and take in one day (or hour) at a time since it will start to get easier very soon.

one week old not sleeping

Is he giving you a good amount of wet and dirty diapers? That may be a clue as to if he's getting enough or not. If you are worried about his weight ask your pediatrician if you can come In for a weight check, this shouldn't be a problem. If he continues to lose weight I would supplement.
With dd she would eat every 2 hours until nighttime...then I would supplement with an ounce after her feeding and if would give me 2.5-3 hours and also have me peace of mind that she was getting enough.

Message edited 5/10/2013 1:15:04 PM.

Re: one week old not sleeping

Contact a lactation consultant. She'll be able to help you figure out if there is any real issue, and if there is one, how to fix it! I would not recommending supplementing with formula.

Re: one week old not sleeping

Posted by InShock

Contact a lactation consultant. She'll be able to help you figure out if there is any real issue, and if there is one, how to fix it! I would not recommending supplementing with formula.

one week old not sleeping

This is very normal--it's called cluster feeding.

Re: one week old not sleeping

I think the other girls gave you good advice. You have to remember that your child was held inside of you 24/7 for 9 months. They are not used to not being held all of the time. They are used to the umbilical cord and being able to eat any time they wanted to. It is incredibly normal for a newborn to want to cluster feed. For the first two-four weeks it is going to feel like you are holding, feeding, changing the baby at all times 24 hours a day. Because that is what you should be doing (hopefully someone can help you hold/change the baby). Gradually by week 3 you will start to be able to put them down more, but for right now - this is HARD. No one tells you how hard it is, but a newborn takes a lot of effort. Brest milk is not as dense as formula so babies can sometimes need more of it to feel full. Even formula companies admit breast is best, so if you can stick with it. Your milk can take up to 4 days after birth to come in. For the first 2 weeks during the day I would not give formula if you are able to do that (so your milk can actually come in properly), but yes, talk to a lactation specialist and see what they say. If you need to do a bottle of formula at night for a 3 am feed so you can sleep and your DH can feed the baby that might help you now. I would not wait until much longer than 5 weeks to introduce a bottle though. It is easier for a baby to feed from a bottle though. Call the hospital where you delivered to get a LC recommendation. Normally your body will adjust to the baby as it grows and bottles can interfere with it. Right now a baby's tummy is very small (like the size of a pea) so even if you don't think you are producing enough milk it is more than likely enough. You want the baby to get to the hind milk and the colostrum (liquid gold) and it will help your baby be healthy. I would go to a LC to help determine if your latch is proper so the baby can nurse properly and get the good milk. Good luck!

Re: one week old not sleeping

Re: one week old not sleeping

Another thing you can do is to pump.

See what you get.

If you are getting a lot (2 or 3 oz per boob at this point) after he feeds, something isn't linking right. If you are bone dry... You know something too.

My pediatrician saw me a lot in the beginning due to feeding issues. I also saw maybe 3 lactation consultants who were helpful in teaching the latch... But then not helpful. When they watched my kid feed they all seemed to say different things from its perfect to getting it better to the suggestion of snipping under my kids tongue (I know this can be an issue... But was not with mine he fed perfectly after my milk supply caught up and was frustrated after feeding around the clock from dry boobs). What I thought was the worst was they all swore that my supply must be amazing being that my breasts are big. Supply caught up, but it took a while.