What routine does your baby have a 4 weeks if any?

Meow64394

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Latest post on 19 September 2012 - 14:24

Demand feeding did not work for us so weve started block feeding every 3 hours which has its ups and downs.

On the plus side first Its massively improved DS's reflux so for parents who have LO's with this problem I would hugely recommend this. First of all babies with reflux comfort feed alot. Really they just want something to suck on not necessarily eat food. DS would do 1 of 2 things. Either he would have his food and then suffer greatly because his stomach was already full up so his food was backing up or he would drink a bit then scream, cry, thrash, arch his back etc also because he was just tired/needed nappy change/cuddle and because he was making the notions for wanting food, we were giving it to him but he only wanted to comfort suck.

Since weve started block feeding his tummy gets the chance to digest what hes had, empty a little bit before he has more. Hes gone from cluster feeding bits and bobs and reflux attacks all day to having a good 90ml every 3 hours mashallah burping well and at the most having just the one reflux attack in a day. The acid is also not coming back up as much as it used to either.

On the downside its difficult sometimes to get him to wait till his next feed. Most of the time hes fine but if he gets agitated he will not stop crying till we give in to the block feeding and just feed him. This is rare though. On most occasions I swaddled him, play some relaxing music and get him back to sleep till his next feed time is up.

BUT hes a very fussy baby. He wont sleep in his moses basket, the expensive swing we got him or anywhere else but in this cheap little fisher price bouncer that has a vibrator. This bouncer sits on our bed therefore theres no space for DH who has been sleeping for weeks on the floor next to us. I've tried adjusting him into his cot but hes having none of it. Even in the fisher price bouncer he demands alot of attention all day. He wakes up every easily and every 20 minutes or so and will cry till hes rocked or some relaxing music is put on for him. This gets difficult in the night.

I have friends who have 4 week olds that sleep all day and all through the night.

What is it like for other parents who have a 4 week old? Is it like this for everyone?

sparkly

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Latest post on 19 September 2012 - 23:33

Samie10 I kept a diary when my DD was four to six months and the nap times were still not the same everyday. Yes there was a pattern emerging but not identical day in, day out. At four weeks there would definitely have not been a pattern, and even if there was, it would have changed within a week or two! My DD also preferred sleeping on me at that age, on my chest or in my arms. Sounds like your LO is quite a typical four week old.

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samie1029025

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Latest post on 19 September 2012 - 20:47

I have a 4 wek old and I have no idea if I am doing anything right or wrong. I keep thinking I should have some kind of sleep training happening and establishing some kind of routine...everyone has so much good advice to give me but I am trying to work things it according to what we want as a family. I've started a diary over the last 2 days of each nap, sleep and feed to see if we have any patterns at all. I am mix feeding but find I have a happy baby who will sleep with ff, bf sadly are not working out alone. Sleep is erratic unless in bouncy chair or car seat. The Moses basket is ok occasionally in the day but she doesn't really like it. Tonight's pattern is different from last nights so I don't know if what I am doing tonight is wrong if yesterday was wrong.......aghhhh..... What I do know is that, I have a very happy baby who is eating and sleeping, just not always when I think she will!

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kiwispiers15400

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Latest post on 19 September 2012 - 17:11

are you breastfeeding, have you looked into whether you have oversupply? By block-feeding do you mean feeding just on one side for a certain time period, or are you talking about scheduled feeding. You can block feed but still feed on demand, basically you just offer only one breast for say a 3 or 4 hour period so you can feed whenever he is hungry but don't offer the other side until the next block. I'd first book and appointment with an LC though to ensure you do have oversupply as the block feeding may lead to too much of a drop in supply if you don't. Babies with reflux do tend to comfort feed, as the feeding relives the pain, and can sometimes overeat, which can make things worse. At the same time they tend to do better with small frequent feeds vs large wide spaced feeds, its tricky but if the change is working for you and his weight gain is ok then follow your instincts. 4 week olds don't tend to fit predictable schedules but have often figured out day from night, best is to watch for tired signs by day and not keep up for too long in between naps. I think my guy was good for around 90 min including feeding and wind down time.

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