nighttime routine - good/bad/normal

scarepanda

Hi ladies!

I guess I'm just looking to see if what I'm doing is right or wrong and if what my little girl is doing is normal!

Basically, she's 10.5 weeks old. She's been a pretty good night time sleeper from the get go, not so good during the day, but up until now we've just went with whatever routine she's made for herself. However last week she got awful hungry (pretty certain she was stocking up for a growth spurt) and was feeding quite often from me, which was perfectly fine when she was hungry. But she got into the habit of looking to nursing for every whinge she had and this week she's been attached to me. Shes been getting through the day nursing for a few seconds and dosing off into a light sleep, but has been crankier than normal. We think her gums are at her as well which isn't helping things.
Anyways, iv had enough of being a Dodie for her and yesterday I started to push nursing sessions out to every hour and was up to every 1.5 hrs last night (I'm not trying to push out her feeds, just want her to feed rather than snack). I also tried to put a better nighttime routine in place as well. We've had a very loose routine in place the last few weeks, but decided to get a bit more efficient at it. Basically i turned off tv, fed her and rocked her into a light sleep and had her in the cot in 30 minutes. As expected she woke when I put her down, but didn't scream like I expected. She did start crying after about 10 minutes. I don't want to use a cry it out method with her, but I did let her cry for a few minutes last night because i didn't know what to do. Anyways I did pick her up when she was crying, calmed her down, fed her and had her back in the cot not fully asleep in 10 minutes. I fully expected her to wake up, but she didn't. She's been asleep for nearly 9.5 hrs and now I'm worried... Is it normal for her to sleep this long? I didn't sleep properly coz I expected her to wake up during the night, I was up checking on her a few times and iv been fully awake since just before 6 this morning.... I don't know whether to wake her or not....

REM76

scarepanda wrote: »

Anyways, iv had enough of being a Dodie for her.

You do realise the 'dodie' was created to be an artificial nipple, yes? :eek::eek:

Nursing is more than feeding, it's comfort too. This phase is perfectly normal and natural, and it will end in time.

If you're not prepared to do it, fine, but don't blame your baby.

dori_dormer

If she's breathing and doesn't have a temp let her sleep! Babies go through hungry phases, clingy phases, cranky phases no matter how they are fed.
When you are breast feeding a lot of the time the only way the baby knows how to settle is on the boob. I found it very difficult and I got touched out easily. But I'm told it gets easier with time. It's very intense the first while!

dori_dormer

Oh you could also ask on the breast feeding sort support thread for advice where they are generally nice and supportive and not judgemental

scarepanda

REM76 wrote:

You do realise the 'dodie' was created to be an artificial nipple, yes?

I do indeed, but as I don't have artificial nipples I'm not going to be one.

REM76 wrote:

Nursing is more than feeding, it's comfort too. This phase is perfectly normal and natural, and it will end in time.

I also understand nursing is comfort, and iv not problem letting her nurse for comfort. But there is a big difference to wanting to nurse for comfort and always wanting to be attached to me as in that situation she doesnt eat or sleep properly and that results in a cranky baby.

REM76 wrote:

If you're not prepared to do it, fine, but don't blame your baby.

And finally, I am not blaming my baby one bit. I am prepared to do whatever is needed for my baby to be happy and healthy, but her being attached for the sake of it is not achieving this goal.

REM76

scarepanda wrote: »

I do indeed, but as I don't have artificial nipples I'm not going to be one.


I also understand nursing is comfort, and iv not problem letting her nurse for comfort. But there is a big difference to wanting to nurse for comfort and always wanting to be attached to me as in that situation she doesnt eat or sleep properly and that results in a cranky baby.


And finally, I am not blaming my baby one bit. I am prepared to do whatever is needed for my baby to be happy and healthy, but her being attached for the sake of it is not achieving this goal.

She is not attached to you "for the sake of it", she is doing what is natural and instinctive to her, being close to her mother.

Again, don't do it if you don't want to, but don't blame your baby. It is your choice to deny her what she needs, not hers. She has no say in the matter.

scarepanda

dori_dormer wrote:

If she's breathing and doesn't have a temp let her sleep! Babies go through hungry phases, clingy phases, cranky phases no matter how they are fed. When you are breast feeding a lot of the time the only way the baby knows how to settle is on the boob. I found it very difficult and I got touched out easily. But I'm told it gets easier with time. It's very intense the first while!

dori_dormer wrote:

Oh you could also ask on the breast feeding sort support thread for advice where they are generally nice and supportive and not judgemental

Thanks dori_dormer! It just freaked me out a bit with a big jump from 6/7hrs at night to nearly 10! Ya, she was eating like a mad yolk last week and we can really see that she's stretched and got so heavy to carry around! She's been in far better form the last couple days since I started a better routine day and night. She's nursing properly and then going for proper naps where I can move her into the cot without her waking up as soon as you move her. I don't have any issues with her falling asleep on the boob, I love having something that works every time :-)!! It makes life so much easier when you have a smiley baby gazing up at you xxx

REM76

dori_dormer wrote: »

Oh you could also ask on the breast feeding sort support thread for advice where they are generally nice and supportive and not judgemental

By "judgemental", you mean honest.

dori_dormer

REM76 wrote: »

dori_dormer wrote: »

Oh you could also ask on the breast feeding sort support thread for advice where they are generally nice and supportive and not judgemental

By "judgemental", you mean honest.

No breastfeeding is difficult. Everyone I know goes through low times doing it. It's very easy to get touched out and lots of people find the constant neediness difficult to adjust to. Like everything it takes time to adjust with support and help . ' give up if it's hard for you' is not helpful. Reaching out before you lose your mind and get pnd is a good thing and people should not be pushed away when asking for help ever. You were rude and judgemental. End of.

scarepanda

REM76 wrote:

She is not attached to you "for the sake of it", she is doing what is natural and instinctive to her, being close to her mother.

REM76 wrote:

Again, don't do it if you don't want to, but don't blame your baby. It is your choice to deny her what she needs, not hers. She has no say in the matter.

My word you have some judgemental balls on ya.
I don't see how you could interpret my post as 'blaming my baby'. I do not deny her anything she needs, she spends 90% of her waking time with me, nursing or in my arms. My post was about getting a better routine in place so that she does get every single one of her needs met in the best way possible. So that she can be a happy, healthy, content baby. So that she can get proper amounts of milk, so that she can get proper daytime naps, so that she can grow and develop.

Now, it'd be great if you could not post in this thread again as your not contributing anything beneficial.

Ciarrai76

REM76 wrote: »

By "judgemental", you mean honest.

There's being honest and then there's being rude! You have come across just plain rude. No need for it!

Happydippy

Hi, babies at this age can't usually go a long stretch at night without a feed. My lo woke 3 or 4 times a night to nurse at that age, as far as I remember.
If she was going through a growth spurt her routine would change. She should settle in a few days.
Breastfeeding can be hard work some days, it does get easier, and is so worth it IMO.
When feeding during night keep it dark and quiet so she knows it's sleep time. If you think she is looking to nurse for comfort not feeding, and you feel you need a break, try getting Dad or someone else to try settling her.
Don't feel guilty, you're doing great.

detoxkid

I can't believe the judgement you have received... Please don't even consider that you are ignoring your babies needs or blaming them, I'm appalled.

My daughter was like that at that age. I went with it till she was six months, then tried a routine when she was established on solids. The big thing is to break the association with boobs and sleeping, but it sounds like you are doing that. I think at that age it is just a phase your baby is going through. She will grow out of it. My daughter is nine months now and she sleeps through the night and feeds efficiently when she needs to. This too shall pass xxx

annoyedgal

Sounds like your daughter may have been going through a growth spurt. The long sleep after a lot of extra feeding would suggest it might be. This may not be helpful but I found my guy changed his sleep habits so frequently that it was hard to establish a consistent routine until he was a few months old.
Bath, pjs, song, grobag and then feed to sleep. He has good stretches some nights and then it can go to pot with teething, cold etc. He has rarely slept through the night and this is pretty common with bf babies.
The constant feeding definitely eases off so hang in there! Good advice I was given which I've found to be true is that everything is a phase and will pass!