Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Posted by racheeeee

I think you need to try to put the weight issue out of your mind for a few days and relax....just try to forget about it.

I think as a first time mother its so easy to get caught up with something like this...but the truth is, you just need to do what feels right for you! For me what felt right was offering Noah a bottle whenever I thought he might want it, I had no idea of how much he had per day, or even how many bottles he had, but I knew his diapers were wet and poopy, he seemed happy and I seemed happy.

My motto is, I am too lazy to be stressed!
You need to adopt that one!!!

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Posted by bedda26

Posted by racheeeee

I think you need to try to put the weight issue out of your mind for a few days and relax....just try to forget about it.

I think as a first time mother its so easy to get caught up with something like this...but the truth is, you just need to do what feels right for you! For me what felt right was offering Noah a bottle whenever I thought he might want it, I had no idea of how much he had per day, or even how many bottles he had, but I knew his diapers were wet and poopy, he seemed happy and I seemed happy.

My motto is, I am too lazy to be stressed!
You need to adopt that one!!!

Did you breastfeed? I am not breastfeeding...How many wet diapers should they have per day? 6?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

He's pooping as well...

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I think I am actually getting used to his crying fits...

Things like the bouncy seat and the swing don't entertain him, only for like 10-15 mins maybe. Do you think it's cuz they don't really understand all the the toys and stuff on it.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Is there anything that can be given to a baby to make them more tired? Like something herbal?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

You need MediSed...its something you can get over the counter in the UK, its got a sedative in it for feverish babies. But I think its kind of mean to give babies sleepy time sleepy sleep medicine if they aren't ill!

Its 3.20 here and Noah has been awake from 7.45 this morning...and not a nap has been had. I don't expect he will have one today either.

Have you tried putting himin his crib with his mobile in to get yourself a break? When Noah was tiny I found that helped him, the mobile was a welcome distraction for him. Now at six months, he will stay in the crib while I have a shower as long as his mobile is on

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Posted by sweetness

Posted by bedda26

I think I am actually getting used to his crying fits...

Things like the bouncy seat and the swing don't entertain him, only for like 10-15 mins maybe. Do you think it's cuz they don't really understand all the the toys and stuff on it.

This is totally normal, babies don't have long attention spans, 10-15 mins is great!

Look at that smile in your chat avatar, he's thriving! You are doing a great job mommy!

A baby will not starve himself, and he will sleep if he's sleepy.

I know it's hard, it's a mommy's job to worry, but try real hard not to let those worries turn you in a worry monster

I BF, but gianna does get a bottle or two during the day. Sometimes she takes an ounce at that feeding, sometimes 4 ounces, same thing with nursing her, sometimes she spends 20 mins at the boob, sometimes 5 min. As long as she is gaining weight within the healthy range, smiling, and looking happy, I am happy.

I was like you in the beginning, and what made me crazy was with BF'ing you can't SEE how much they are getting. I kept a food/diaper journal, and wrote down, what time she ate, and what the diapers were like, and at the end of the day sometimes if I panicked she didn't eat enough, i would count the diapers/feedings and be okay.

Gianna isn't a heavy baby, she is only in the 50% percentile for weight at her 2 month check up, and I was concerned, PED told me she is doing just fine, and I am giving her the exact amount of calories she needs.

Try to relax(I hate that word), but I have to say it Matthew can def feel when you are stressed, and that will stress him out too.

Don't wake that baby when he's sleeping, there's really no reason to wake a baby, after they're 4 weeks old if they are thriving, and it sounds to me like Matthew is doing just fine!

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Have any of you tried feeding on demand? And has it worked? I'm talking about formula feeding on demand not BF...

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Why don't you try a different nipple or make the hole in yours a little bigger with a sharp knife or pin.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

i am feeding hannah on demand. whenever she starts opening and closing her mouth and she starts putting her hands in her mouth i know she is ready. it turns out that it is about every 21/2-3 hours that she is hungry. our kids are about the same age. i think you should try feeding on demand and then keep track on a piece of paper how much he is eating. if he is gaining weight, then you know he is eating enough.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Are you Formula Feeding as well? The thing is that he stays awake for so long that when he finally falls asleep he skips feedings and therefore it makes it hard to follow the 2-3 or 3-4 hour schedule. Like for instance I fed him at 8:35 am and then he had 1/2 ounce at 11 cuz I thought he was hungry. Then he finally took a nap and I fed him at 1:50. It took an hour but he had 6 ounces...He had 2 1/2 ounces in less than 10 minutes then the rest of the feeding he wanted to go to sleep but I was relentless and did everything in my power to wake him up. As soon as I would take the bottle away he would wake up so I was like "Oh no you are not going to win this time". I undressed him and did everything in my power. He drank the rest, slowly but he drank it. At this point I didn't care if it took 2 hours!

Am I doing anything wrong here by not following the typical 3-4 hours. It's really hard for me to do that when his schedule is all discombabulated. How am I going to get into a feeding schedule routine by the time he is 3 months when we can't even do it now and he is 6 weeks. And doesn't take naps like he is supposed to.

I read that you shouldn't let your baby stay up no more than 2-2 1/2 hours, is that true? They say that when you see the signs that your baby is tired to put them to sleep but mine shows no signs at all and 50% of his sleep is REM.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I honestly think you shouldn't be "relentless" in trying to force feed him if he doesn't seem interested in feeding. Force feeding a child can lead to problems later on down the road.
Just let him eat when he's hungry and sleep when he's tired without waking him.
I formula fed and fed on demand and every day was different as far as how many ounces she consumed. Some days more, some less but my ped told me to go by how much she is consuming in an overall week and not by days.

Not all of babies sleep is REM, all babies tend to be lighter sleepers and Jenna's eyes always used to move around even when she was sound asleep.

Books can make you crazy-not every baby is textbook perfect and you have to listen to their cues, I think you are stressing you and him out over this whole feeding/ounces/REM sleep when you should just be enjoying your little bundle of joy as he is.

Message edited 7/19/2006 3:17:50 PM.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Honestly-jmo-I would let him stop at when he finishes. I would forget counting the ounces for a week and just make sure he is pooing and peeing-then you know he is getting nutrition-when does he get weighed again? If he gains at least you know you (and him) are doing fine.
I never actually wrote down and counted ounces I just made sure she was peeing/pooping.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Posted by Eireann

Posted by bedda26

Am I doing anything wrong here by not following the typical 3-4 hours. It's really hard for me to do that when his schedule is all discombabulated. How am I going to get into a feeding schedule routine by the time he is 3 months when we can't even do it now and he is 6 weeks. And doesn't take naps like he is supposed to.

Do not worry about a "schedule" now. Babies are not supposed to be on a schedule at 6 weeks. My DD never napped regularly at that time. Trust me, keep on writing down when he eats/sleeps and you will see a pattern forming around 3 months. It may even take longer, but so what? Enjoy this newborn time with him (easier said than done, I know!) and stop killing yourself with stress, it's not doing you or him any good!!

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

My DD is 9 months old and even now we're not on an exact schedule -- and I honestly don't know anyone who is. She takes naps at *about* the same time every day and eats *about* the same amount every day --- but each day is a little different. Some days she eats more, some days less, some days she sleeps more, some days less.

Even we, as adults, are more hungry some days and more sleepy other days. Babies are the same, and trust me, he'll let you know if he needs more sleep or food.

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I really do feel like I am doing something wrong by letting him just stay awake. But I don't know of any other way to get him to take a nap...

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Have you tried the swing to get him to nap?

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

Re: I am at my wits end...don't know what to do anymore

I use the soothie, but it does fall out out often. He actually doesn't need it at much now as he used to. What type of swing do you have? DS hates the swing that I got, but loves the one at my mom's. It swings in a different direction and has been our savior.


Believe me, it gets better. I had a real difficult time in the beginning but now it's becomng so great!