Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

so dh went back to work full time and im still home on maternity leave... so i get most of the feedings dh gets maybe 0,1 or 2 when he is home in the evening... it depends cause he's also running around with the laundry, outside yardwork, sports...

so I have been getting grumpy taking the overnight feedings and come 7am I am snapping at poor hubby who does alot around the house... the overnight feedings i just never know what im getting.After he eats he and is in is bassinet he makes grunting noises(i think because of the reflux, but it freaks me out cause i dont want him to choke, and he always seems to spit up in)..sometimes kyle will suprise me and sleep longer- but then he'll be craving more bottle, and i give it to him.... BUT then like last night- he then woke 2 hours later I changed him but still kept rustling... and at 2 1/2 hour mark he was sucking the pacy hard...
he's suppose to be every 4 hours with the formula... (last week he went through a growth spurt so it shouldnt be that)... He's 7 weeks today and he's now taking 6 oz...so that 36 oz a day which is alot for how many weeks he is... (the similac chart says 25-36oz for 2-3 month olds)...

HELP- what should be doing? ( i was soooo out of it this morning I started singing a song- "baby likes to Feed and Fart, Poop and Pee, F&F, P&P", thinking maybe he would quiet down from it

Message edited 6/10/2009 2:26:03 PM.

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

My DD and your DS mustve passed notes to each other or made phone calls to each other last night.
DD was in the NICU for over a month. We just brought her home Monday night. That night was a breeze. She was great!
Last night, was a bit different.
I'm supplementing formula (similac) and breast milk.
Before she went to bed she had Breast milk...Exactly 2 hours later, it was like she hasn't eaten at all...Finally after 2.5 hours, I gave in and she downed formula...this was going on till after 1AM.
I put her in the bassinet and she was still making the grunting noises...
I changed her, burped her, sang..LOL
After a bit, she finally dozed off.
I don't think you're doing anything wrong. We were gonna call the ped. today to see if we should up her feedings..Going to see how today & tonight go....Can you call the ped. and ask if he's getting enough?
All day, Im going to give her breast milk, but, tonight before bed and in the overnight, she's getting formula...Hopefully thats what our problem was.
DD a little over 5 weeks old.
Good Luck

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

yeah,

ds was in nicu 10 days when he was born.. they had him on a 3 hour schedule but he for the most part was getting milk... now hes mostly formula... formula is 4 hours, milk is 3 hours... he slowly switched over as hes now 7 weeks today- but it feels like sometimes he forgets that he was switched...

ughh.. seriously- now he was just fed at 1230. 230 he started acting up.. i changed him- pee diaper- ok... now he starts crying and sucking pacy like crazy... If i feed him every 2 1/2 hours then thats like 55oz of formula in a day which is a bit much for a 7 week old... RIGHT? am I just suppose to give in?

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

I'm sorry you are having a hard time. There is no rule that is followed in terms of how many hours they go between bottles being formula fed. You indicated he is supposed to go 4 hours.

My DD is 4 months old and goes anywhere between 3-4.5 hours between bottles. She is also formula fed. She does sleep through the night so that's 11 hours between bottles.

I wouldn't get so wrapped up in what the books and charts say your DS should be doing. Every kid is different. If he's hungry and wants 6ozs per feeding, then give it to him. My DD for the most part takes 6oz bottles. There are times she wants another ounce or two, then there are times she will only take 4 or 5ozs. The other day during one feeding she only wanted 2oz and was perfectly content until her next bottle.

Also, newborns make grunting noises and squeaking noises. My DD did this until she was almost 2.5 months old, then it just stopped.

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

Feed them when they want at that age. If they seem hungry or fussy and you can calm them with rocking shushing, feed them.

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

I still feed DD every 3 hours and she is 8 months old. I would not wait 4 hours to feed a newborn esp if he seems to be hungry. My DD was grunting and making noises at night until she was about 2-2.5 months, that is totally normal. I used to just let her fall asleep. Maybe check with your ped about the feedings. If DS is fed every 3 instead of 4 hours then he will eat less oz at a time and will probably spit up less. My DD has reflux and this is what our ped suggests we do. Good luck.

Edit for spelling

Message edited 6/10/2009 4:55:33 PM.

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

My DD is 5 months old and still eating every 2-3 hours ( FF) She sometimes will go 4 hours at night, but its a rarity...

Re: Need advice- sleeping when you have a newborn...

DD is 4 weeks and I actually just had this convo with our ped today. He asked how many ounces per feeding DD is taking, and I told him that the only consistent thing about her is CHANGE. She could take anywhere between one ounce and four, all depending upon how long she has been awake, napping for etc.

I agree with the others, try not to worry about what charts say, as long as DC is gaining weight well, you're good. I know we all *reaaaallly* want them on a schedule already, especially when the sleep deprivation kicks in, but every baby is different and everything will fall into place soon! Good luck!