Baby Sleeping Question from an Exhausted Mommy

Maybe you should offer him something just BEFORE the bath, to sort of "top him off" in case he is too tired to eat afterwards... Since his schedule isn't really a schedule, why do you have to wait until AFTER the bath for offering a bottle?

You could move his 5:00 bottle up a little bit, then offer him another at 7:30, and then follow that with bath time. Baths are often very soothing for baby and gets the sleepy. So feed first.
:)

Yes a more structured routine would help.
Work on having him get up right after you've eaten breakfast. I would try moving him to a 3hr eat schedule instead of a 4 hour. So, say 9a, 12, 3, 6, 9p or 8a, 11a, 2p, 5p, 8p

Since reflux babies do better inclined, do you have a sleep recliner?
http://www.amazon.com/Nap-Nanny-Chill-Infant-Recliner/dp/...
I haven't used one, but wish I'd had one.

I suggest to continue being patient and work with him to develop a rhythm for the day.

I found that my baby, at 4 1/2 months, preferred play over eating too because he could interact with his environment so much better. And as a result, woke often at night to eat. At 5 months, earlier than I planned, I introduced rice cereal to increase his daytime calorie in take. This did help a little. But, by 6 months, we're settling into a nice, comfortable rhythm to the day.

Oh, and keep placing him on his tummy. My boy started a tummy time strike at 4 1/2 months. He would just lie, face down and pout, until I picked him up. Now, as a result of my placing him on his tummy he's an expert at getting off his tummy! He can roll over, sit, and move on the floor really well.

It sounds like he is doing pretty good - thats about where both of my babies were at 4 months.

I think that you should keep doing what you are doing - follow his signals and try to steer him toward a schedule. Have set times, based on his current schedule when you plan for him to eat and sleep. If you are an hour early or an hour late, no problem. Be flexible. You/he will eventually work into a routine.

Don't stress about getting him on a strict schedule. I was pretty wishy washy about it, but my kids worked themselves into a schedule and sleep and eat just fine as toddlers! I found it stressful trying to force them into a schedule, and being a new mom, worried that if I didnt do anything just right, they would have sleeping or eating problems later.

Babies change SO MUCH at this age, and I think in the next two months you will notice a big difference. You are at the most tiring time of being a new mom, but it doesnt last forever and when you look back on it, it will seem like a short amount of time.

Until your baby starts sleeping more, take naps when he does, and try to arrange a schedule with baby's dad or your mom or a friend where they can watch him so you can sleep.

Your baby will be fine and you are doing a good job!

our ped had said that once they get to 3 months or 12 lbs you can start sleep training. We used Ferber. It worked for us. It helped us understand what was actually happening, in terms of patterns, decide what was best for us and baby, and help all of us get into a schedule we were happy with.

Good luck to you and yours.
F. B.

When a baby has weight gain issues I think you can't worry about a schedule or sleep training and that you have to feed the baby whenever you can. My daughter did not sleep for more than three hours straight until 13 months. She was one month premature and very small. I know it is hard and it takes soo much patience but if you can handle it believe me it will get better.

Each kiddo is different just like our parenting styles are different. Congrats on your new little one! We just had our third about 5 months ago. I can remember the sleep deprivation! I will say for our kids, a schedule worked great. We did the bath & bottle thing at night but my son was the opposite...he loved to eat & eat & eat. Maybe since after the bath he gets sleepy, what if you would give the bottle then the bath? Also, maybe you aren't a fan of them but at night have you tried a pacifier when he wakes up. Maybe it was just b/c mine was an eater but he started sleeping longer periods when I would slip the paci in his mouth when he started to stir. Its like he liked the sucking part but wasn't all that hungry. Some people don't like paci's either but they worked for us. Good luck & I hope you can catch some sleep either at nite or during the day!

The same exact thing happened w/my son.
He was born 1 mo preemie.
He got up every 3 hrs to eat & I had to work hard to get him to gain weight but dog-gone it.........I did.
It took a lot of work on my part & it took forever but we did it!
He is thrived & finally was in his percentile.
So I just worked through it & dealt w/being tired.
He would only eat so much at one time. First 2 oz then 3 oz etc.
One thing I did do was a "dream feed". Right before we'd go to bed at 11pm, I would pick him up in his sleep, change his diaper & give him his last bottle for the night while he was still sleeping.
This gave me a little extra time at night. So maybe he slept 5 hrs & I didn't have to get up til 4am.

It does get better.
Hang in there.
Your son will eventually work up to sleeping up to 5-6 hrs at a stretch.
It took awhile but it finally worked!

Rest when you can.
Sleep when your baby sleeps (his naps during the day).
Take one day at a time.
Don't look forward too much (like thinking "Oh my gosh I have 2 more months of this etc.")
It will get better & better.
It will go by fast.

I would not push an evening nap. I would also offer him a bottle every 3 hours - not every 3 or 4 hours. He is the type who doesn't "feel" like eating when he has gone too long, and I really think that 4 hours is too long.

I would go ahead and accept that he will wake and eat at 11:00, but I would try to let him sleep train in the middle of the night and not give him a bottle after that 11:00 feeding. Give him a bottle in the morning as soon as you wake and change him.

In the next month, I would try to start managing two naps a day - a late morning nap, and then a late afternoon nap, say from 2:30 - 4:30. If you aren't letting him "cat nap" whenever he wants, he will get on a schedule that will also help him eat better. He can still play and be happy, but within a schedule.

If you were working and had him in daycare, this is what daycare would do. They have all their babies on schedules and that helps the babies AND the mothers. It also helps to try to keep the schedule the same everyday, including waking up at the same time.

In two months, your doctor will let you start feeding him solids, and that should make a difference.

Hope this helps,
Dawn

I have a couple of questions, because I have been there with 2....what kind of bottle are you using? Try the playtex dropins with a LATEX nipple, it is easier to suck and more like mom. I went through all of the bottles out there and this seems to be the one that works with reflux.

Also, you may need to do a milk free formula, my kids couldn't do any milk at all, not even the AR ones. We went with the Similac Alimentum for both of them.

Babies with AR need to eat more often to help ease their tummies, so try feeding him every 2 hours. It makes a difference. We also used the Graco Sweetpeace Soother to sleep in. It is a swing that uses the snugride carseat so that the baby can stay moving, makes them sleep better, and the head being up keeps the acid down. You can also try some Mylanta if you need to. I know it seems like it will never go away, but it will! PM me if you want more help or advice. I know how hard this is and you will make it. Sleep training at this point just won't work for a special needs baby like this.

My GD who is now 16 (OMG!!!) was hospitalized with RSV when he was about 5 months old. He wouldn't eat much so they threatened that if he didn't finish an 8 oz bottle by a particular time, they were going to put him on a feeding tube!

That evening, I waited for him to be just about asleep and then I stuck the bottle in his mouth. A baby will naturally suck. He sucked down 6 ozs of that bottle before he even knew what he was doing!

So, try feeding him just as he dozes off and see if you can get him to take a few ounces without even knowing it!

By the way, the nurses were VERY IMPRESSED!