K.D. asks from Anaheim, CA on February 19, 2008
Change in 2 Month Old Boys Eating Behavior
Hi everyone, I'm hoping someone has some sort of advice for me. I have 2 month old twin boys and just recently they started sleeping even less and not wanting to eat as much and I'm starting to get really frustrated. I used to have them on a really good schedule...they would eat every four hours and at night they would sleep 4 to 5 hours. I guess I got spoiled because within the last week it seems they dont want to eat more than 2 ounces at a time and they wont sleep but for 2 hours. I know that if they would eat more, like they used to they would sleep longer, but they dont seem interested. With my one boy I changed his nipple from a slow flow to a fast flow and that worked for a couple of days, but now my other son seems to be doing the same thing. I dont know if its something that I'm doing or if they are just changing. Does anyone have some advice, I'd really like to start sleeping more. Our usually schedule at night is bathtime and dinner at 7pm and I go to bed afterwards, my husband then feeds them at 11 and I then wake up whenever they start crying to feed which was normally 330 or 4 but not its more like 2. I feed them and put them back to bed and then feed them anywhere between 6 and 7 which has now turned into 4 or 5. I feel so drained...any advice?
So What Happened?™
First of all thanks to everyone who responded. I took the boys in for their checkup and told the doctor what was happening and he said it was normal. After about another week of an odd schedule they both calmed down and have been sleeping from 11 until 4 most nights. I still dream of the day when I will be able to get 8 hours of normal sleep again, but its gotten a little more bearable.
More Answers
C.H. answers from Los Angeles on February 19, 2008
Hi K.-- I have 2 year old twin boys. I was in your shoes not long ago. My boys were not great sleepers by any means. Try feeding them every 2-3 hours during the day. The ped dr recommended that to me and it helped. What helped me the most was Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child-- the book. It is really rigid but I'm telling you it saved my life. I was at the end of my rope with their no sleeping and then my no sleeping. Get committed to it & you will have some sanity in a few weeks. I promise. You will hear from a lot of moms with one kid at a time thst the cry it out thing and schedule thing isn't what you need to do..... they cannot possibly understand your situation with multiples. You have to take control of the situation (as much as possible) or the babies will control you. They will be much better off with a happy mother and a schedule (even if they have to cry it out to get there) then they will be with a frazzled mother.
Feel free to email me if you want to talk more. I know what you are going through.
1 mom found this helpful
M.B. answers from Reno on February 19, 2008
When babies are going through a growing spurt or about to hit a milestone, they can eat more and sleep less.
This won't be the first or the last in the changes of your schedule.
I know you're tired but it doesn't last that long in the grand scheme of things. Just try to take naps whenever you can and sleep when they sleep. Have your husband take turns with you getting up every other day (I suggest you do it all one night, him the next so that every other night you both get a full nights rest) since you're obviously bottle feeding. Once you get past this hump, your lives will go back to normal.
Inevitably someone always recommends Babywise to any of these questions. If they have or do, read this before you go out and follow it
http://www.ezzo.info/
Good luck!
1 mom found this helpful
G.S. answers from San Diego on February 19, 2008
Hi!
So, I have 4 friends and we all have baby's the exact same age (a couple days apart) so I can attest to that every baby is very different. The one thing that has been the same for all of us is that the babes go through growth spurts every couple months. We have all found that they will sleep really well for a couple months and then have a week or two of bad sleep. So I would say hang in there. (it is not anything you are doing wrong!) Really at this age you can't let them cry it out or anything. They are not "tricking" you. They really need all the food they are crying for.
THe only other thing I can think for advice is, are you swadling them? (read "The Happiest Baby on the Block") This worked really well for me becuase I found that sometimes my girl was waking her self up at that age just by startling herself with her hands etc. Just a thought....
Happy sleeping...and many wishes of patience...
;)
1 mom found this helpful
N.H. answers from Los Angeles on February 20, 2008
Eight weeks is a typical growth spurt, should only last for a few days.
Otherwise if you're breastfeeding it could be something you ate or are intaking-alcohol, nicotine, vitamin, etc.
M.W. answers from Los Angeles on February 20, 2008
I have no advice. Just wanted to let you know I feel for you. I'm in the same boat. Only my munchkins are 4 months old. (about 2 1/2 months adjusted age) And they have been that way the past few days. However I discovered yesterday that I'm pretty sure mine are teething. Good luck.
E.M. answers from Los Angeles on February 20, 2008
I agree with Ginette! Try swaddling, alot of times babies startle themselves awake and can't get back to sleep. This worked to get my baby to sleep through the night. Having said that it is so true. We go for about two-three weeks where he eats and sleeps great and then a few days to a week where he eats and sleeps very little. I think it does happen right around the growth spirt time. I was at my wits end cause I thought I had it down and my girlfriend reminded me, just when you think you have it, it changes. So bear with it, I'm sure they will move out of this stage.
V.M. answers from Los Angeles on February 20, 2008
Talk to your doctor about probiotics, yogurt and that new yakult stuff on the market. They may need something with a little more sustinance and may also need a little help in the digestive tract. Make sure you talk to the pediatrician about it first but it may help. They have been using probiotics in Europe for the last few years to help babies with colic so it should be ok to give them now even though they're only 2 months old.
B.N. answers from Los Angeles on February 21, 2008
Hi! I found that every 2 weeks the baby ate a lot and then didn't when I asked the doc she said don't worry cause two weeks she is growing more and the other she is eating to have her next growing spurt.She was right. I had to change her napping time in the afternoon so she slept through the night. God bless.
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