Baby Care Advice

[SweetErika]

I know there's no shortage of advice on caring for infants out there, but I like this group better than most I've encountered.

So, what are some of your best tips regarding sleeping, eating, crying, indispensable gear, keeping your sanity, etc.? What really worked for you and your kids (or those you've cared for)?


For a little background, I have a six-week-old son and am doing the single parent thing for the next couple of months while my husband's away on business. I'm familiar with The Happiest Baby on the Block and the Dunstan Baby Language programs, but neither is helping much on nights like tonight.

 

[irishwoody]

Hmmm, thats an open ended question...and all babies are different....I could write for days but the tops things that cometo mind as I type - for very young baby such as your recent baby (congrats btw)..

Sleep - let children sleep when they want - you get it when you can (ie at the same time).

Be flexible - changes to plan, baby's times and routines - everything else must be round their little lives.

If bottle feeding - then a bottle steriliser (steam one is a must have).

A changing table - you can of course do without, but much easier on your back to have them up at a level you can work on.

For very small baby - small carry cot type bed was great for us as we could put baby down to sleep yet move in house bring baby with us. For first three months almost didnt use the full size cot.

Baby monitor - again must have, so you can go downstairs for an hour yet keep you ear open.

Cloths - Lots of baby grows, vests etc. expect to change several times a day and more.

Baby travel bag - a dedicated bag for nappies, wet wipes, powder, cream , bibs, spare clothes bottles etc. Bag to be kept "on the ready" all the time so you can pop out with baby when you feel like.

Baby bath - dedicated small bath at home but light enough to travel with if required.

Travel cot - again a life saver - put up a cot in 2 minutes when staying in a hotel or when staying away with family in 5 minutes.

Sanity - well they say "Insanity is hereditary - you get it from your kids" and it is true. When I get wound up - I think "will xxxx be doing this when they are getting married in 20 years?" is the answer is no then I relax a bit.

Have children is great - it very tough and hard work but there are real rewards seeing a little person grow.

Good luck with the big adventure !

 

[the_shop198]

The only thing I would add to the list is a mya wrap (possibly spelled wrong) it helps when the baby is fighting sleep so you can carry the baby but have hands free to do other things. My wife used one with the last one we had and she loved it. She even went out in public and breast feed the baby and no one knew but me, her, and the baby.

 

[SpecialKay62]

Great advice so far! Is there a specific issue that's on your mind? Are you at home? Are you breastfeeding? How are YOU feeling?

I would just remind you: This, too, shall pass. Schedules are hard, babies are unpredictable. My midwife told me never let the baby cry. Why listen to a crying baby when you can nurse and make it stop? That was pretty good advice. Regarding sleeping, someone already said it best: Sleep when the baby sleeps, even if it's 2:30 in the afternoon! You and baby are your #1 priority now, and it won't be like this forever.

Wish I could babysit...I love babies!!

 

[kittyn_]

Completely, entirely, MUST have things (IMO, anyway)

A better than middling car seat- The car seat we had with my first son was a cheapie. My MIL had said she'd gotten one, and hadn't. So the unexpected expense from that (and other things that never showed up) demanded a low end one. I hated that damn thing. I think it's entire reason in existence was to drive the new mommy insane.

A sling, Maya Wrap, etc- I may be so in love just because of the car seat issues, but having a way to attach your baby to your body and go was much easier for me than a stroller or carrying a car seat.

Onesies- You know, the tee shirts with the snap crotch? My son lived in these until he was almost 2. They top my list for the best baby clothes ever. Yeah, you'll need pants and socks and everything else, but for spiring and summer babies, onsies are amazing.

A portable bassinet, or mini crib, or some type of baby sleeper- So you can lay your baby down wherever you happen to be when s/he falls asleep and enjoy some time without a newborn, because we all know that by the time you trek back to the baby's room, life will have happened and the kiddo will be awake again.

Swing, bouncer- Something to keep baby occupied and safely contained while you're showering up enough to feel like a human again. If you're lucky, the baby sleeper may work instead.

INDOMITABLE WILL- You think the child rearing advice you got while pregnant was bad? Wait til everyone realizes you were serious about breastfeeding, cloth diapers, baby-wearing, or any 1 thing they didn't do with their baby, and the 99 things they did that you aren't.

This is kind of amusing as I'm 5 mo's pregnant at the moment and was just making a list for myself, too. Mine went more along the lines of 'Remember, don't believe your inlaws got item 'x' until it's in the nursery.' And 'Yes, I'm not living with anyone (besides the male and bratling) this time, so no one can be eeked out by boob to baby contact.'


Most importantly, past the indomitable will, diaper wipes are your friend. You will find yourself using these oh-so-convenient devices for evrything under the sun. Dropped a pacifier at 4 am? Screw it, diaper wipe, kids have eaten dirt before. Splattered peas in your car? Yup, wipes. I can't even remember half the stuff I ended up taking care of with butt wipes, but it went well past bodily functions. And they're decent face wipes for Mommy, too, depending on what kind your buy.


Now, past the material stuff and strength of will, remember that showering improves your mood. So if you just feel like a feeding and diapering 'bot, bathe. Take a minute to make yourself look at least acceptable and see how much better your day gets. The grocery store/gas station/pharmacy is your friend. The last 2 things you need to make dinner? Let someone watch the baby for half an hour while you grab them, and feel at least a little less like your hosting a parasite.

As for baby sleeping/crying/fussiness, issues. Babies sleep. A lot. Just let 'em, at least for a while. Feed them whenever they're hungry, but realize that not every cry means 'I need food.' I'm somewhat controversial in my opinion on crying. Yes, it's annoying, but when you know that baby isn't hungry, isn't wet, and doesn't have any obvious problems and you're about to cry because you just cannot figure it out... I say that for the sake of your own sanity, walking away for a minute or two to calm down and not end up in hysterics yourself is fine. Besides which, which you come back, you may have a new idea now that you've taken a break from trying to make it stop.


Ok, that's long and mangled, but I was just trying to answer all of the OP to the best of my ability. And I'll probably think of 500 million things I should have put here later, but it happens, hope it helps, and congrats

 

[CBDannieD]

I give my baby a bath almost every day, usually when I can't figure out why she's crying. Babies like different things, you'll figure out what works best for yours.

 

[hidden_self]

SweetErika, I echo the poster who wanted to know more about how *you* are doing. If you're essentially alone with the baby for a couple months, endurance strategies and fighting isolation and depression will be key. My husband was also very busy with work when our son was little, so I'm remembering how hard it was.

For me, I used nursing time to enrich myself. At first I read, but then I figured out how to nurse and type. Voila! I spent a lot of time participating in an online community (one that I had already been part of before giving birth). It wasn't perfect-- online friends can't come take care of the baby for a couple hours to give you a break!-- but it helped a lot.

It also made a big difference when I learned how to do what we called a "snuggle-nurse"-- I'd lie him next to me on the bed and he could nurse and I could doze. I mostly used it for early in the mornings, but you can figure out what works for you.

We used a hand-me-down baby bjorn rather than a maya wrap and were reasonably pleased. If you want a maya wrap (which is admittedly more snuggly), there's a style that goes over both of your shoulders and crosses on your back-- better for your back and shoulders than the one-shoulder style.

I found it helped me to get out of the house most days, even if it was just going to the grocery store. Babies are people magnets, and (even though I live in reticent and standoffish New Hampshire) we invariably got lots of attention and encouragement from perfect strangers. It's funny, but that sort of thing can be so welcome when you're feeling isolated. At least it was for me.

One thing that I paid attention to was from the Girlfriend's Guide-- made a point to not go longer than 36 hours without a shower. If I went longer, I consistently found that I felt nasty and like my life was totally out of control and I was being consumed by this tiny being. If necessary, I would put him in his crib, turn on his musical mobile, and take a quick shower right across the hall. He was totally safe, and a happy and sane mommy makes waaaay more difference in his overall well-being than whether he's annoyed for ten minutes.

My little guy is almost two, and seems very happy and well-adjusted. Even so, we're hedging our bets a little. Our savings for his future are referred to (only partly jokingly) as the "college and/or therapy" fund.

Keep us posted on how you are!

 

[Keleigh]

My best and really only thing to add here it to take the time and just really
enjoy the baby.
So quickly they will be a toddler, then a preschooler, then school, and then almost a teen and there will be days you would do anything for 10 minutes of them being little again.

Each age has their joys and challenges, but the very best piece of advice I ever got was to know that each day your child was only going to be THAT exact age once and to enjoy it.

Oh yeah, one more piece of advice see if someone can come help at least one day while he's gone to let you nap or something, new babies are exhausting.

 

[TypicalDeviant]

You can never hold your baby enough.

You can never tell your baby that you love him/her enough.

It's never too soon to start reading to your baby

Sing to your baby. Music may be too much for your child to handle in its early months, whereas a parent's voice is simple, yet soothing and familiar.

/standards caveats on sweeping generalizations apply, use common sense, take with food

 

[IrisAlthea]

I was alone a lot with our children when they were babies because my husband had strange hours at work.
I put together "kits", like for example the diaperbag was always ready for us to leave the house.
I had one kit ready for when the baby wasn´t well, so I didn´t have to run around and look for things with a crying baby.
I had a box of food for me, that I knew I could prepare with one hand and when they were older I had bags with special occasion toys to use as distractions when I needed to keep them occupied for a while.
The maya wrap is a lifesaver.
I tried to figure out at what times the were usually hungry and sleepy so I could plan my shedule around those times and it worked out rather well most of the time.

 

[SweetErika]

The only thing I would add to the list is a mya wrap (possibly spelled wrong) it helps when the baby is fighting sleep so you can carry the baby but have hands free to do other things. My wife used one with the last one we had and she loved it. She even went out in public and breast feed the baby and no one knew but me, her, and the baby.

Good to know. We're checking out a carrier lending library this week to see which one(s) might work best for us. I know it has a bunch of slings, and I bet the Maya is one of them, so I'll look for it.

Great advice so far! Is there a specific issue that's on your mind? Are you at home? Are you breastfeeding? How are YOU feeling?

No, nothing specific.

I am at home and breastfeeding (though we're also supplementing w/ formula while we wait to see if my milk comes in more steadily). The supplementation makes it tough - between breastfeeding, pumping, giving him bottles, washing everything and gas issues, feeding takes up most of the day.

Regarding sleeping, someone already said it best: Sleep when the baby sleeps, even if it's 2:30 in the afternoon!

I think this is what I'm having the toughest time with, apart from now having to do everything on my own. As soon as I settle in for a nap with him, he wakes up or it's time for his next feeding. I'm hoping to find a schedule that works better for us in the next few weeks, but right now I'm constantly running at a major sleep deficit, which isn't good for my health or milk production, either.

 

[Luna_Bella]

The sling carrier is amazing it is comfortable and you can wear it for extended periods without hurting your back or shoulders and you can breastfeed without anyone knowing The stretchy wrap is particularily comfortable(a little complicated to tie in the beginning but after a few times it becomes second nature) http://www.mamankangourou.com/pbebe.php?l=en


If you are having a hard time with your milk production and don't want to rely on pharmaceuticals to help you try Brewer's yeast it is natural and increases greatly the milk supply. you can get it from most health stores and even some drugstores.

lily padz are also great so that you do not soak your clothes and they are not absorbant they block the milk see the site to understand it is hard to explain: http://gotbreastpump.com/store/Lily_Padz_Silicon_Nursing_Pads.htm

Other than that what everyone else said was right, sleep when the baby sleeps, take time to be with your partner, take care of yourself!

 

[bluebonnet6369]

Best advice...Be kind to yourself you will make mistakes and when someone offers help accept it. -a mother of many.

With my first, when the pacifer fell to the floor I immediately ran it under hot water. With my last, I picked it up and wiped it off on my jeans. They are both doing just fine.

 

[stageboy44]

First of all, congrats. As a father of two boys I'd like to offer some tips that helped me quite alot.
If you can, buy in bulk. You can never have enough wipes,diapers, formula and baby laundry detergent. I can't tell you how many times I avoided a midnite run. Keep wipes everywhere, cars, bag, all over the house because accidents happen everywhere. My 2nd was cranky and seemed to be angry. It turns out he was alergic to his diapers. Switched to one of the other popular brands and diaper rash went away. That being said, butt cream, butt cream, and more butt cream. We also bought what is called "the miracle blanket" (try a search).We would wrap him up in this blanket with his arms at his side and he would sleep soundly. Keep them, and yourself clean. Who dosen't love a bath? If someone offers help take it. Read to them. If you play an instrument do so when ever you can. This kept my wife sane and now my kids both love music. Top tip- nobody like an electric bass solo. (sorry to all musicians out there) Get used to reading the same books over and over again. Hand me down clothes are great. You can never have enough onesies. This last one sounds strange but it eliminates alot of frustration on both parts but here goes..... sign language. Before they can speak they have basic dexterity and can get thier point across with-out turning it into a guessing game. Mine were signing at about 8 months...basics -milk(looks like milking a cow) food (finger tips touch mouth) you get the point and so will they. It's long but I love them so much I could talk about them forever. Most important love them always

 

[hidden_self]

Hey Erika,

The more I hear about your situation the more I'm feeling your pain. I also had to supplement with formula; in my case because the little guy kept losing weight and everyone (not just us, the doctors too!) were freaking out. (TBH it wasn't so much "supplementing" as "force-feeding after he wanted to stop" but regardless, it was medically necessary and a lot of work.)

In your case... YES. Feeding him and you, and trying to sleep, will occupy every moment of every day.

If you have any local friends or family (or long-distance ones who can afford to fly and visit), demand that they come help. Carry the baby, do laundry, bring groceries and cooked meals. This is not the time to be shy, this is the time to tell everyone how it is and *expect* them to step up.

Finally, I just want to say what I believe about breastfeeding. (I know there are other beliefs, but this is mine.) It is a wonderful thing to do for as long as you can. I think it's beyond wonderful that you've made it even to six weeks, considering the struggle with production and being without your husband. At the same time, if your body is not able to meet the assorted demands being placed upon it... there's no shame in simply deciding to listen to your body.

It is possible that the best choice for you and your child is a mixture of breastfeeding and formula. Of course, it's wonderful to do things the natural way. At the same time, technology can be good-- especially when our babies live instead of not.

What I'm trying to say is that if you end up deciding to stop pumping and just breastfeed and give formula-- or, for that matter, if you go to formula completely-- that doesn't make you less of a woman or less of a mom. It might feel that way right now. But, the reality of motherhood is that, while our love is infinite, our physical selves are finite.

While you have adequate strength, fight for what you believe is best. When your reserves dip low, you might have to make choices. Give yourself permission to make those choices. Decide now that your future self will not judge your present self.

Whatever you do, you're powerful and loving. You're growing in wisdom and compassion (for yourself, as well as for others) every minute. You're a woman.

 

[redstick2]

One thing which might be helpful is to find other parents with infants of a similar age. Not only can you compare notes, you can find some common ground, and possibly some baby-sitting exchange. If you don't have any people like that in your circle of friends, maybe there are some play groups, or groups for parents and infants. When my son was born, I had paid paternity leave for a year (I know, but it wasn't in America...) and I filled our day with going to various "play" groups. Really, he was too small to play, but it was a chance for adults to have some time conversing on a relatively grown up level and to get to know other people in the same situation.

 

[bathingbeauty25]

Congrats on your new little guy! I echo the advice you've already been given. Remember milk supply is based on supply and demand, the more you nurse the more milk you'll produce. Oatmeal and mother's milk tea can also help. Make sure you are drinking plenty of water. I found gripe water to help the gas more than mylicone drops. Good luck!

 

[coastal-boy]

I'm going to say something that many may look down on me for. My baby is now 11 months. There are times when I feel I am the luckiest man alive. There are times when I flat out hate my life because of the changes that have happened. I have never been so exhausted in all my life. I have never felt so inadequate. There are times when I have never felt so alone. Why are there 50 million books about how to be a parent? Because there are more than 50 million ways to do it and there is no one "right" way or answer, else there would only be one book and everyone would read that book and presto chango no more issues. Everyone told me that this would be the most fantastic part of my life. It has been..I can't argue with this fact. Nothing has ever made me cry the way I did when I first held her or the first time I walked into the room and she was in her walker and she came running towards me saying "dadadadada" and holding her arms up. Everyday there is some magical moment with her that makes it all OK. Yet, no one told me about these other feelings or the guilt I would have for having these feelings. I do not ever regret having her. But I do worry that I can be a father worthy of such a precious gift.

 

[SweetErika]

My apologies for not replying to every post. Do know that I'm reading everything with great interest and the time you're putting into sharing your thoughts isn't going unnoticed.

Onesies- You know, the tee shirts with the snap crotch? My son lived in these until he was almost 2. They top my list for the best baby clothes ever. Yeah, you'll need pants and socks and everything else, but for spiring and summer babies, onsies are amazing.

Right now he's living in those zippered Sleep'n'Play outfits, sometimes with a onesie underneath. This summer, I'm sure he'll use the onesies a lot more, but he needs the extra warmth at this point and the zippers (vs. a bunch of snaps) make for much quick diaper changes.

Let someone watch the baby for half an hour while you grab them, and feel at least a little less like your hosting a parasite.

Fortunately, we have a neighbor who loves watching him, so I'm taking advantage of that a couple of times a week to take a nap and get stuff done. I hate to ask for help, but she said she'd let me know if it's ever not 100% convenient for her.

As for baby sleeping/crying/fussiness, issues. Babies sleep. A lot. Just let 'em, at least for a while. Feed them whenever they're hungry, but realize that not every cry means 'I need food.' I'm somewhat controversial in my opinion on crying. Yes, it's annoying, but when you know that baby isn't hungry, isn't wet, and doesn't have any obvious problems and you're about to cry because you just cannot figure it out... I say that for the sake of your own sanity, walking away for a minute or two to calm down and not end up in hysterics yourself is fine. Besides which, which you come back, you may have a new idea now that you've taken a break from trying to make it stop.

I really wish he'd sleep and wake up on his own to eat at the right intervals, but he seems to be a particularly sleepy baby for a good chunk of the day, so I end up spending a good bit of time trying to wake him up to eat. I hate to do that, but he's had some issues gaining weight and isn't good with a lot of food per sitting, so a stricter feeding schedule is necessary at this point.

I agree on the crying, and don't have a problem letting him cry for a while when I know all of his needs are being met. Usually he ends up falling asleep after 10 minutes or so, though that sleep is very fragile when I'm most desperate for sleep in the middle of the night/early mornings.

SweetErika, I echo the poster who wanted to know more about how *you* are doing. If you're essentially alone with the baby for a couple months, endurance strategies and fighting isolation and depression will be key. My husband was also very busy with work when our son was little, so I'm remembering how hard it was.

For me, I used nursing time to enrich myself. At first I read, but then I figured out how to nurse and type. Voila! I spent a lot of time participating in an online community (one that I had already been part of before giving birth). It wasn't perfect-- online friends can't come take care of the baby for a couple hours to give you a break!-- but it helped a lot.

It also made a big difference when I learned how to do what we called a "snuggle-nurse"-- I'd lie him next to me on the bed and he could nurse and I could doze. I mostly used it for early in the mornings, but you can figure out what works for you.

Yeah, my husband working a lot wouldn't be such an issue. It's the fact that he's in another state for so long that kills me. It'll be slightly better from mid-June to Sept. when he's closer and we can go visit him for a week or two at a time (though I'll still effectively be a single parent and then I'll be "trapped" in hotel rooms), but right now it's really tough being responsible for everything and knowing our son is growing up without a dad here for months on end. It could be worse, and I try to remember that, but it's pretty bad.

I wish I could nurse and do something other than watch TV and/or nurse in bed, but I haven't figured out how, given the size of my boobs and his often tentative latch.

My best and really only thing to add here it to take the time and just really
enjoy the baby.
So quickly they will be a toddler, then a preschooler, then school, and then almost a teen and there will be days you would do anything for 10 minutes of them being little again.

Each age has their joys and challenges, but the very best piece of advice I ever got was to know that each day your child was only going to be THAT exact age once and to enjoy it.

Oh yeah, one more piece of advice see if someone can come help at least one day while he's gone to let you nap or something, new babies are exhausting.

That's a great perspective that's all too easy to forget in the heat of the moment. Thank you!

Sing to your baby. Music may be too much for your child to handle in its early months, whereas a parent's voice is simple, yet soothing and familiar.

Oh, he LOVES music! It's not always enough to soothe him, but it does seem to help get him back to sleep quite a bit.

 

[SweetErika]

If you are having a hard time with your milk production and don't want to rely on pharmaceuticals to help you try Brewer's yeast it is natural and increases greatly the milk supply. you can get it from most health stores and even some drugstores.

lily padz are also great so that you do not soak your clothes and they are not absorbant they block the milk see the site to understand it is hard to explain: http://gotbreastpump.com/store/Lily_Padz_Silicon_Nursing_Pads.htm

I don't know if I can do the brewer's yeast alone, but I have made "lactation cookies" that have that, oats and flaxseed meal in them. I'm not sure if they helped or not, but they are a good, relatively healthy snack and meal-on-the-go, so I plan to make more this week.

I'm also doing the course of Reglan and Fenugreekthree times a day, though.

I've heard the Lilypadz are great, and will get some if/when my milk supply is enough to leak on a regular basis. With the frequent feeding and pumping now, I don't get engorged very often, so pads aren't often necessary.

This last one sounds strange but it eliminates alot of frustration on both parts but here goes..... sign language. Before they can speak they have basic dexterity and can get thier point across with-out turning it into a guessing game. Mine were signing at about 8 months...basics -milk(looks like milking a cow) food (finger tips touch mouth) you get the point and so will they.

Interesting. I wondered why people were teaching their babies to sign, besides acquiring a second language. Now I see why it might be useful and something we should look into.

Finally, I just want to say what I believe about breastfeeding. (I know there are other beliefs, but this is mine.) It is a wonderful thing to do for as long as you can. I think it's beyond wonderful that you've made it even to six weeks, considering the struggle with production and being without your husband. At the same time, if your body is not able to meet the assorted demands being placed upon it... there's no shame in simply deciding to listen to your body.

It is possible that the best choice for you and your child is a mixture of breastfeeding and formula. Of course, it's wonderful to do things the natural way. At the same time, technology can be good-- especially when our babies live instead of not.

What I'm trying to say is that if you end up deciding to stop pumping and just breastfeed and give formula-- or, for that matter, if you go to formula completely-- that doesn't make you less of a woman or less of a mom. It might feel that way right now. But, the reality of motherhood is that, while our love is infinite, our physical selves are finite.

Honestly, I primarily want to get him off of the formula because it's so damn expensive. We haven't had to buy any yet thanks to his doctor's samples and another mom, but when we do, it'll be the very pricey "hypoallergenic" stuff that's also kind of hard to find.

I don't feel bad giving him formula, though I definitely want to breastfeed as much as possible. As long as I'm doing everything reasonable to maximize my milk production, I'm fine with needing to supplement.

One thing which might be helpful is to find other parents with infants of a similar age. Not only can you compare notes, you can find some common ground, and possibly some baby-sitting exchange. If you don't have any people like that in your circle of friends, maybe there are some play groups, or groups for parents and infants. When my son was born, I had paid paternity leave for a year (I know, but it wasn't in America...) and I filled our day with going to various "play" groups. Really, he was too small to play, but it was a chance for adults to have some time conversing on a relatively grown up level and to get to know other people in the same situation.

Good advice!

We're already going to a couple of playgroups weekly. Yeah, he's too young to play, but it's good mental stimulation for both of us, and it's nice to meet other parents in the same boat.

I found gripe water to help the gas more than mylicone drops. Good luck!

I'll have to give the gripe water a try. I've heard good things about it, and the Mylicon doesn't seem to help him a ton when he's really gassy.

 

[CBDannieD]

Babies are parasites, they drain all our energy and don't give us anything tangible in return. Our love for them is probably a genetic program to trick us into thinking everything's wonderful about them for the first few months then they have their own tricks like smiling and giggling at us. My consolation is I get to dress my little parasite up in cute animal clothes, including rabbit ears and sheep bonnets.

 

[unregistered]

 

[IrisAlthea]

Good to know. We're checking out a carrier lending library this week to see which one(s) might work best for us. I know it has a bunch of slings, and I bet the Maya is one of them, so I'll look for it.


No, nothing specific.

I am at home and breastfeeding (though we're also supplementing w/ formula while we wait to see if my milk comes in more steadily). The supplementation makes it tough - between breastfeeding, pumping, giving him bottles, washing everything and gas issues, feeding takes up most of the day.

I think this is what I'm having the toughest time with, apart from now having to do everything on my own. As soon as I settle in for a nap with him, he wakes up or it's time for his next feeding. I'm hoping to find a schedule that works better for us in the next few weeks, but right now I'm constantly running at a major sleep deficit, which isn't good for my health or milk production, either.

I had to use formula with both my children and it did take up a lot of time. Especially the first month or two when they had to be fed often because of weight issues were mostly focused on food.
I was told by the doctor that it was ok to prepare the formula for 24 hour at a time.
We got 6 bottles and every morning I boiled the clean bottles, prepared the formula and put it in the refrigerator. That way it just had to be warmed up a bit when it was time for some formula.

My oldest didn´t eat very much in one sitting because she would fall asleep but I learned that if I stayed put with her instead of putting her back to bed she would keep nursing a bit from time to time and often even finish the bottle.
That helped with gaining weight better and with sleeping longer between meals.

It does feel crazy to wake up a sleeping baby to feed her but I think it actually made it a bit easier to get on some kind of shedule, when they were a bit older. They both got used to eating at certain times, which made life a bit easier to predict.

 

[SpecialKay62]

I am at home and breastfeeding (though we're also supplementing w/ formula while we wait to see if my milk comes in more steadily). The supplementation makes it tough - between breastfeeding, pumping, giving him bottles, washing everything and gas issues, feeding takes up most of the day.

This made me smile because I had a child who ate CONSTANTLY and never slept, although that must not have been reality, it sure felt like it. I considered it a good day when I could put on clean clothes and brush my hair.

I think this is what I'm having the toughest time with, apart from now having to do everything on my own. As soon as I settle in for a nap with him, he wakes up or it's time for his next feeding. I'm hoping to find a schedule that works better for us in the next few weeks, but right now I'm constantly running at a major sleep deficit, which isn't good for my health or milk production, either.[/QUOTE]

I understand! You have to find what works for you and him, but mostly you. If you're milk isn't coming like you think it should, you could try drinking more, (water, not gin!) resting more and nursing more. He'll get lazy taking those bottles! On the other hand, don't feel like you're not super mom if you choose to give up nursing. Any period of breastfeeding is better than none at all.

Please continue to keep us posted on your progress! Things will work out! Hugs to you.

 

[coastal-boy]

A baby has a need for a set amount of milk. As it grows that need increases. So your brain has to "anticipate" the increased demand and build up supply. The way it happens is the suckling on the nipple stimulates the release of the hormone that will be used to replace the milk that is being used now. So if you are formula feeding, the brain does not know it needs to produce more milk tomorrow. It is a cycle that forces you to feed more and more formula and you are always behind in milk production. If you formula feed, you still have to pump to get the release of the hormone. Hand pumps do not provide adequate stimulation. I never knew this...thank God for the WIC nurse.