Sleepy baby... help!

[Tangerinedream]

Im looking for some reassurance really. My OH is really panicing about the amount of time Jake spends sleeping which sometimes makes me feel panic too.

Basically Jake is obviously only 3 days old but he spends a hell of a lot of time sleeping, he barely wakes for feeds, when he does he doesnt cry he just lies there rooting with his mouth. We took him to A and E yesterday as we just couldnt get him to wake up and he went nearly 5 hours without a feed. typically when we got there he woke up and made us look like a pair of prize prats. They checked him over and were happy with his obs. He then had a whopping 5 oz of formula then 45 mins later spent an hour on my breast too

He is weeing and pooing fine. Bfing with a shield is going well, my milk has just started to come in. The bfing support worker wants me to get him to feed without the shield which we just cannot manage. I am happy to continue bf with the shield, atleast he is getting the feed. I am having to schedule his feeds rather than get him to tell me when he wants feeding.

I know you are prob going to say he is only 3 days and he will grow out of it but my OH is really panicing about it. There are other things that babies cry for like temp, nappy etc but he doesnt let us know. He is awake sometimes but he hardly ever cries.

 

[Miracle babe]

Rowan did NOTHING but sleep for the first 6 weeks. We have video footage to prove this and the voiceover is soooooo funny because my hubby has called it 'the quest to wake the baby continues'. Its nothing to worry about. He's had a busy time being born and he's doing some serious growing. You'll soon be wishing these days back as he'll become more and more alert. I remember looking this question up on the internet as I was worried and they said it wasnt uncommon for babies to sleep for 23 hours a day

 

[swan1]

Charlie was another who slept almost constantly for the first 3 weeks, i had to wake him to feed him and he never cried once for a feed unless it was during the night and i hadnt woke him, dont worry its perfectly normal. I remember sitting thinking "what is so hard about this, all he does is sleep?!!!" boy do things change!!!

 

[Babylicious]

Paris was the same, try not to worry hun

 

[AllieW]

My husband was apparently like this as a baby and he was bottle fed too. My mother in law had to wake him for every feed. Bottle fed babies are more prone to sleeping for long periods because formula milk is harder to digest (it's like when you've just had a big roast and want a nap).

 

[annie4]

my 1st was like that - thats the reason why i had a 2nd - he was NOT like that at all - dont worry - pop him in the bath half way between feeds to get him to finish a feed if he is falling asleep without finishing

 

[cloud9]

Dylan was the same .. Things you can do to wake LO are strip him down to naooy , blow on his face this will help..we had to wake D for feedsevery three hours as he had jaundice and it was hard work he is much more alert now and developing normally

 

[Emmylou]

I was onvinced in the early days that Libby would never cry, then at 2/3 weeks old she cried for about 2 hours straight & nothing would stop her - heartbreaking!
Your right......he's only 3 days old, I think the majority of babies are very sleepy for the first week at least......usually until nightfall!
Libby was the same though, would wake and just lie there not even whimpering to be attended to....it gets easier though, he'll find his voice and you'll be wishing for these quieter days back

 

[jenni32]

Agree with all the other replies, TD. They are so sleepy when they're little. It does change though! I'd love my Jude to have an hour's kip during the day

It's completely normal to be anxious, this little person has landed and can't tell you what they want or need. It does become instinct to know what they want, but it takes time.

You sound as though you're doing brilliantly, just keep doing what you think is right

 

[Nicky_Jones]

Ellie was very sleepy for the first couple of weeks. I used to wake her every 3 hrs for feeds during the day and then every 4 hours for feeds during the night. Once we reached 2weeks. I Carried on feeding her a min of every 3hrs during the day. She sometimes demanded it sooner though, I still woke her for a feed 4hrs after putting her to bed but let her wake on her own for the next feed in the night, until she stopped waking for it. Good luck. I didn't use shields so I can't comment on then.

 

[Fiona]

you never stop worrying when you have a new baby do you

Grace was just the same for the first few weeks.......... we began to think that she didn't know how to cry as she didn't cry for weeks...... when she wanted feeding she just muttered to herself until I fed her...

Lots of my friends started to complain that they never saw her awake as every time we went out or they came round, Grace was fast asleep...

Try not to worry, although always easier said than done.. My DH sounds a bit like yours, a real worrier... the first week we were home he was always checking that Grace was still breathing........

relax and enjy the peace and quiet - doesn't last for long