7 weeks and BF - Help!

ratcliff*1039

Good afternoon! My LO was born at 31 weeks and came home at 37 weeks (39 weeks currently). She is generally a really good baby and has been EBF since she came home (I nursed 2-3 times a day while she was in the NICU.) In the NICU she ate every 3 hours and so I came home trying to keep her on that routine.  She eats during the day every 2.5 - 3 hours but at night she is very sporadic - sometimes she will sleep 3 hours inbetween feedings and sometimes its only 1.5 hours before she is up and rooting around.  The past few nights have been very rough! Im having a hard time figuring out how often she "should" be eating and if the 3 hour routine is realistic! Thoughts?

 Also - 

1. Did you find your little one eats and follows the "shoulds" of their actual or adjusted age?

2. If I start feeding her more frequently during the day (lets say every 2 hours) would that help the night time become more consistent? does your LO cluster feed in the evening? 

3.  When can I "expect" her to get in more of a routine eating wise (regardless of how often it is).  We have only been home 1.5 weeks so I am thinking she is probably still adjusting to all the changes?? 

Any advice or wisdom is appreciated! Thanks!! 

Sweets2005

1. You LO will most likely follow the "shoulds" of his adjusted age. That is where he is developmentally. So as a brand new baby, essentially, he will probably eat more on demand rather than a schedule but it doesn't mean you can't try.

2. In theory, yes. That is what I attempt to do, and did with my twins. I wake to feed every 2 hours and hope she goes longer at night but right now I am still trying to figure out what she likes (swaddling or no swaddling, etc). 

3. It just depends on your baby. Try to stick with a schedule as much as you can but don't be too strict. Maybe read Babywise if you are interested in scheduling?

FisMom

Good job with the breastfeeding! DD was also a 31 weeker and came home at 38 weeks. Once home, the NICU schedule went out the window. Until she weighed about 8 pounds, my pedi told me that DD was too young/small to be on a schedule. Now he is not so concerned.

Here are my best answers:

1. My DD follows mostly according to adjusted age. She also slept most of the day for the first few weeks she was home. Remember, they are like newborns now, and yours is barely "out of the womb".

2. You really can't force this. I don't know how much your LO weighs, but I know babies have tiny little tummies that can't hold a lot of food. Preemies also don't have a lot of fat. They aren't meant to go a long time between feedings, no matter what the books say.

3. In time. I'd say by about 8 weeks adjusted, DD had her own sort of schedule. She eats at about the same time every day all on her own and has recently started going longer stretches at night. But every baby is different. If you do not want to do a strict schedule a la Babywise etc you will have to wait a while for her to settle into something.

Be aware that a lot of babies don't gain weight very well on schedules because they eat less. And those books are all designed for formula babies, not breastfed babies. For example, according to one book, DD should only be eating 5 times a day. In reality, she eats 8-10 times a day, totally appropriate for a breastfed baby.

Good luck either way and enjoy your daughter!