Confused New Mommy

CelesteP2012

Hi Ladies!

My LO was due 12/5, but due to eclampsia was born 10/5 and was released from the NICU 11/13. I'm a first time Mom, so it's been a BIG adjustment having him home, but we're so happy he is!

Having a preemie makes me a bit more uncertain about what is really going on with him an how to help him. I intended to breastfeed, but he would always throw brady's in the hospital which scared me and made me not want to physically nurse him, so at the moment I exclusively pump and wash tons of storage bottles and drinking bottles. Also, I had little experience feeding him and learning his cues and habits while in the NICU. He was  in the NICU he was on 3 hour feed schedule, but a few days before leaving they placed him on a on demand/4 hour max scheudle. Now that he is home I'm trying to figure things out. We were trying to stick with the four hour scheudle, but he was spitting up every feed and still acting hungry, so per our Ped we went back to a three hour scheudle and giving him about half an ounce more, this seemed to work for a couple of days, but he was up last night every two hours telling me he was hungry, then slept all day. 

 

Any words of wisdom on the constant refulx? Confused sleep/awake periods? Feed amounts? I know he has been home less than a week, but I would love to figure it out for his sake and mine.

 

Thanks! 

Cst2CstBride

Hi, and welcome.
First, get this. The big one. https://www.booninc.com/products/Grass
It is awesome and makes all the washing a little less awful. I put all my bottles, storage bottles, and pumping parts on it. I use a plastic container the size of a shoe box for washing. I keep it in the sink and put the bottles and pumping parts in when dirty and wash when it is full and stick everything on the drying rack. It works well for me and because the rack is cute, I have the flower and twig too, I just keep it on the counter all the time.

As far as the schedule, it is up to you. I feed on demand and it works for us. I actually pump while feeding so it saves a little time. Your lo is still so young the awake times should be short right now. Basically, he will sleep, eat, get a diaper change, and go back to sleep. as he gets older he'll be awake longer but for now, and especially until his due date, he'll sleep most of the day. if he wakes sooner, feed him. babies know how much they need. I kept track of everything the first few weeks to have an idea of how much dd was eating. it helped, but it all changes as they grow.

For reflux it can help to feed upright and keep the baby upright for 20 min after, a swing works well for this. Has your pedi discused meds? That is the easiest fix and doesn't really have any side effects. If it continues to be a problem, i'd ask for them.

Good luck.

Cst2CstBride

Oh, and as far as "hunger cues" at this stage, if he wakes up, feed him. Sleep cues are trickier, but for hunger feed when he wakes up. I diaper while the bottle is warming and then feed as soon as she is changed. She's 4.5 months now, 7 weeks adjusted, so she's awake longer now but in those early weeks she would fall asleep after eating and then we'd start all over when she woke up. In demand is less predictable, but I found it easier to follow dd's schedule.

Cst2CstBride

Second and last "oh". How are you doing? Eclampsia is no joke. DD was born 13 weeks early due to severe preeclampsia and HELLP. I was super sick for weeks after delivery. Your body, and emotions, have been through hell. Make sure you are taking care of yourself. You will totally figure this out. It is hard and takes time for it all to settle in, but it will. And it gets really fun between 5 and 7 weeks adjusted when they start to smile at you and really interact.

nicole0066

Congrats on bringing your LO home!

Right now all your LO might be doing is eating and sleeping.  It took awhile for us to start seeing our DD sith open eyes because her awake time was so short.

We fed on demand and then started moving to at least every 3 hours during the day once she started sleeping a little longer at night.  Day and night confusion is common with all babies so I made sure to keep it dark and quiet at night.  Now, at 6 months, my LO eats every 2-3 hours during the day but sleeps about 12 hours so she needs to eat that often.  During growth spurts she has sometimes ate every hour.  

Gassiness is super common with preemies.  My LO was, and still is, a happy spitter.  We would bicycle her legs and keep her upright after feedinfs.  She loved sleeping on our chest.  She was on reflux meds for a bit but started refusing them so we stopped and she was fine.  Once she became more mobile her gassiness started going away and she slept better too.

It definitely is a learn as you go thing.  Keep doing the great job you are...things will get easier.