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not sleeping or eating well at home

damabo80damabo80 member
in Preemies

We took DD home yesterday.

I discovered that DD will sleep, but only when she's being held. Even if she's in a deep sleep, as soon as I put her down, she starting fussing/crying. I tried swaddling, rock n play, bassinet and the pack n play. She hates them all.

Also, while in the NICU, she was eating 45-60mL at each feeding. Since we got her home, I'm lucky if she eats 25mL (only twice today did she take 45mL). I'm feeding her the same way as we did in the hospital (same position, same boppy, etc). I'm thinking that she's tired, and since she's being held (as I'm feeding), then she takes that time to sleep, despite my best efforts to wake her up. 

Is the sleeping/feeding change normal after you got home from the NICU? Please tell me it's temporary Tongue Tied


BFP #1 via IUI ~ L (Fatal Birth Defect) 4/7/10
BFP #2 via IUI ~ m/c
BFP #3 via cancelled IUI ~ C (2lb 3oz; HELLP) 5/16/11
BFP #4 via the natural (free!) way ~ E (8lb 11oz) 9/13/12
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Re: not sleeping or eating well at home

  • kck329kck329 member

    C was a little off the first few days at home too. We just did our best to stick to her NICU schedule (which was harder than we thought it would be!) and give her time to adjust. She went back to eating well pretty quickly.

    Sleep...well she still prefers to sleep while being held because of her reflux. Most nights I'm lucky if she makes it 3-4 hours in her bed before we move to the couch/recliner/etc. Do you have a wrap like a Moby? Its the only way I get things done around the house because I can hold her while she sleeps. 

    Good luck! And enjoy cuddling her at home!

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  • meldoo2002meldoo2002 member
    We had the same problems right when the boys came home.  We also used the Moby ALL the time.  We did find they were eating alot less at first, but within a week I'd say were back up to their normal intake.  Sleeping was hard too.  I remember DH and I sleeping with a child on our chest.  They did nap in their swings for months and we were able to get them in their cribs full time at 6 months, but it was alot of work getting there.  Be patient and just love her... she'll get it.  It just takes time.

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  • Cara03Cara03 member
    imagedamabo80:

    We took DD home yesterday.

    I discovered that DD will sleep, but only when she's being held. Even if she's in a deep sleep, as soon as I put her down, she starting fussing/crying. I tried swaddling, rock n play, bassinet and the pack n play. She hates them all.

    Also, while in the NICU, she was eating 45-60mL at each feeding. Since we got her home, I'm lucky if she eats 25mL (only twice today did she take 45mL). I'm feeding her the same way as we did in the hospital (same position, same boppy, etc). I'm thinking that she's tired, and since she's being held (as I'm feeding), then she takes that time to sleep, despite my best efforts to wake her up. 

    Is the sleeping/feeding change normal after you got home from the NICU? Please tell me it's temporary Tongue Tied

    This was our experience too, and it wasn't until about a month and a half after being home that we finally got LO to sleep in his crib for a few hours at a time at first, and then increasingly longer periods. Up until that point he had to be held to sleep. I figured he was making up for all the lost time he didn't get to be held in the NICU. He was finally getting all the touch babies so badly need... but that being said, it was incredibly exhausting. We had a few family members who came for several overnights to take shifts "holding" (and even during the day) so we could get a break and more sleep. My best advice is don't be afraid to ask for help. It took me a long time to be able to ask and once I did, most people were extremely happy to help us.

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  • katie4253katie4253 member

    I was just coming to page you to see you your 1st night went. 

    I think it just takes time to get used to new surroundings.  Gabe is currently sound asleep on H. Last night he slept 1-2 hrs in his crib, and then he was all set.  I think he understands that now we can hold him more and wants to take full advantage. 

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  • JakesBride07JakesBride07

    Temporary... DS was the same way. Its hard work adjusting to a new enviroment and may take some time.

    Something else to try would also be to feed her more often but small volume, to make sure she is still getting the same "daily" intake. But I assure you when she get's hungry she will eat...

     

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  • coachgcoachg member
    Tyler has been home a week and he started off sleeping well, but eating was a problem at the beginning. He was eating about 50-60 in the NICU 8 times a day and at home he was eat 20-40 7 times a day. Here we are a week later and he is drInking 40-55 mostly. It gets better each day. I think it's just a matter of getting into a new routine in a new place.
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