Nighttime feeding/changing/putting back to bed, how long does it take?

just kita · July 2011

I feel like I could be getting back to bed sooner if I did things differently, but I'm not really sure how. When LO wakes up at night I usually feed first, then change, then cuddle, then put him back to bed, then pump. The whole routine takes an hour or so and half of the time he is hungry again a few minutes after I lie down and we start again. Sometimes he wakes up with a dirty diaper and I change that first, but then I end up changing him again after feeding him. I'm not sure if I should just wait or not.

I used to transfer whatever I pumped into bottles/storage and wash and dry everything but I've cut that out at night, and just put caps on the pump bottles to put in the fridge and rinse the other parts.

Do you try to get things done quickly and get back to bed? If so how?

sunset+skies · July 2011

We change first, feed, burp, cuddle, re-swaddle, then back to bed for DS. This whole process takes MAYBE 20 minutes, depending on how long it takes him to finish his bottle. I then do a mini-pump of 5 - 10 minutes MAX per side, and go back to bed.

Changing first REALLY helps, because it makes DS fussy, and then feeding him soothes him, and he falls right asleep after the bottle.

PurdueMama14 · July 2011

I have no advice, but I'm struggling with this too! And it seems like it takes my LO FOREVER to go back to sleep once he's done eating in the middle of the night. And sometimes he stays up so long that it's time to feed him again! I'm so tired hahaha!!

MommaA117 · July 2011

i change first because the changes wake her If i do it after the feed....she falls asleep feeding. I burp her after every feed except for the one night time one. She wakes every four hours so the next awakening isnt till morning.

This all takes 25minutes tops and she's changed, fed and back in her pNp. I just recnetly stopped the middle of the night burping and it's been fine.

MommaA117 · July 2011

oh and since I feed where we are both side laying I swaddle her after the change so as soon as she passes out during the feed she goes straight to the PnP without waking her.

I only pump once or twice during the day though. BF'ing in bed so easy.

LaRue86 · July 2011

I pump during the day, but not at night. Our pedi said we no longer have to wake Avery for feedings, so by the time he wakes up (5-6hours), his diaper is soaked and poopy. I change him first. He sleeps in a swaddle sack, which I unzip enough to change the diaper. I then feed him. If he poops while eating, I will change as soon as he poops to avoid him waking at the end of the feed. He will then finish nursing and falls asleep when satisfied. He then goes back in his crib and sleeps another 4 hours. I am up about 30 minutes max.

kimbo1216 · July 2011

I have also started changing first. If she wakes super fussy or hungry, I will give her a "snack" first then change and swadle her before letting her finish eating. This takes anywhere from 20 to 30 min on average. It is only more if she is super fussy and no cooperating. I also only birp her if she doesn't fall asleep while eating. If I do burp her, she usually falls asleep during that. The most important thing is having her swadled first so that doesn't wake her back up.

skidunks · July 2011

I think I'm going to start changing him first. I've been changing him at the end lately and then he wakes up. If he does well with latching and feeding then I think I'm awake for 30 minutes or so. If it's a hellish feeding (like early this AM) then it's an hour and a half before I try to nurse him, realize it's not going to happen, give him a bottle, pump, change him and get back upstairs. Then it's a crap shoot how long it takes him to go back to sleep.

amanda1680 · July 2011

Our night routine used to take about an hour - I would feed from one boob, change diaper, offer/feed from the other boob, burp, re-swaddle, cuddle and beg her to go to sleep, put her in the PnP, then pray that she would stay asleep.

Now it's down to about 20-25 minutes. Now that we don't need the nipple shield, and she's a little older, I now feed from one boob per feeding and she can drain it in 5-10 minutes. Then I change diaper, burp, cuddle and put her back to bed. We aren't swaddling anymore, just using a sleep sack. Some nights are worse than others because she's going through a phase where she doesn't like sleeping on her back, so sometimes I let her fall asleep on her tummy laying on my chest.

M&M227 · July 2011

We change, re-swaddle, feed, burp and rock back to sleep. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes sometimes an hour, it depends. Sometimes she falls asleep during the feeding and then wants to eat more shortly after.

lovejoyinme · July 2011

we do the diaper change, feed (takes 10-15 min max), cuddle/rock (this part takes the longest if LO doesn't fall asleep while feeding), then back to bed. it usually takes me 30min to an hour.

schmoodle · July 2011

Ours takes a really long time too b/c we combo feed due to feeding/supply/latching issues, so I'm up well over an hour for each feeding. First I have to go downstairs and warm a bottle and get pump parts, then she nurses for maybe 20-25 minutes (and gets virtually nothing, but I'm hoping we can eventually transition to her nursing properly and not have to pump so I don't want to give up the nursing and jeopardize that), then I feed her a bottle (sometimes BM, sometimes formula, depending on how much pumped milk I have) which takes a LONG time because she hates to wake/eat, so it can take 25 minutes to get her to take 2 ounces, then I pump for 10 minutes, then have to bring the pump stuff, pumped milk, and used bottle down to the kitchen again.

ETA: We change her first, but then if she pees/poos again before finishing eating, I'll change her again before putting her to sleep.

Turtle143 · July 2011

I always check her diaper first, then feed her, burp and keep her upright for at least 10-15 minutes because she seems prone to spitting up and then back to sleep. Usually when I'm breastfeeding, she falls right off the breast looking satisfied with a smile for mommy.

Not always like this of course but it's nice when it is!

march2008 · July 2011

I am so jealous at how efficient you all are! It takes me about an hour to get everything squared away during each wakening.

I haven't tried changing the diaper first thing, but it seems like DD goes to the bathroom shortly after I feed her so if I changed the diaper first, I'm afraid I'd just be changing it again so quickly.

redshe · July 2011

It takes us anywhere from 30 mins to 1 hour. DF goes and heats up a bottle of breastmilk and gives it to DS while I express. He then he burps him and changes his nappy (I wish we could change first like we did with DD but DS always does a poo during or after his feed) then he goes back to bed.

skrichar · July 2011

It's taking us about 40 mins to an hour these days. We change first thing, then feed. Lately he has been pooping during the feeding, which requires another change during or right afterwards. Then I have to keep him upright for 10-15 mins b/c of his reflux. Then we re-swaddle and back to bed. Then I pump for 15 mins and get everything cleaned and ready for the next time. I wish we could get it a little quicker.

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Nighttime feeding/changing/putting back to bed, how long does it take?

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