Nursing:
We are strictly nursing from one side a feeding right now, otherwise known as block feeding. Haydon was not tolerating feeding from both breasts. If he did feed from both breasts, he would spit up a ton, have tummy issues, and be restless. Now feeding from just one side has helped to reduce all the issues Haydon was having. It usually takes Haydon about 15-30 minutes to nurse, but on average 20 minutes. He is not as sleepy so it is much easier to get through a feeding without having to play the stay awake Olympics to keep him awake. I do find that I might have to stop and burp, change positions, or do a diaper change to wake him up to finish a feeding. But, nursing has become much easier for Haydon and I. He nurses about every 3 hours during the day and then starts to cluster feed, every 1-2 hours, in the late afternoon/ early evening until he finally goes to sleep.
Waketime:
I have discovered Haydon’s wake time to be very short. Most newborns can only handle about 30-45 minutes of wake time. Well, Haydon is no different. He can handle about 40-50 minutes of wake time. It is best if I start the nap routine at about 35-40 minutes so that he is in his crib soundly before he gets overstimulated. Haydon only has bout 5-10 minutes of activity in between feedings and sleep. He has mostly spent that time in a bouncer seat, laying on a blanket, or in someone’s arms. I plan on adding in some tummy time to one of his waketimes next week.
Nap/ Sleep Routine:
The nap and sleep prep routine that I have fallen into using with Haydon is the following:
1. Turn on Sound Machine
2. Change Diaper
3. Swaddle
4. Turn off Lights
5. Hold up right over shoulder and gently pat his back or bottom
6. Lay him in his crib
*** If he has trouble settling, I shush/ pat his belly until his breathing slows down and his eyes grow heavy and begin to shut.
Witching Hour
Starting in the late afternoon/ early evening, Haydon has a very restless time of day. He fights sleep and if he does sleep it is usually for 30-45 minutes at most. He also wants to cluster feed, eating every 1-2 hours until he finally goes to sleep at night. My desired bedtime for Haydon is 8pm, but many of the nights during this week, Haydon did not go to bed until 9 or 10pm. I am not really sure why he is resisting sleep during this time, as he takes very solid naps during the day and feeds every 2.5-3 hours during the day too. I have read that it is very normal for young infants and newborns to have a “fussy” time of day that usually comes at the end of the day. It is strange to me that Haydon is experiencing this because my other 3 children never fought sleep this hard when they were newborns. The way I have been coping with this time of day is to feed Haydon as often as he wants because it seems to calm him. To put him in the bouncer or swing swaddled because that also seems to calm him.
Night Time Feedings:
Haydon does fairly well in the middle of the night for feedings. He nurses, I diaper change him, then nurse him again, and then lay him back down. I do not turn the lights on and do not talk to him in the middle of the night. He did two 5 hour stretches, but most of his stretches of sleep are about 3-4 hours in length in between feedings. I feel like his length between feedings are pretty good given he is only two weeks old.
Personal Notes:
I am just head over heals in love with Haydon. It is so different caring for a newborn when you are not a first time mom and you sort of know what you are doing. It just makes it so much easier, even on hard days and nights. Caring for Haydon just seems so much more simple too because, well it’s not twins. My last newborn phase was with my twin daughters. Caring for twin newborns presents a whole other host of issues to trouble shoot. So caring for just Haydon seems like a walk in the park. He is so snuggly and I just love being his mom. I am excited to watch him grow and explore the world. Thanks for reading along with me as Haydon grows up.
Schedule:
7:30 Nurse, Wake Time 40ish minutes, then nap
10:30 Nurse, Wake Time 40ish minutes, then nap
1:30 Nurse, Wake Time 40ish minutes, then nap
4:30 Nurse, Wake Time 40ish minutes, then nap
6:30-8:30/9:30 Witching Hour. He refuses to sleep during this time and also cluster feeds until he finally crashed and goes to sleep between 8:30-9:30, and sometime as late as 10pm.
