Routine for newborn

Home List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following Log in

Join Now

| | | | |

Routine for newborn

Forum -> Parenting our children -> Infants

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

amother

Thu, May 19 2022, 8:06 pm

For my first, I had a nurse who got my baby on a great routine right away within the first week of eating, napping and sleeping 4-5 hour stretches. I am having a hard time getting my newborn onto a good routine. He is eating every 2.5-3 hours during the day. He eats 3-4 ounces of formula. He is 9 days old. He wakes at night every 2-3 hours and last night was fussing from 1:30-4:30 am. I am at a loss of what to do and am feeling anxious and unsuccesful that I cant get him onto a schedule like the nurse did for my first. Any advice?

NOte- if you are into feeding on demand, no schedule for newborns- that is great for you but please don't tell me that what I am wanting to do is wrong. it is really important to have some sort of schedule for my mental health.

amother

Crystal

Thu, May 19 2022, 8:18 pm

Keep in mind he’s a different baby than your first was. My first made me think I was the best mom ever. My 2nd made me think I was the worst. The truth is somewhere in middle but the truth is also it’s more about them than about you

Zehava

Thu, May 19 2022, 8:20 pm

A newborn should be eating at minimum every 3 hours, you’re not supposed to let them sleep longer than that

LeeR

Thu, May 19 2022, 9:05 pm

Our pediatrician says that once baby is back to their birth weight you shouldn’t wake at night to feed, but during the day not to let them go longer than 3 hours.

OP, seems like your baby is doing longer sleep stretches during the day than at night. You might want to wake your baby after 2.5/3 hours during the day to eat and hopefully he’ll have longer stretches at night.

Does he have his nights and days mixed up?

stillnewlywed

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:25 pm

The only thing you can do is wake them the same time each morning and bring them into the light so that their circadian rhythm starts setting in. I'm also very scheduled but you really cannot schedule a baby until 2/3 months. The first 8 weeks are all over the place and there is honestly nothing you can do about it. Every kid is different, so some will sleep in longer chunks or sleep better at night in the newborn stage, and some won't. Just wait it out.

amother

Blushpink

Thu, May 19 2022, 10:33 pm

Zehava wrote:

A newborn should be eating at minimum every 3 hours, you’re not supposed to let them sleep longer than that

Once they are back to their birth weight and on normal growth path, you actually do not need to wake them. Big misconception from anxious mothers.

amother

Pink

Thu, May 19 2022, 11:55 pm

Feed baby every 2 hours during the day (wake if necessary) . It will allow them to go longer stretches at night. I believe newborns are meant to have 8-10 feedings in a 24 hour period

gold21

Fri, May 20 2022, 12:01 am

He's 9 days old.....

I doubt your nurse was some sort of magic worker. Every newborn is different. Maybe your first baby was a better sleeper than this one is. And you attribute the easier schedule to the nurse you had. It may have had little to do with the nurse.

How does one put a 9 day old on a schedule? I don't understand. I've never heard of this.

amother

Peru

Fri, May 20 2022, 12:03 am

Zehava wrote:

A newborn should be eating at minimum every 3 hours, you’re not supposed to let them sleep longer than that

This! And if your nursing it should be even more frequently.
Op , he should be waking every 2-3 hours to feed at night. He is newborn and it’s important that he eats. It’s tough for you as a mom but he is being a normal baby.

amother

Mauve

Fri, May 20 2022, 12:06 am

Also, if I remember correctly around 2 weeks old, babies often go through a growth spurt and will eat more than typical for a little bit. Just something to keep in mind. Waking up more often right could be related to that growth spurt.

Zehava

Fri, May 20 2022, 12:28 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I will say this as well. If, for your mental health, you need to withhold food from a tiny nine day old baby, then you need help and birth control.

gold21

Fri, May 20 2022, 2:22 am

Zehava wrote:

I will say this as well. If, for your mental health, you need to withhold food from a tiny nine day old baby, then you need help and birth control.

And if you do need help, there's no shame in that. Many women need mental health support. No biggie.

But don't withhold food from a 9 day old or obsess over scheduling him.

amother

Gladiolus

Fri, May 20 2022, 2:35 am

Mazal tov on the birth, feel good.

A newborn doesn't have a schedule. It's just arrived on the planet.

You need a schedule? Fine, hire help and have someone take over the feeding and childcare for you. But you can't impose your needs (real as they are) on a helpless infant.

imaima

Fri, May 20 2022, 3:05 am

amother [ OP ] wrote:

The worst part is feeling unsuccessful and anxious. This has ruined motherhood for me in the beginning.
Newborns have no reliable schedule. For your mental health just get more help.