Fighting sleep?

Question

Aubryana will be four weeks old tomorrow, and once or twice a day she'll seem like she's fighting sleep. Most of the time when she wakes up she'll eat get a diaper change and go right back to sleep, but the other times she's up for like two to three hours, fussy for the most part. She acts hungry, I try to feed her, she latches, s*cks for a few seconds to a minute or two, lets go and cries...I've tried burping her, bouncing/rocking/swinging, holding her upright and letting her look around, walking around with her...nothing seems to do anything. She'll finally get tired enough that she falls asleep, I'll put her in the bassinet and usually she'll wake back up two or three times, I'll feed her for a couple more minutes and she goes back to sleep...

I'm not complaining for lack of sleep or anything like that, but Elijah never did this so is she really just fighting sleep already?

chantal21 · Answer

I think it could be a growth spurt...I remember my boys going through it. They were sleeping great one week, and the next super fussy. I always thought it's either gas, or they are growing. I also used those gas drops, and they seem to work pretty good. I noticed with Jeremiah (and he was my first BFing experience) that if I ate a high protein diet and drank lots of water (not only was I losing the baby weight, but my milk supply shot through the roof!) I was in shock. I ate mostly bland foods, protein (any meats) and certain amount of good carbs like rice or potatoes, and certain fruits, and it worked like a miracle. I always had an issue when I would get my period, my supply would go way down for some reason (I'm guessing hormones) so to increase it, I would stick to the diet and it worked and he was able to sleep better, be full most of the time, and not be so fussy. 

But babies always go through that stage of fighting sleep at some point. Hopefully that's all it is for her!

smjmekg · Answer

SO far she's seems like she's doing good with the nursing, I haven't tried pumping in a little over a week. Last time I did I freaked out cause I only got half an ounce from one side, and I called the LC and she said sporadic pumping won't tell me anything because 1..baby always gets more out than the pump, and 2..you can get half an ounce at one time and a couple hours later get more than an ounce. 

I'm still feeding her about every two hours during the day, and trying every three at night (fell back asleep once or twice and my alarm didn't go off once and she ended up going almost five hours one night and fourish the other two) I'm still drinking the Mother's Milk Tea though, three cups a day. I tried going to two but I can tell the difference even after only one day so I'm staying at three.

LosingMyMindInGA · Answer

That's good, that means she's gaining weight. As I said it could be a growth spurt.  I know with Lily when she hits one she'll go from being content and sleeping well to acting like she's starving to death all the time and sleeping in fits and spurts.  She'll be 4 mos old on the 10th and she's now up to 6 oz.  Sometimes she even still acts a little hungry after she eats that.  I'm gonna be starting her on some cereal/baby food soon.  have you tried pumping after nursing sessions or in between them to help increase your supply?

smjmekg · Answer

According to my scale, she is exactly 10 lbs.

smjmekg · Answer

I thought that too, about the supply...she had a weight check the Monday before last and she was 8 lbs 13 oz, she was 13 days old. Birth weight was 8 lbs 7 oz. I don't know what she is now, might be able to get a close result holding her compared to my weight with my scale...I'm gonna check and post what it said.

5n1 · Answer

smj-lol about my question and thank you, I am about to look

maybe all our babies are just going through a phase together about not sleeping too much

LosingMyMindInGA · Answer

Lily did this in the beginning too.  I finally decided to try giving her formula to see if maybe it was becuase she wasn't full.  It worked.  She slept GREAT.  AFter that I really had to work on getting my milk supply up so I could go back to giving her exclusively breastmilk.  When was her last weight check?  It could be she has hit a growth spurt and your supply has not caught up with her yet.  Just a thought.

smjmekg · Answer

I'm not sure if she has reflux, or if it's just that she's too tired to know what to do...I do use the gas drops, but not very much I try to get it out without using anything. I answered your question BTW.

5n1 · Answer

I wonder if she does have reflux??? I know they say alot of babies have it now a days, mine did/do!!!  Have you tried the little tummys gas drops? I have used them and they did help tremendously, but if you read the question I just posted can see I am having feeding problems now...lol so I am not sure I am much help anymore

smjmekg · Answer

Aubryana doesn't have binkis, so I usually sit up or lay down or lean back in the rocking chair and let her nurse when she wants. I don't think it's over eating, she stops a lot and only nurses a minute or two when she's cranky like that. 

5n1~I have thought about the reflux before all this, she does arch her back sometimes. She gets gassy too, but even after getting out a couple big burps/her pooping she's still fussy...she normally arches before I burp her and not anymore after.

smjmekg · Answer

I've tried swaddling, she just screams more. The only time I really have NO problem is when I nurse her in the bed with her laying next to me, then if she's getting fussy, she usually calms down faster and goes back to sleep sooner.

5n1 · Answer

Is she arching her back when she cries??? Maybe she has reflux or her tummy is bothering her???

I know my LO will do the same thing from time to time, and especially now, it takes me about 30 minutes or so of rocking her to sleep, before I can lay her down...She use to just lay down for me with her binky, and now I either have to rock her or sit there and hold her hand until she falls asleep...