New Baby Started Today... I'm Already Wiped!

[MamaBear]

So I have a new 5 month old baby boy that started today. I forgot how much work little babies are! All my other kiddos are toddlers (2 and up). The DCM says that he has to eat every 2 hours (4 oz each time) but if hes sleeping then dont wake him (duh). I guess thats normal? Seemed like a lot to me when she said it. If hes not eating or sleeping he is really a fussy baby. I'm hoping this gets easier.

Basically I've been constantly holding, feeding and cooing at this little guy all day and in between trying to run around to take care of the other kiddos. Now I remember why I usually just take older babies and toddlers. I'm exhausted and I still have 2 hrs left with him. I'm just trying to remind myself that he will get older! haha

[Lilbutterflie]

At 5-6 months, they should be taking in about 24-32 oz a day. Though it'd be nice if he could stretch to every 3 hours and eat 6-8 ounces at a time; it does seem normal to eat 4 oz every 2 hours during his waking hours. Say he's awake 10-12 hours per day; that's 24 oz which is on the low end.

I feel ya. It's just the first day; so he could be fussy b/c he's not comfortable with you yet. Especially if this is his first daycare setting; he may be used to just mom all the time. I'm about to be in your spot in August when I take in a 2 mo baby girl in a setting of all toddlers/preschool age children. I'm excited though! I get to have my baby fix! Nothing better than cuddling with a soft, sweet-smelling baby!

[nannyde]

That's a lot of feeding for a five month old. Breast milk or formula?

That does seem like a lot for a 5 mo. old but each kid is different. I feel for you as I have one too. The problem with mine is it is just Mom at home and I think too much stimulation at home. He is only with me right now for 5 hrs one day a week so if I am not giving him the 100% attention during those hours..can you guess what he is doing?
He eats 6-8 oz. about every 3 / 4 hours depending on if he ate all his solid food. The more the solid the less formula.

I too prefer the older ones :0)

[MamaBear]

It's just formula... 4 oz every 2 hours. He downs it super fast and then when burping spits up A LOT. I told the mom and she said that is what he does. I had to change his bib 4 times today and soaked a burp rag.

It was nice having a little baby again, but wowzers... a lot of work. I got spoiled just having older toddlers so long. The girls loved the baby - it was fun yet tiring

[MommyMuffin]

I totally feel for you. I have a 3 month old and a 8 month old. The rest are 18 months and older. I havent done daycare without an infant so I'm not sure what it is like without them.

I am totally exhausted most of the time. I dont have much time left for curriculum or even get a chance to play with the older ones because the babies require so much attention.

I'm due in july and replacing the 8 month old with an older childs sibling in the fall so I will once again have 2 under 5 months.

The good news is yes...they will grow up!!! I wonder what it is like to have them all over the age of 10 months?

[MamaBear]

Its really nice to have all toddlers. Before this baby, my youngest one was 11 months old... All the rest are 2 yrs and up. So they are all independent and play well together. Now it puts a different twist on my day. I used to mix it up like this all the time, but for the past 2 yrs or so, I've just had toddlers and older. Feel like I'm starting all over with a baby again.

It is really hard to do arts & crafts now with the older ones. I think I'll have to just do things like that when the baby is sleeping. I found myself dashing to get things done every time he looked either happy or was asleep. I think for now on, I'll just stick with older babies. Hes super sweet and has that cute little baby smell (when hes not spitting up - lol) but I just like them more when they are not so 100% dependent on me to do everything. Sighhhh...

[nannyde]

Originally Posted by MamaBear

It's just formula... 4 oz every 2 hours. He downs it super fast and then when burping spits up A LOT. I told the mom and she said that is what he does. I had to change his bib 4 times today and soaked a burp rag.

It was nice having a little baby again, but wowzers... a lot of work. I got spoiled just having older toddlers so long. The girls loved the baby - it was fun yet tiring

Okay

So first thing I would do is change the nipple size DOWN. So find out what stage his nipple is and bring it down one or two size. He is eating way too fast so you need to build some resistance into his sucking so he can get his suck on and not flood his belly so fast.

Have him wait into between ounces at the half mark and have him sit up and get a good burp out of him.

Then finish the other half of the bottle.

Try to feed him in as upright position as possible. If you can.. sit him in a seat and feed him the bottle STRAIGHT ON. Don't have him lying down at an angle.

Gravity is your new bff:
he's straight up when eating
straight up when burping
then sit straight up for at least a half hour after eating.
A half hour BEFORE eating get him on his belly and do some crankin belly time. He needs to get the willies out before he calms to eat.

These all should help with the fast eating and the spitting up.

Then gradually move him to every THREE hours feeding and that is from start to start. If he starts at noon his next bottle starts at three. This will give him about 2.75 hours in between feedings. I would increase his formula on the three hour start to start feeds to five to five and a half ounces over the next week or so.

He may be wailing because his belly is upset from the chugging/spitting up cycle so that has to be solved first. Even if you have to put him on newborn stage on nipples... do it. He needs to slow down... relax during eating... at eat at an upright angle. Have a good rest afterwards (don't carry him around after he eats) Have him sit upwards in a seat.


Try those and see if it works. If you don't get him to slow down and stop spitting up you will have to remain on a two hour feed which he is WAY too old for. My three month old bf baby is on a three hour feed and has been for nearly a month. He eats four ounces of bm.

[countrymom]

Originally Posted by nannyde

Okay

So first thing I would do is change the nipple size DOWN. So find out what stage his nipple is and bring it down one or two size. He is eating way too fast so you need to build some resistance into his sucking so he can get his suck on and not flood his belly so fast.

Have him wait into between ounces at the half mark and have him sit up and get a good burp out of him.

Then finish the other half of the bottle.

Try to feed him in as upright position as possible. If you can.. sit him in a seat and feed him the bottle STRAIGHT ON. Don't have him lying down at an angle.

Gravity is your new bff:
he's straight up when eating
straight up when burping
then sit straight up for at least a half hour after eating.
A half hour BEFORE eating get him on his belly and do some crankin belly time. He needs to get the willies out before he calms to eat.

These all should help with the fast eating and the spitting up.

Then gradually move him to every THREE hours feeding and that is from start to start. If he starts at noon his next bottle starts at three. This will give him about 2.75 hours in between feedings. I would increase his formula on the three hour start to start feeds to five to five and a half ounces over the next week or so.

He may be wailing because his belly is upset from the chugging/spitting up cycle so that has to be solved first. Even if you have to put him on newborn stage on nipples... do it. He needs to slow down... relax during eating... at eat at an upright angle. Have a good rest afterwards (don't carry him around after he eats) Have him sit upwards in a seat.


Try those and see if it works. If you don't get him to slow down and stop spitting up you will have to remain on a two hour feed which he is WAY too old for. My three month old bf baby is on a three hour feed and has been for nearly a month. He eats four ounces of bm.

I have to agree with this. Is he on a schedual, I just find it weird to feed him every 2 hours, so when does he sleep.

[MamaBear]

The mom told me to feed every 2 hrs but if hes sleeping to let him sleep. Of course thats what I'd do. Its weird because he typically starts crying every 2 hrs as if hes hungry. So I guess that really is his schedule.

Thanks Nannyde for the advice. I'll try that today. That makes sense about the gravity. I'll definitely try that today