This is the Newborn Feeding schedule and information that I used for Madison and for Tenley. I meant to add this months ago, but I just got around to adding it. :) Dr. Leila Denmarks book recommends every 4hours, but I found every 3hours worked for my girls. And that first week of breastfeeding we were doing every 2hours, then every week each of my girls would go a little longer. I would also do the bath at night. This was their schedule from birth to 3months. After just the first month Tenley stopped eating the midnight feeding and was sleeping straight through the night until 6am-7ish.
6am - Feed (breast or bottle); sleep in open room
9am- Feed (breast or bottle)
12pm- Feed (breast or bottle); nap and quiet time
3pm - Feed (breast or bottle); open room play time
6pm - Feed (breast or bottle)
7pm--Bath, pajamas
9pm - Feed; put to bed for the night
12am-Dream sleep feed(breast or bottle)
The information below is from my mother, Dianna Triplett--
This schedule works for most babies. If your breast feeding infant is not gaining enough or seems particularly fussy go to 3 hour feeding schedule 6,9,12,3,6,9 and include the midnight feeding if need be. As the baby nears 3 mo. they should be able to go to the 4 hour schedule and sleep completely through the night.
If your baby still seems fussy between feedings remember that infants during these first 3 months will scuff about 4 hours, some less. The lungs have been filled with fluid for 9 months. Crying opens the hundreds of passages in the lungs and allows baby to clear them. New babies don't often just lie quietly while awake, so crying is completely normal. At the same time, if after the last feeding or so your baby seems particularly fussy, Dr. Denmark suggested never allowing an infant to be hungry, so she gave instructions to offer 1-2 oz. of warm formula after the breast. If the baby takes the formula and retains the milk (not spitting it up), then mothers milk could be being reduced by the evening time. My personal suggestion is to remember to get plenty of rest, do NOT stress over breast feeding, be happy, drink plenty of fluids and be sure that all calories that you are taking in are from quality foods (not junk foods which equate junk calories.) Breast milk can come back in and increase by allowing baby to nurse a little longer in the evening feedings.
Creating a good routine with the newborn helps the baby's body to stabilize. Even before birth each of my infants kept to my sleep and activity schedule. They woke when I did, would stretch and move about, and in the evenings would settle in their favorite position and sleep during the nite. The human body works along with the ebb and tide.
During the times when baby is resting quietly, mother can care for herself, the family and her home. Remember that when a mother gives birth, she has lost a lot of blood. Her body is tugging from the change and needs to repair. Be sure and rest from the world for the first 2 weeks allowing those that offer, to care for your home and family. Mother and baby need to bond, get to know each other and build milk and allow their bodies to acclimate to their new living requirements.
Be sure and have fun, enjoy the new little One and keep baby away from visitors. New babies have soft eardrums where the fluid muffles sounds before birth. It takes several months for the ear drums to be used to sharp and sudden noises which are painful and startle baby needlessly, causing baby to cry. Visitors are often the carriers of germs and illness that baby isn't accustomed to and has not had a chance to build immunity against. Its the saddest thing on earth to see a newborn with a cold, struggling to breath. Even the lower animals are smart enough to keep their babies away from people until they are able to care for them self. Watch the mother lion how she does it and a mother pet cat.
Be sure and keep toddlers away from newborns that might pull on the baby or throw toys into the crib.
Babies can successfully be kept on their tummies their entire life. The skull is soft and many problems are coming from infants whose heads are flat from being kept on their backs. The organs work best when "hanging" rather than compressed. An infant can aspirate if he spits up while lying on his back. No animal on earth places its infants on their back. On the tummy the legs and arms are under the body making the baby feel safe and secure rather than its limbs flailing. There is much debate on this issue but in all the research I've found using information from not only the American Academy of Pediatrics but also the SIDS Foundation, as well, could not conclude that placing an infant on its back would deter Sudden Infant Death. A parent has to use their own common sense to make up their mind about this issue.
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