HELP!
Dear Dr.Bear,
My son is 7 weeks old and has does not sleep for longer than an hour at a time. Letting him cry does not work. I have let him cry for up to 30 minutes. Also, I have a 14 month old daughter, so letting him cry is often not an option because it keeps her up. I am desperate for suggestions. I am breastfeeding him on demand (which is very frequently). I can only get him to nurse for about 10 minutes - than he just refuses to latch back on. He also seems to have a lot of air in his tummy after he nurses and cries like he is in pain until he burps. An hour later he wants to nurse again. I know there is a correlation between getting him to have a fuller tummy and sleeping longer, I just don't know what
to do. Please help me.
Sincerely,
Sleepless
Dear Sleepless,
Are you only breast feeding? Sometimes breast milk digests in 1.5 hours, and if your volume is low it can be 8-11 feedings per day. How is the weight gain?? You may need a visit to the office to assess weight, growth and development, as well as a strategy for feeding and sleeping. Crying is also sometimes related to reflux, and that is treated differently. So, get to the office soon so that you can make a plan and feel reassured about your baby
Sincerely,
Dr. Bear
