Latest Arrival

Our much anticipated little brother to Cadell arrived at 5.34am on April 28.  He was born much bigger than Cadell who weighed 6lb 15oz, Mitchell weighed in at 8lb 4oz

We had a fantastic, natural, water birth with most of our labour done at home (through the night with no sleep!)  A very different birth to Cadell, who was also all natural, mostly laboured at home, but birthed on dry land.  Cadell was in a hurry to come out, Mitchell just paced himself - maybe he learned that from our half marathon at 10 weeks gestation?!

Newborn Sleep

Mitchell arrived before dawn, and over the space of his first two hours in the world he fed for nearly an hour, and spent 90% of that two hours skin to skin.  He then slept and slept and slept, from about 8am to 2pm  I had to strip him down skin to skin to wake him to feed.  He then slept some more, and more.  He decided he had had enough sleep by about 7pm and feed every hour to two hours after that ALL through the night!

Because he was exhausted from being up all night, he slept well again through the day, but repeated the previous nights tricks.  When we got home - Mitchell decided this was great and spent his first night at home doing the same thing.  Thankfully the next night, our first at home altogether with big brother too he slept much better and feeding every 3-4 hours.  Thank goodness as Cadell was vomiting through the night!

We have decided to use Gina Ford's routines as a guide again.  Knowing what I also have read about controlled crying or Pinky McKay's stance against controlled crying, I haven't been opposed to demand feeding if I think he needs it.  I have also ignored Gina's advice on "no eye contact or talking" to your baby in the night.  I can't do that anyway!  I need to kiss and cuddle my little bundle!

At two weeks old our routine goes something a little like this
7:00am feed then a little time awake to talk to his brother and Dad
9:30 or 10ish feed and then try to keep him awake as much as you can keep a 2 week old awake!
11:00 or 11:30ish feed then big sleep til 2pm if I'm lucky
2:00 or 3ish feed followed by about an hour or two sleep
5ish feed with a bath sometime just before 6pm
6:30 feed bed before 7pm
Then up until 2 weeks old I would wake him about 10/10:30 to feed again
He then wakes between 2-3am naturally for another feed, and sleeps through til 6/7am
But last night he fed and fed and fed between 3pm and 6:30pm went to sleep at 7pm and I left hime to wake himself which he did at 1:50am fed, then slept through til 6:40am  what a dream child!

My current stance on sleeping is make sure they get plenty to eat between the hours of 7am and 7pm to help them get through the night.

I also think that because I am incredibly lucky with a great milk supply (or over supply) Mitchell is able to have a full tummy and only wakes to feed, or tell me he's wet through his nappy and clothes and wrap and sheets... and only cries when his tummy is overloaded and he's squirming to get wind out

Overall I am so lucky to have another great little sleeper.  And of course an awesome little boy all round!