Hi doctor, I am having a 1-month-old baby and been facing several issues. He is crying a lot even after feeding him properly, burping him, checking his diaper, making him comfortable and ruling out other health issues and having a hard time in consoling him. We have tried pacifiers for him but avoiding it as I was told they are not good for the baby as they take in more air through pacifiers. White noise is working well but I am afraid he may become dependent on it for sleeping and will not sleep if I do not keep white noise. I am having poor sleep because of this and depending on coffee to control sleep. I am having several queries. How to console him so that he can sleep properly? Is it fine to use white noise to calm him? Is it fine to breastfeed him while I am having a fever? I am expressing milk sometimes and feeding him through a bottle. Can I express milk and store for future usage? If so how long can I store and use it? I am having one or two cups of coffee each day does this effect the baby through milk? Also, my milk production is less and depending more on formula milk. Please advise me.
Hi. From your history, it seems you are taking excellent care of the child. Good. Now for your queries. Children below the age of 6 months sleep in the day and stay awake at night. It is normal. There is no medicine for the same. As regards to consoling a baby, you can use white noise (no dependency or harm) or whisper songs in the babies ear, give the baby pacifier (no issue of taking in the air or anything like that. The child is anyways going to pass gas like a big person. It is normal). Swing the baby in a light to and fro motion, swaddle the baby in some cloth wrapping. Important point: Another reason for the child to keep crying continuously may be poor feeding. As you have mentioned, the milk production is less, it is expected since you are under stress. So do not worry. Also, you can try giving breastfeeding first followed by top feeds. If the child is still hungry the child will consume the top feeds. Let the child consume as much as it wants. Advisable to avoid breastfeeding while having a fever as you may transmit the organism by close contact with the baby. In such cases, you can give expressed milk or top feeds. Use a mask when coughing if you are feeding the baby. Yes, you can theoretically store milk at room temperature up to three hours, fridge up to 12 hours and deep freezer up to 24 to 48 hours minimum. However, I personally do not advise to do this because there are chances the milk may get contaminated by the various organisms in the surroundings of the house.  There is no effect of coffee on the milk taken by the baby. Golden rule: Sleep when the baby sleeps and stay awake when the baby is awake for at least the first few months if you want to have peace of mind.