The Feed-Play-Sleep goal is out of sync with a newborn baby’s needs. I promote ‘play’ BEFORE a feed, not after. Let’s talk about PLAY, then FEED, and finally SLEEP.
Firstly, Play: I suggest the first thing you do, after picking bub up from the cot, is change their nappy. As you do this, stay calm, don’t rush. Use touch by holding bub’s hands in yours, near its chest and talk to your baby. This has a very calming affect. Cuddle your baby and talk to him/her in a reassuring tone. Slowly proceed to do the feed. That is what I call ‘playtime’. Changing bub's nappy first lets them know an 'instant feed' does not take place the moment bub cries. Playtime BEFORE the feed makes sense.
Feeding: after the feed has finished, your baby will look relaxed and may even drifted off to sleep. This state is commonly referred to as ‘milk drunk’. If bub appears restless, try burping your little one, then offer more food. Remember you cannot make a baby eat, wee, poo or sleep! Once baby looks relaxed, contented or if you like, 'milk drunk', they need to dewind (burp)again. I recommend keeping bub propped up for a while, allowing some ‘wind’ to move up and out. Your baby may snooze while propped up, stirring to wakefulness, squirm a bit, open its eyes and try to burp. The second lot of wind usually takes a while longer than the 1st lot. So give it a moment.
For 1st time parents especially, propping bub up after a feed is a great way for you to get to see what a baby will do after a feed. I recommend propping bub up, rather than nursing bub in your arms. It is my experience that most parents who hold bub after the feed, find that soon after putting bub in the cot, bub wakes and cries. This then starts a nasty cycle: nursing/wrocking bub to sleep, then putting bub back into the cot, only to have bub waking shortly after. Its important that parents recognise their bub's tired signs and then to put baby to bed awake. This allows bub to become familiar with sleep and self settling.
Sleep: A healthy baby can self settle from birth on. Of course there is some 'fussing' in volved, but it is important to learn what a baby is 'saying' when crying/fussing. It is not necessarily a 'help me' cry. Listen to HOW and WHY a baby cries. Yes, a comforting pat and a reassuring voice will be needed now and again, especially if bub is overtired. No hunger, no pain, a baby will usually go to sleep without much fuss.
I recommend the play-feed-sleep till about the 3rd month. By this time a baby will be awake for longer periods before showing tired signs and will be be able to self settle easily most sleep times. After the 3rd month you should celebrate the fact that 'colic' time is over!
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