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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for bloods to be taken for my baby DC?

83 replies

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 20:47

Back story:

I spent 4/5 nights in hospital after DC was born.

I had DC late at night. Woke up at 7.30am in a fright because I thought he was dead. He was not. Just sound asleep.

I enquired to the Midwife on duty and she said she knew, she kept checking on us both but we were just sleeping.

I thought no problem, one off from birth but 2nd night would be normal 'newborn' experience. Wrong. DC slept from 10pm to 7.30am again. But this time I was awake constantly because of other babies on the ward crying! Same thing happened until we left hospital.

Ironically, the other thing keeping me up at night was other people's babies Envy

I kept expressing my concerns of him maybe getting dehydrated during the night and the midwives insisted I didn't wake him. So I didn't and enjoyed my sleep well what I could get of it since other people's babies just wouldn't shut up

Before we were discharged, I spoke to the paediatrics Dr. Again, reassured to count my lucky stars and not to wake him.

So I didn't. Went home and just let him sleep through consistently, night after night.

Fast forward to 5 weeks old and he put himself into a routine of 9pm to 9am, so 12 hour slots.

Fast forward to now at 4.5 months. Still the same but often doesn't wake until 11am.

I'm getting worried because usually I just let him wake himself and he's a happy bunny. But recently I've been trying out a few local things and he's so grumpy. For example, stay and play starts at 9.30am. He doesn't take kindly to being put in a pram and hoisted off.

I didn't know what to do in those early weeks because all the baby books and stories prepared me for sleep deprivation, not over sleeping!

It wasn't until a friend of mine commented that when her premature baby was born, she was told very clearly not to let them go over 4/5 hours because they could dehydrate or be jaundice. She said she thinks what I done was dangerous and the medical professionals advising me to let him sleep should be questioned.

Furthermore, I saw a someone with a similar baby post once and people kept saying letting small babies sleep through is indeed dangerous and to wake them.

AIBU to ask for bloods? I'm scared he's too sleepy/lethargic. He's an older baby now and still the same. I'm worried there may be an issue, of some sort.

Otherwise, he's a very healthy and happy baby who just gets very cross if things are too loud and he's trying to sleep.

He's also gained weight very well and put on instead of lost in his first week of life outside the womb.

I don't want to waste NHS time but at the same time, I don't want to miss anything abnormal. What if he has an illness I don't know about?

Obviously I'm not going to wake him now because he's an older baby. But could his overall sleeping habits be a sign of something?

It can't be normal because it was bashed and hammered home to me so much during pregnancy that I would Be sleep deprived, not setting alarms so I don't over sleep and end up getting myself ready and gone 12 in the afternoon by the time I've had 'breakfast' and given DC their first feed Blush

OP posts:
LaurieMarlow · 26/02/2018 21:10

He's very happy, 'chatty' and alert otherwise. But doesn't seem much interested in baby TV, for example

That sounds absolutely fine. Most babies aren't interested in TV at that age.

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:10

I don't really do the baby TV thing anyway, I was just curious as to why he didn't seem interested since babies I know of similar ages love it and are quite taken by it

OP posts:
Somersetter · 26/02/2018 21:10

That amount of sleep wouldn't worry me, especially not when combined with good weight gain. But not being alert and interested, or interactive, sounds a bit unusual at 4.5 months, although those descriptions are very subjective so it could be just your perception. Has anyone else mentioned anything? Does he hold and chew toys?

RuthsRandomRadish · 26/02/2018 21:10

I would.keep a note of sleep times
And How alert he is etc.

And chat to hv.

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:11

My DD1 was breast fed. Still super sleepy. I used to be full to bursting waiting for her to wake up

Yep, me too. I look riddled with breast tumour lumps by the time he's up and they usually start spraying on their own in the morning shower

OP posts:
Somersetter · 26/02/2018 21:11

Sorry I've just read he's very happy, 'chatty' and alert which sounds great! I suspect you're worrying about nothing. Do you have a tendency to be a bit of a worrier?

happymumof4crazykids · 26/02/2018 21:12

My first slept through at 6 weeks, 2nd at 5 weeks and the 3rd at 2 weeks old. Nobody said about waking any of them to feed! I fed on demand. My 3rd born is still a little sleepy head and would happily sleep 14hrs a night if she could. My 4th is whole different story! She didn't sleep through the night til she was 2 1/2 YEARS old Brew
While it's easy to worry when they are little it sounds like your LO is doing well. I'd let him carry on setting his own pace and look for things to do in the afternoon if you can!

puglife15 · 26/02/2018 21:12

Is he 4.5 or 6.5 months?

Having read your subsequent posts if he doesn't seem engaged in the world around him at 6.5 months I'd be a little concerned and maybe take him to Dr's or health visitor just to be on the safe side. Is he hitting milestones?

Isadora2007 · 26/02/2018 21:12

Oh bless him. And you. It’s great you can see him overnight as my friend had a “fantastic sleeper” who actually turned out to be having mini seizures in her sleep and is now quite severely epileptic but this wasnt picked up for ages as the fits happened at night.

I would still be asking a HV or similar if you feel he isn’t meeting milestones... but if he is gaining weight and mostly happy then he is maybe just a sleepy boy.

You’re not taking any medication are you? That could be in your milk?

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:13

Somer yep, holds and chews toys. Loves his Sophie Giraffe

Loves tummy time

Rolls over etc

Just seems... There.

I know he will certainly be a handful as a toddler like all toddlers but I thought having a baby would be more hands on and full on than this.

Feel like I'm slacking in some way or another and not a proper Mum yet

OP posts:
FrozenMargarita17 · 26/02/2018 21:13

Honestly? He sounds fine. I'm just very very jealous 😩 my 7m old does NOT sleep. Ever.

Somersetter · 26/02/2018 21:14

My ebf baby slept a similar amount (although not from birth - from about 3 months) - I just enjoyed it Grin

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:15

Do you have a tendency to be a bit of a worrier

Honestly? No. But having a baby had made me worry a little now and again, naturally. And as I said, having it drummed into me that I would be so so tired has confused me and made me think 'well why isn't he following the norms?'

OP posts:
Calvinlookingforhobbs · 26/02/2018 21:16

Not slacking at all! The race is long. Very, very long!

RollTopBath · 26/02/2018 21:16

There are no illnesses in babies where sleeping is the only symptom. Jaundice makes babies lethargic but you’d see yellowish eyes and skin.
Some neurological disorders cause sleepiness and lethargy but you’d see and hear other symptoms.
The questions to ask are -
Is he gaining weight as expected?
Is he rousable when asleep?
Is he meeting developmental milestones as expected - smiling, and reacting to your smile, making steady eye contact, starting to put everything in his mouth, looking like he’ll roll over?

If answer to all these are yes then there really is nothing much to worry about and enjoy the sleep.

Allthewaves · 26/02/2018 21:17

My.first was a good sleeper. 3 hours naps during the day then bed at 7pm and sleeping until 7am. He was bottle fed so took dream feed but did give it up as he was happy enough

As long as he's doing wet nappies, pooing and gaining weight - he sounds fine, he just likes his kip

TheVanguardSix · 26/02/2018 21:18

I understand your concern. My youngest was like this and yes, I was worried. Unfortunately he switched and didn't sleep from about 3 months onward until almost 3 years old. Confused He was up 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 times a night. I never knew what the night would bring. Hopefully, this won't happen to you!

But back to you and your little one. He sounds like he is thriving and doing well. You might just have an excellent sleeper! However, you say he's not that interested in things around him. Does he give you eye contact? Does he follow your finger if you place it in front of his eyes? What's his response to your presence like? If you clap, will he look at you? I'm not asking these questions to frighten you. I am just wondering what his patterns and habits are like when he's awake. If you're worried about him being passive, I'd see the HV or even the GP. I'm wondering if your little one's hearing is alright. Was his hearing checked out at birth?

DC3 was very passive, as I'd mentioned. I was worried. It all changed... a bit too much! Grin

Somersetter · 26/02/2018 21:19

Sorry I didn't mean it in a snarky way - just I know some people have health anxiety and I just wondered.

Honestly I think he sounds fine. You're contradicting yourself slightly about whether he's alert / interactive / interested in the world or not so it's pretty hard to gauge, but tour main concern seems to be the amount he sleeps. At 6 months my daughter slept around 16 hours a day (including daytime naps) - absolutely nothing wrong with her, was just what she needed.

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:21

TheVang thank you for understanding Thanks

Yep, he follows finger, laughs, chews, smiles at me and smiles when I smile but truthfully sometimes give me a harsh look as if to say "you are a fool, mother" when I try too hard to make him laugh

His hearing was checked at birth and then once more at 6/8 week check

OP posts:
DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:21

Somer that's alright; I didn't think you meant to be snarky

OP posts:
MissEliza · 26/02/2018 21:22

If he's gaining weight and is meeting his milestones, you need to relax a bit.

DrewBerry95 · 26/02/2018 21:23

I think my main concern was/is not so much how sleepy he still is now as that can be put down to just very sleepy/lucky baby.

But from Day 1 in hospital, as a newborn, that's what I don't get. That's what makes me slightly sceptical

OP posts:
twinone · 26/02/2018 21:25

Sounds like my first dd.
She was a watcher. She'd just sit in her bouncer and watch the world go by.
I took her to baby play thing, she slept. It was all, ooh, x does this, y does that. I was like, mine just sits there like a Buddha Grin

She didn't bother crawling, never even tried. Went straight to her feet at 11 months. Then it all changed. No stopping her.
She can still sleep for England as a teen.

BertieBotts · 26/02/2018 21:28

My DS was like this.

He is totally normal and has absolutely had his challenging times! :) Was just very chilled out as a baby.

He slept loads from 7 weeks to 4 months and I was scared to mention it in case anyone thought I was boasting when it was really just a bit odd! He did start waking up again after that but was never really trouble at night.

It's important that they are alert when they are awake. Other than that, their sleep can vary by a huge amount at this age but still be normal.

RadioGaGoo · 26/02/2018 21:28

I almost threw my phone at the wall.

But seriously, whilst some of us are saying how lucky you are, I can understand your concern. However, I would reiterate what others say about weight and nappies, but you could always have a chat with a HV.

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