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

[DrewBerry95]

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

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

My DD was like this... honestly she slept from 6pm-8am plus at leat 4 hrs through the day, from about 5 weeks. Even before them she would sleep for 3-4 hrs at a time. I never did Gina Ford etc etc, just common sense no lights on at night, natural light in the day etc.

She's now 8 and needs 12-14 hours a night. She just sleeps. Especially in winter, in summer maybe 10-12 a night.

I've since had two more children, they both slept well too. Not as much as her, and far less deeply, but we got bloody lucky.

to those parents who aren't getting enough. It all evens out in end, ours will be the teenagers from HELL

My DD was very similar, I could have written your post. I kept ringing for the midwives all night as couldn’t move (c-section) and kept being told to let her sleep. She slept from 8pm when DH left the ward till 8am when he got there in the morning. I was beside myself as no one would help me or take me seriously. I told DH the moment he arrived in the morning, “she hasn’t woken, I haven’t fed her all night, I have been awake fretting and staring at her, now I am afraid her blood sugar is so low she won’t wake up- please make them help me!! “. (Normally I am very forthright but was struggling to get anyone to take my concerns seriously)- they eye rollingly helped when he had a strong word, and lonand behold, her blood sugar levels were low and she needed an urgent cup feed.

6 years later and she sleeps well still (on the whole) . Also really likes her food. 😊

My ds has slept thro from almost day 1 he's now 2.7 years and still has a 3 hour nap during the day- boy just loves his sleep, let your boy sleep sounds like he's doing fine

Why on earth would you want to put your baby through the stress of a blood test because he sleeps a bit longer than your friends?

My first thought was ASD/learning difficulties as you implied he had no interest in the world around him but then you went on to say he does and he’s meeting all his milestones.

My baby is like this although she didn't start doing 12+hours until about 3 months. Shes gone down at 6pm ever since. I worry about her a lot had bad anxiety during pregnancy and still do due to her birth. I was the same as you constantly worrying there was something wrong as she would be asleep from 6pm and not wake up until about 9am then slept most of the day as well. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy and would be like just enjoy it! She's 9 months now and still goes down at 6pm and that's her for about 13/14 hours.

Sounds like I've just won a lotto baby and should just carry on as normal. It's strange as a new Mum, especially when you have a newborn, and they aren't the textbook 'have you up and tired' baby. I've never slept so well in my entire life. I felt quite ostracised and still do, a little bit. I can't really relate to exhaustion at baby groups and I dare not mention his sleeping patterns to anyone there.

Oh I just forgot to mention in my OP -

I was in and out of the maternity wards from 30 weeks pregnant onwards.

The reason? He wouldn't move from 7pm onwards until late morning. All scans were fine. He was measuring perfectly etc etc. ECG's all perfect.

Perhaps it isn't a coincidence and he was like this in the womb too?

I could hardly feel a thing all pregnancy and I'm quite petite with a normal placenta, so should have felt him but never really did at all

My mum and DH said he popped out with eyes closed and was very shocked when he opened them

Ah thanks, I misses that update :)

It’s so hard when your baby is “different” but if he is generally alert and bright when awake and progressing well (smiling etc) I would try not to worry.

If you have another it will be a horror non sleeper!!!