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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To need help with my 7 week old

20 replies

Imknackeredzzz · 05/09/2018 19:21

Hi everyone, I should know better as I’ve already got a 3 year old son - but I admit I’ve forgotten it all it seems!

My daughter is 7 weeks old today and I’m not sure if this is all normal or not. She eats well and sleeps ok ish, however she seems to be only really happy when eating or sleeping.

I mean that whenever she’s awake (which is getting more frequent) she doesn’t seem to
Enjoy it. She has a baby gym and maybe is happy to lie in that for 2 mins before she whinges.

She will sit in her swing for again about 2 minutes then cries, even if I pick her up she again is squirming about and seems unhappy whatever I do.

She sleeps happily and eats well, but I am at a loss at what to do when she’s awake. She cries when I’m driving in the car seat from time to time unless she’s asleep- you get the drift!

she cried when I tried to put her in the sling - so doesn’t like that either!

Might I add she seems in no pain, normal dirty and wet nappies and everything else seems normal.

What do I do? Just ride it out? Any tips?! And is this normal!?

OP posts:
Creeper8 · 05/09/2018 19:25

Sounds about normal to me. Could mention it to the HV if your worries?

Hidillyho · 05/09/2018 19:25

Could she have silent reflux?

Original poster
Imknackeredzzz · 05/09/2018 19:30

Don’t think reflux, first born has reflux - she doesn’t really bring anything up ever and when she’s asleep is happy to be laid flat. She genuinely almost seems bored being awake- if that’s possible. It’s off

OP posts:
Original poster
Imknackeredzzz · 05/09/2018 19:30

Odd even

OP posts:
kaytee87 · 05/09/2018 19:35

Sounds quite normal. They do cry a lot at that age. I think nature makes us forget it or we'd never have more than one Grin

Sometimes my son was happier lying tummy down on my forearm with legs and arms dangling either side. Or sometimes looking at black and white pictures in baby books would help. Have you tried a dummy? Some(most?) babies feel a constant urge to suck that can upset them if not sated.

It will pass though, every week out of the womb they cry less until you have a 2yo that just makes a horrible whiny noise when he doesn't get it own way looking at you, DS.

Original poster
Imknackeredzzz · 05/09/2018 19:40

Yes tried a dummy - sometimes she likes it, sometimes pushes it out. Ugh for some relief, just to keep her occupied for a while so I can get some stuff done.

Sounds awful but I’m almost hating her being awake and wish she’d stay asleepn

OP posts:
Sarahani · 05/09/2018 19:47

The baby gym and swing might be too much stimulation at this age. Slings are hit and miss too, may be try's different type?

Will she nap in the pram? DD would sleep pretty well in hers but otherwise was on me if awake. DS would only settle if I put down. Two v different experiences!

ToftheB · 05/09/2018 19:49

I think it’s fairly normal, and also absolutely exhausting. I had an excellent week by week baby book, which says week six is the absolute worst week for crying and after that they get slowly better. You’ve just got to ride it out.
You can do it.

Bowerbird5 · 05/09/2018 19:51

Reading it reminded me of my sister. The GP told my mum she was bored. She sat up early and was fine after that. Mum used to put postcards in the sides of her pram which she used to talk to😁

Smurfybubbles · 05/09/2018 20:00

Babies have a development leap around 7 weeks. DS was the exact same, hated his mat and swing after a few mins and only wanted to be on me or DH all the time! It did pass and he happily plays on his mat again on his own.

Download the wonder weeks app it highlights all development phases and what behaviors to expect!

Jammysod · 05/09/2018 20:02

Have you tried a bouncer (like a chair for babies)? My son loved being in his, he was elevated a bit & was happy sat kicking his legs. I think he liked being able to see what was going on too as he was elevated. The vibration soothed him a lot too x

applesisapple5 · 05/09/2018 20:07

Yeah, my baby was just like this, couldn't be away from him for a second - lasted about a loooong week. I think they're too little to look around much but too big to sleep all the time, I hope it doesn't last long for you!

Original poster
Imknackeredzzz · 05/09/2018 20:10

May look into bouncer! .. thanks for all replies guys. Looks like she’s ‘normal’ then lol. Just seems to be the 6-8 week hard period then! Oh joy

OP posts:
Ansumpasty · 05/09/2018 20:39

One of mine cried solidly from 4 weeks until 10 weeks. It’s just a phase and won’t last

loubluee · 05/09/2018 20:42

I suggest bouncer too. I used to put dc in there and take it everywhere in the house when I was doing something, and into the bathroom when I showered.

kikibo · 05/09/2018 20:48

I agree with the pp who said she could be bored.

DD went through a phase like this, when she was starting to be awake longer than just eating and burping basically. I had a hard time because she couldn't play alone as she couldn't grab yet, so I needed to entertain her, but I also had genuine work to do with deadlines.

Though it did get better when she was working on grabbing, it still lasted about two months I think.

I felt that talking sometimes helped. A little.

Still, if I needed to do housework I just took her wherever I went in her bouncer and just told her what was happening. Then at 12 weeks we put her in her highchair and she never winged again. I think she was just exasperated by not being able to see what was going on.

Caroelle · 05/09/2018 21:01

She’s ready to start interact more, she can focus on longer distances and will be more interested in what is around her. Prop her up so she can watch her sibling.

Ennirem · 05/09/2018 21:01

My baby was the world's most miserable kid until she could crawl. Still pretty crabby until she could walk,around 10 months. Now she's a total joy at 19 months and talking in sentences. Some babies just hate being babies, I reckon. If you're confident she's not in pain,and otherwise well,you may just have one of those and she'll improve as she gains independence!

Having said that I was nearly insane with worry and exhaustion at the time (my first so nothing to reassure me) and she's now so happy I can only dimly recall my misery that my little baby was so discontented and hard to please and seemed very disappointed by life!

GP to be on the safe side, but it could well just be who she is now and she'll grow into herself in due course. In which case, have this Brew and this Cake from me, it's rough!

Larrythecat · 05/09/2018 21:13

I has a bouncer and I also took it with me to every room where I was doing chores, I would talk and explain to him what I was doing or the names of things, that seemed to keep him entertained and allowed me to do stuff.

I also found the "Wonder Weeks" app very useful. It has a small cost but it predicted every fuzzy stage and regression with great accuracy, which helped me to figure what was going on and also to know when it was likely to stop! I think the website has similar information, but you just have to keep an eye constantly to remember which phase you were on or moving towards. App was easier.

Larrythecat · 05/09/2018 21:15

*had!

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