To be anxious about my new baby's health

[nervousnellyisnervous]

Have a 7 week old, who so far has been a lovely baby. She's been a bit fussy but now sleeps through the night, breastfeeds feeds well, you put her down and she sits and amuses herself for the most part.

I'm freaking out a bit because my NCT friends say sleeping through is unheard of for a newborn, and she hardly ever cries. She's a chilled little baby.

I'm anxious because there is no one available who will actually see us in person, no health visitors will come, and the doctor isn't doing in person appointments. I know its probably an unreasonable fear, but I'm scared something is wrong.

AIBU? Is this normal for a 7 week old?

Mine was the same from 6 weeks. They are just jealous you got a chilled one.

[quote nervousnellyisnervous]@Napqueen1234 don't worry, I know how ridiculous I sound. My BH thinks the same 😂

I literally sit in her room expressing milk at 2am while she sleeps and check her breathing.

On another note, should I be trying to dream feed her? Should a newborn even go that long without milk?[/quote]
I would worry more about her being in her own room at 7 weeks than sleeping through and the other things you've mentioned

[quote nervousnellyisnervous]@Aquamarine1029 thats another thing, my scales aren't accurate, every time I jump on them with her the readings go up and down. The doctor won't let me in the surgery to use the scales, and the children's centres aren't open. Her 8 week jabs are now at 10 weeks due to capacity problems at the doctors surgery, so its a two week wait now to weigh her.

Honestly its worrying me having such little access to even be reassured. She sleeps, but I don't.

Probably more a (mental) health issue with me most likely 😂 [/quote]
You can get the same baby scales the HVs use from Amazon.

🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ I took my (embarrassingly) 2nd ds to a&e after he slept for 6 hours at about that age as his big sister at 2 years old had never slept that long and was convinced this meant he must be unwell 😂😂 the nurse was very kind and treated us like first time sleep deprived parents. A few months on and him sleeping like that is a distant dream. Try to enjoy it while you can it can all change!

As an aside you mention she’s in her own room- advice is that they should sleep in your room for first 6 months. It might help you to get more sleep if you know she’s close by.

Mine slept through 11-6ish from about 6 weeks. Then the 4 month sleep regression hit and we're just getting out of it now 5 weeks later

Is she doing lots of heavy wet nappies? If she's back up to birth weight then no need to wake her to feed.

As others have said though...is she in her own room?

She's in our room in a moses basket and I go to her nursery to express milk so I don't wake her and DH. She'll go in there when we're comfortable post the six month period.

Recently retired H/V here.
I am so worried about how new mothers are coping in this covid crisis. No groups to get peer support. Seemingly no regular contact with H/V.
I suspect that there is an enormous amount of perinatal mental ill health going un noticed and undocumented.
Op this sounds like she is one of those grounded babies who feed well and sleep through early.please feel free to PM me if it would help. I am currently supporting another new mother.

I empathise completely.
I won’t repeat what everyone has said about the sleep. It may last, it may not. However, I wanted to recommend an aqua scale bath. They expensive for a baby bath but ideal for this situation. My dd can’t be weighed at the memo though so I do her with this at home. It’s an electronic scale and baby. You can fill The water and zero the Scale or just use it empty.

My 11 week old is exactly the same temperament. Don't panic it's a good thing! Enjoy the sleep and don't worry. You're doing great 😃

I really feel for you OP. I was terribly anxious in the first 6-8 weeks of having a baby - I used to count down the days to MW/HV visits or weigh-in clinics. They were an absolute lifeline. And now new mums like you don’t have any access to that reassurance or support and that’s incredibly tough.

This could sound like a bizarre suggestiom but if you have a pair of electronic kitchen scales could you put a large mixing bowl on them and weigh her in that? One of my friends did that.

Otherwise, we’re obviously not health visitors but it really does sound like you’ve just hit the baby jackpot with your lovely little girl - it does happen! I wasn’t one of the lucky ones myself but I met them! Not saying anything new here but I think just enjoy it now if you can.

I hope you are ok. New motherhood can be a lonely anxious place at the best of times.

Sounds like you have a perfectly chilled wee baby. Some sleep, some dont. I wouldnt be waking her for a feed. If your worried about her weight you could buy some baby scales.

I had an eventful pregnancy with DC1, I was relieved to have her in my arms but it also kicked off anxiety. She sounds exactly like your DD, was a dream baby - still is a very lovely child. Didn't even cry when she was born, paeds were there who confirmed she was perfect.
As far as I'm aware it can be normal for babies over 6 weeks to start sleeping through, though less common for BF babies due to the ease with which the milk is processed. Obviously we only hear horror stories of babies waking every hour and not being able to be put down so this starts of worry.
I'm assuming baby has plenty of dirty and wet nappies and starting to fill out her clothes? Having alert periods? If yes these are the signs that baby is happy and growing.

DC3 sleeps well but didn't get the memo about it being in the Moses basket!