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When does it get easier?

4 replies

MarinaA · 27/07/2019 20:09

I have a 2 week old newborn and I know it will sound awful however i dont feel like I am enyoing motherhood as much as I thought i will. He is constantly crying, not sleeping much during the day or night, wants to sleep on myself only, doesnt like to be put in a cot. I feel exhausted and helpless

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
mude · 27/07/2019 21:36

For both of mine it got better after 6 weeks. Then again at about 10 months. So many people love the baby stage but I found it so difficult. I used a sling a lot with both in the early days and make sure to leave the house every day.. even just a short walk. Hang in there, it's totally worth it xx

Alanares89 · 27/07/2019 22:44

Aww it can be tough and totally exhausting at the start so don’t worry your not alone. I second that off going a walk everyday, head space for you is good and baby’s always go for a good nap in the pram.
All baby’s are totally different so take each day as it comes and don’t be scared to ask for help as most of us do/did.
Sounds like your baby has a good bond with you if he’s only wanting to sleep on you so your clearly doing something right :)
Xxx

surreygirl1987 · 28/07/2019 23:34

Oh bless you. O remember it well and really sympathise. I hated my baby being a newborn and actually felt like I regretted having him. Now I am absolutely in love with him and he is amazing (9 months). Things got much easier at 8 weeks. Then again at around 16 weeks. Then remarkably easier at around the 6 month mark. Just hang in there. It felt like torture at the time but although I struggled through each day, it feels like the blink of an eye now.

burritofan · 29/07/2019 08:26

I would try not to focus on specific times as all babies are different. I was so disappointed when it didn't get easier at 6 weeks (from a friend whose baby started sleeping in big chunks around then; at the same point my section scar got infected and I couldn't use sling/lift pram/eat properly on antibiotics), 10 weeks ("you'll get your evenings back!" Not with colic I won't), 12 weeks ("Mine started self-settling after the bedtime routine" cool but mine laughs at routine and cluster feeds and cries instead), etc.

But it has got easier, incrementally! Things that will improve, gradually:

They stop howling during nappy changes and start dicking about playing instead

They stop pooing at night, by and large, so no nighttime changes

You get more confident at feeding in public so trips out for fresh air and sanity's sake get easier. Grab change bag and go!

You will also get the "nap nod" from fellow parents as you push a pram back and forth, endlessly, and you'll feel less alone

They start smiling, laughing, cooing

They get bigger/less fragile-seeming so you can wack 'em in the sling for naps/chores/quietening them down

They can stay awake a bit longer and be amused by stuff, aka: put them in the bouncer with a toy while you shower and wash hair and apply makeup and feel like an adult human again instead of the Gruffalo

On the other hand we ran out of batch-cooked freezer food at 6 weeks, the well-wishers bearing food parcels dry up, and she woke up to the world at 7 weeks and has been fighting naps ever since, so some things have got harder...

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