Any tips? Tired BF 3 week old with 3 and 2 year old.

[samandsophsmam]

Help..... I have 3 beautiful DD's age 3, 2 and just 2 weeks. I didn't really exclusively breastfeed the other two but this one I have been. Trouble is I am so tired as DD3 is feeding from 4pm to 10/11pm nearly non stop. Then waking at 2/3am and 6am. The two other girls wake up in the night too.
I really really don't want to give up. Getting dinner ready and trying to give the other two time is tough. They are being increasingly more demanding, and naughty everyday.
I don't think I am looking for permission to give up. Just not sure how to deal with it!
Anyone successfully managed to exclusively breastfeed with a 3 under 4?
I suffered PND with the other two and have a stronger bond this time round. Am loving the BF moments....... arghhhh.

how much help do you have? Can you eldest or both go to nursery or a childminder?
Congratulations on your new DD, you are amazing to be coping as well as you are. Could your DH/DP cope with the two eldest's night wakings and you co sleep with the baby?

Big hug to you. I've only got 2 and I found juggling a 2 year old and newborn hard.

Like you say the newborn is feeding lots including the night so you are very tired. Could you get together a crafty box so your girls can do sticking etc whilst you at least sit down to feed again.

Putting the baby in a sling helps as you've got your hands free to play with the other two.

Could you take them to a toddler/soft play group where they could run around whilst you supervise

It does get easier and getting out a boob is easier than sorting out a bottle for a feed.

Hope it gets better for you soon

My 3 year old goes to nursery 4 mornings. DH goes to work at 4am so deals with the other girls waking before that but it is usually him that disturbs them no matter how much he tries not too. The two oldest have been thru so much too because I fell at 27 weeks and broke both bones in my leg and dislocated my ankle, was in hospital for 3 weeks. Their little worlds have been unsettled too.
Guess that I just have to get on with it or give up the BF.

When DD was born DS1 was 3yrs 2 months and DS2 was 20 months. I exclusively BF all of them.
Here's what worked for me:

-Baby in sling as much as possible
-Lots of reading/letting them run riot in their room with the brio.
-Cosleeping - if we didn't cosleep I would have been even more of a wreck.
-Housework? Pah, housework is for people who have tiome on their hands.
-Cooking dinner - I used to cook stuff at quieter times of the day that could be reheated or I gave the DSs beans/cheese/jam on toast and snacked til DH got home and made him cook something.
-I went out (mainly to BF support groups) as much as possible and tried to forget what a state the house was in.

Oh and DH used to get up at 5 for work and I when DSs were particularly unsettled at nights I would get him to sleep downstairs on sofa bed so he didn't wake him.

It is tough but it gets better. From here you can get to the list of LLL groups and it's worth asking about groups at your local surestart. There will be other mothers there who will have been in similar situations and have some handy hints.
You sounds like you are doing a fab job

I have a 4yr, 2yr and 10 week old so a it similar.

RE: dinner - i get DH to do it and/or keep it very simple, pizza & salad, pasta, beans on toast, even a roast (slam a chicken in oven and ready made yorkshire puds, microwave some frozen peas,corn etc).

I didn't co-sleep all night but would have the baby in with me from 4 or 5am onwards.

DH sleeps in spareroom mostly and deals with the older 2 re: nightwakings, mornings, and breakfast.

Housework is minimal, washing off to launderette for now.

Play with older 2 when baby sleeps, take them to playgroups, park to run around etc. Use sling!!!

Feet up or bed when older kids nap!

DH does a 10pm bottle and I have been known to go to bed at 8pm myslef to catch up on much needed sleep.

It's early days - i'm sure you;re doing a great job it's just very overwhelming

FWIW - i ended up giving DS1 bottles from 15 weeks for a number of reasons. Total pain in the backside!!!!!! especially after having fed DD for 7months. I'm finding feeding DS2 soooooo much easier, no worry about being out and about needing bottles, the washing and making up etc. I feel a lot less stressed out and about with no3 and i think the ease of feeding is why.

congratulatsion on your baby and well doen on bf this far

some great tips here

i had a 4yo, an 18 month old and a new baby, plus Dh often works away, so i do remember feeling totally exhausted and that the house was always in chaos. i kept tying to remember that i was the only one who cared about the housework - the kids and Dh dont notice.

my Dh often leaves early for work - can you work out which bit of his routine is waking the kids and change it eg get dressed down stairs, shaving in the kitchen etc?

we discovered it was the car on the gravel outside so now Dh parks around teh front away from teh kids bedrooms

agree you need to go simple with dinners - if your Dh is in early he needs to cook and wash up. remember that bread, cheese and some fruit/veg is just as nutritious as spagetti bolognaise etc. your kids are at that picky age anyway

remember - the older two are just acting up becauase thats what they do at their age and you have a new baby- its just a stage

there is always soemthing for a mum to feel guilty about

Cbeebies

switch it on, and it switches the DC off for a bit whilst i....currently gestate, but will soon be in similar position.

Thank you to everyone. Never imagined it would be like this. If only I could've seen in to the future

it gets better, no honestly. the first 6 weeks of bf are always really exhausting but then you get the rewards for the next 2 or 3 years

i mean in terms of convenience for you and Lo. Of course the health benefits are long term for you both

and having them close together is easier when they are older ( so everyone tells me)