I have a "good" baby & it's still tough :-(

[moomin35]

I think I have what I would be classed as a "good baby". LO sleeps through the night for ten hours but does cry during the day if not constantly entertained and it's so draining. Is this just the reality or am I missing something?!

LO is 3 months and loved to bits but it's like some stamina test!!

It gets better. I was exactly the same - "easy baby" but I struggled.

Going back to work at 6 months was great; she loves nursery and I enjoy my time with her more now there's less of it! - and your baby starts giving SO much more back very soon. I find every little development cheers me as one step closer to more independence. And also she's just more fun now (11mo).

Not everyone loves the baby bit. For me it was always about having a family and as dd gets older we get to do more meaningful family stuff.

For now find ways to cope. At this stage, I filled my days with activities - baby groups, shopping, walks, visits to random elderly relatives! Do you have friends who are mums at a similar stage?

I could only cope by getting out and meeting other mums. Then the bits you need stamina for are just the bits in-between the social activities! In the first place I lived when I had baby, it was easy to meet mums, but when we moved and it was harder, I just signed up for every class/playgroup going. It was still knackering and I was usually at the end of my tether by the time DP came home! It definitely gets easier. In fact I remember thinking when DD2 was about 6-8 months old that that was the perfect age. Still couldn't move (which is a whole new stamina test), but was super smiley and interested in the world. So you've got a really good bit coming up!

Ah I completely understand, whenever I had a little moan about DD when she was smaller everyone used to say 'but she's such a good baby'. And she is. She's happy and smiley most of the time, not particularly clingy etc. It is still bloody hard work though. It's the relentlessness of it I think. I used to spend days just moving DD from place to place trying to keep her amused. She's 10 months old now and so much easier (despite the crawling, cruising and climbing!). Try and get out somewhere at least once a day, even if it's just a walk in the fresh air. We spent a lot of time in sainsburys in the early days! Have you got many friends with babies nearby? Baby groups to go to?

Ps I am extremely jealous of the 10 hour sleep thing, DD has only managed that long 4 times in her life!

I found this the reality so went back to work part time and immediately felt a million times better. Babies are hard work and rather boring at times. I could easily do without the first 2.5-3 years.