How sorted were you with an 8wk old?

[Cinnamon84]

I have an 8 week old son and I feel like things should be getting easier now and I'm not sure if they are.
I'm still struggling with breastfeeding and using nipple shields and my dp will give ds a bottle of expressed or formula before bed and then again before work in the morning so I can sleep and I bf all the other feeds.
The first 4/6 weeks or so we're spent in bed feeding and it got a bit better, but I expected it all to get easier from then.
Ds still feeds every 2-3 hours and I can't wean him off the nipple shields (tt diagnosed and fixed at 2 weeks and have seen various bf support groups and midwives- all are baffled)

I manage an hours walk to get him to sleep but really anxious about going out as feeding is so awkward. He's also really windy after feeding and screams until I walk him around to get some burps out.

I feel like we should have more of a routine and I should have got into the swing of things by now.

At 8 weeks I was a walking disaster, could barely leave the house without a suitcase full of stuff and certainly not before mid afternoon.

Don't feel pressured to have a routine if you're happy with how things are going.

IF you want to make some changes to get a routine in place then do it at your own pace. Happy mum = happy baby.

I reckon 12 weeks was the turning point for us. All got easier from there x

First time, I was barely human at eight weeks.

This time round, on the surface a bit more compos mentis, but not great. The no difference between night and day on the sleep thing is just a killer.

Do not beat yourself up! Parenting a baby is hard, hard work - some people make it look easy, some people have it easier, but it's or ably the most challenging thing of your life. All on no sleep and a body that isn't quite yours any more and hormones... (And at about four months I felt vaguely more competent, DS2, at six months, is starting to fall into a more recognisable routine!

I remember not managing to make it to the health centre to get ds1 weighed when he was 8 weeks old because every time finished feeding he started crying or dirty nappy and then he seemed hungry again, think it was a growth spurt, but that was 14 years ago and I still remember!You're having a tough time and tt sounds like it's complicated it. It honestly will all get better, before you know he'll be on solids and going longer between feeds etc. If you want to go out then do, people have heard crying babies before and won't think anything of it.

Please don't focus on having to be busy all day everyday! I wasted a lot of precious time feeling guilty about not doing enough when there really was no need.

I've only really just got everything at a good balance with dd and she's 4! (In my defence she is a terrible terrible sleeper!)

By the way your doing brilliantly with a baby that young!

Hey, I have an 8 week old too. Because we've had visitors constantly since baby's birth, this is my first week alone with him! I'm not too worried about getting into a routine yet. Feeding myself and baby and keeping the house vaguely clean are all I'm concerned with. I do also get out the house for a walk at some point each day or else I get morose (and it sends baby to sleep).

With the breastfeeding, I was so nervous about doing it in public initially as DS had a tongue tie and getting him latched on was a nightmare. You just need to go out and do it and it gets less scary. I also ordered a couple of breastfeeding tops off amazon which makes me feel more confident. Nobody cares you are feeding or will judge you.

I do feel tired, particularly as now DH is back at work he can't help with any night time stuff and he sleeps in the spare room, but getting up and dressed at 8am (even if I go and sit back in bed with baby) helps keep my body clock in check. I initially put baby to sleep in his cot, but after the 4am waking we tend to co-sleep (something I was adamant I wouldn't do pre-baby, but really lets me sleep so much more).

It is hard and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Don't worry, sounds like you're doing great.

I had twins so I couldnt lie in bed for 6 weeks! They were prem and in scbu for a few weeks and I had a lot of complications, had to have an operation and was in hospital myself for a month. At 8 weeks they were still tiny and couldn't risk infection so still couldn't go out that much. I was still in th culture shock of shall I have a shower OR eat, no time for both. Feeding took hours, one feed could take 2.5 hours. But pretty soon I was put meeting friends every day, going to baby meet ups etc and it all gets better then. It's still groundhog day though and exhausting getting little sleep.

My son is 14 weeks old and I honestly cannot remember 6 weeks ago. Not because it was easy - it certainly wasn't, and I barely left the house - but because it flew by so fast. I remember being constantly tired and having a mild panic attack if I had to leave the house. We have only recently settled into a semi-routine, which usually gets disturbed if I do dare to leave the house. It sounds like you're doing a great job, just keep doing what you're doing and a routine will come :) also, don't worry about the housework. I spent way too much time worrying about that stuff!

At 8 weeks I was all over it - even doing shopping for other people, hosting family at my house doing all the cooking, doing a bit of work, playing with my 3 year old...

By 4 months I was utterly broken and I'm still a mess 4 months later. I'm an anxious, verging on depressed, horrendously sleep deprived hermit.

I guess what I'm saying is everyone's different and in many ways it's much better you have a shitty first few months then gradually get better than do what I did, as everyone expects me to be fine by now. Don't put pressure on yourself x

Baby #1 totally gaga at 8 weeks. #2, grand, went back to work 2 weeks previous, easy baby. #3 fine and back at work 4 weeks but difficult baby! She didn't stress me out like #1 did though!

First baby I was a walking zombie, second I was half dead (but didn't realise I was pregnant again) and third I can't remember because the first 6 months are a haze of exhaustion. Don't beat yourself up, you'll get there my blood type is currently Red Bull and they're 2, 3 and 9 now!

8 weeks I was a mess. You are doing really well. My baby is 5 months now and I wish I put less pressure on myself to get out and about. Gripe water is amazing for wind. The boots gripe mixture is the most practical. If you get it ask the pharmacy for a syringe.