Help!! Is this normal for a 12 week old?

[Pegler]

Hi, im just looking for some reassurance.

My 12 week old dd is quite a challenge and get overtired within seconds if I don't catch it quick enough and results in screaming for 30 mins till I can calm her down!

People have commented about how difficult she is and I'm just wondering if anyone else has any opinions about it? Here is our routine for daytimes:

She wakes is fed then is happy smiley for about 45 mins to 1hr. She starts yawning rubbing eyes so I rock her to sleep. She normally sleeps for between 30 mins and 2hrs depends. Problem is to get her to sleep I nearly all ways have to hold her while she sleeps if I put her down she wakes up. Then she wakes is fed and the whole things starts again. I do this all day.

Doctors say there is nothing wrong with her so I know she has no medical issue. People have commented that I'm making bad habits, but she has to sleep or I have a screaming hysterical baby! Surely it's better for her to sleep??
Help!!!

Some babies are just hard work, unfortunately (and they usually turn into high maintenance toddlers 😩). I distinctly remember when my DD was tiny, over tiredness almost always resulted in the hysterical meltdowns you describe. She's six now and still kicks off royally when she's really tired.

Of course it's better that she sleeps. Ignore the people saying you're doing it wrong. People who've been lucky enough to have chilled out babies just don't know what it's like to parent a difficult one

Totally normal for babies this age to want to sleep on you/need movement to stay asleep. It doesn't last forever.

Also by the time baby is yawning/rubbing eyes it is already too late, they are overtired. You need to watch closely for the glazed stare that comes before this - it's much quicker to get them off to sleep if you catch them before they are overtired.

Good advice here on spotting tired signs: babysleepconsultant.com.au/tired-signs-vs-over-tired-signs/

Mine have been cuddle to sleep-ers until well into their 5th month. DD1 wouldn't consistently sleep without being held until almost a year old (though she also had reflux and I Thu k that didn't help). DD2 was about 4.5 months and spontaneously decided that that was enough snuggling thank you and now she won't let me snuggle her to sleep

I know it's hard but please don't think there's anything wrong. Its just how things are for your baby. If it's any consolation, my DD1 has neither had terrible two's nor terrible three's so I reckon my karma lucked out there! And DD2 is easy peasy now.

Those first few months ate horribly difficult though and you have my sympathies!

Thank you Quodlibet that's really helpful

I wouldn't call her a difficult baby at all, sounds exactly the same as most at that age - including my own (now 18mo) they should have only about 1-1.5 hours awake time wheb so small I think it was. I remember being shocked at how little they were supposed to be awake!

That sounds normal to me. That's exactly what we did. Not all babies just magically fall asleep without being held/rocked/fed to sleep and that's fine. I fed mine to sleep until 6 months when she didn't want that anymore, then I rocked her to sleep and lay next to her (we co-slept anyway). At around 13 months she just started to self settle and go to sleep on her own. Sleep is developmental and what you're describing is pretty normal for most babies. Just do whatever is easiest and gets you the most sleep.

DS2 was a pretty grumpy baby unless he was snuggled up on my lap feeding and sleeping. This was his favourite thing to do. I found it easier to follow his lead and enjoy the cuddles and box sets. Do what works for you and your baby.
DS2 is just over 2 now and is a really happy, smiley toddler. He had a lap nap today for the first time in ages and it was lovely