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Parenting

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Original poster

i forgot how relentless this is.

12 replies

jupitermars1345 · 17/07/2021 08:23

Dd1 5 years old
Dd2 5 weeks old and I have forgotten just how hard/relentless I found the first six months last time. That's why it took me so long to have another and I'm finding it hard this time to.
Half my days are spent just trying to get a baby who is crying from tiredness asleep but she just won't sleep half the time
She'll drift off for two minutes occasionally but then won't stay asleep even if I keep holding her and don't put her down .
She was awake 4-10pm yesterday and has been awake since 6am now
She has drifted off once in my arms and I kept holding hee her but she woke and wouldn't go back and once in her swing but woke again and wouldn't go back after two minutes.

No reflux/colic
Had that with dd1 and this baby is much calmer but it's that over tired whinge. She wants to be asleep but just won't sleep. It's so hard when it feels like the whole day is spent trying to get a baby to sleep

OP posts:

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lljkk · 17/07/2021 08:30

yeah, I also forgot when the gap was only 3.5 years. Babies are time sucks.

Purplewithred · 17/07/2021 08:31

Absolutely knackering. On a much smaller scale, adult DD who lives with us just got a kitten which is living mostly in her room. That look on her face the first morning - knackered, shaky and shocked - you have my utmost sympathy.

And so much harder with two.

crazymuseummumtobe · 17/07/2021 08:59

It's. So. Hard.

Please don't beat yourself up, everyone here knows it's OK and totally normally to fine this bit really, really tough. I have no better advice than will she drift off in a carrier or sling? Would allow you to move around a bit more at least. Sending you strong mama vibes - deep breaths, you've got this. Xx

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BaaHumbugg · 17/07/2021 14:56

I'm a few weeks ahead of you, DD2 is 12 weeks and DD1 is 5 years old and it has got so much easier already! Just get through everyday best you can.

Readytogogogo · 17/07/2021 14:58

Have you tried/ would you try a sling? Saved my sanity when DD2 was a baby!

Gemma2019 · 17/07/2021 15:04

It's very divisive on here but I used the Gina Ford contented baby method for my kids. I never had the issue of them being overtired or crying with tiredness as they had naps at set times. It really made life a lot easier. The book wasn't around for my first child but I used it for all the others.

Temple29 · 18/07/2021 02:42

My second baby would only sleep for a few minutes at a time too and was very unhappy during the day. I had him sleep in a sling for the first 10 weeks or so for naps and it really helped, he had proper naps in it but I did have to move around if he stirred at all. After that I transitioned him to the cot for naps when I felt he was settling less in the sling.

Sweetpeasaremadeofcheese · 18/07/2021 03:17

White noise app saved us. It's quite noisy in the womb so it must be way too quiet for them to relax once out.

Newmum29 · 18/07/2021 04:26

@Gemma2019 Fascinated by this, I read it while pregnant but don’t see how anyone can get little one to sleep through from 8 weeks. Mine is 14 weeks and still wakes at midnight and 4 religiously and most of my mothers group have it much worse. Was there a lot of crying?

BootsScootsAndToots · 18/07/2021 04:55

I had a 5 year gap between my DC and I was pretty relentless getting dd2 to nap at set times so I could fit school run etc. The first 6 weeks are hard (and she was an easy baby that slept through from 4/5 weeks 🤯) so I had our CM take and collect dd1 from school and once we'd established a routine-of-sorts it was so much easier for everyone.

What worked for me was rocking dd2 on my lap in a rocking chair, when asleep putting her in her coat (I also napped) and I bought a vibrating rocking chair which she napped in also.

Aquamarine1029 · 18/07/2021 04:59

You made it through with the first, you'll make it through with the second. None of this lasts forever.

BeeMakesTea · 19/07/2021 06:54

I’m in a similar position- 3 year old and 10 week old. I’d also forgotten quite how hard this stage is- how much crying there is and how the weeks and weeks of sleep deprivation is horrific.
Obviously we’re only a few weeks ahead but I would say the baby has got a bit easier in the last few weeks- awake for longer and able to be put down in the bouncer/ baby gym, and also getting less overtired- she seems to have more consistent awake windows now so I start settling her before she gets overtired, but it was harder in the early weeks. Will she settle in a carrier? My baby won’t sleep in her bed in the day or in a pushchair but settles well in a carrier. It’s just the nights we’re mainly struggling with now…

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