Hi lovely ladies,
I'm a little confused as to whether newborns are meant to be this way and until what age? My dd came at week 37 + 3 and is healthy otherwise. I'm combination feeding her but exclusively breast milk. More from the bottle. She sleeps off quicker when I breast feed her.
I feel like she's always crying when I try to put her down in a cot or bassinet. When she's not feeding or sleeping she wants me to hold her. When I do pick her up she stops crying as if nothing was the matter. My husband (I was super reluctant) introduced the pacifier to her and that has massively helped for us to have some time to ourselves. But I'm concerned she'll get used to it and will never learn to self soothe or have a good time on her own just watching and interacting with her surroundings. Its a struggle to even to use the toilet sometimes, because I cant leave her alone.
There are very very limited times when she's been fed well and is still active when she will interact and shout at the mobiles and animal stickers on the wall for some time (honestly that's the happiest time for me and I Iove watching her being a happy baby on her own) but it lasts hardly for 15 minutes and when she gets bored she starts crying again.
I've seen videos where moms play with their new-borns on the bed and give them exercise time and carry out sensory play time. I feel like these things are not possible because dd's always crying when she's put down somewhere.
She has started smiling socially now and loves to interact but only while being held. :-I
Is this normal? Will she ever get out of this crying phase and be happy on her own as she grows up? Is there anything I'm doing wrong or can do to help?
Any similar experience will be really helpful.