New born support/chat thread?

[Newbornmum23]

Hi!

I have a 1 week old, a much loved and much wanted boy after IVF. Love him so much, and had so much warning and great advise from friends about the perils of the newborn stage but my god is it harder than I ever thought!

I didn't have an NCT group to vent with so was wondering if anyone else is in this phase and wanted to vent/share advice on coping with and enjoying the newborn stage!

My baby has a pronounced tongue tie (waiting for clinic appointment) and I express nearly all his feeds to be breastmilk, with the odd formula top up, but he seems to be developing colic or reflux the last few days which has been exhausting. Its added another layer of stress to the usual exhaustion, life changes etc that have hit us hard! I've had 12 years with my husband, we're best pals and it's been a real shock to the system, despite in theory being so prepared! A traumatic birth didn't help either.

Hope all newborn mums are ok out there! X

@Newbornmum23 congratulations! I have a two week old who is also a bit more fussy this week! Hard isn't it. She is my second but even so the shock is still there - but I remember it well with my first. How are you finding the nights etc x

Hi! Congratulations to you too :)

It's do much harder than I anticipated for sure! I know it's not forever and that I'll miss tiny him one day so also trying to enjoy it.

He's been great tonight once he eventually settled, but he barely Sept between the afternoon and after midnight for griping ad painful wind, its so hard to hear him cry :( feel for the neighbours too 😖

Very impressed you have a newborn plus am older child, must take some multitasking and energy!

Hey there @Newbornmum23 congrats on your new arrival 😊 I'm 2 weeks in with my baby girl (I also have a 2.5 year old toddler). I remember how much it was a shock to the system with number 1, and its still hard with number 2 but I suppose I had an idea what to expect. Hope you're feeling well? And you have lots of support around you?

I'm full time expressing and topping up with formula due to poor latch - not sure how sustainable this will be long term but we're taking it day by day

Lots of love x

@Lwizzer great advice on day by day! It makes such a difference to think like that and not let the mind unravel into weeks, months, years!

Fair play to you doing the newborn stage with an older child!

I'm well, just surprised how hard it is, and he seems to change day by daybsonwhat worked one day won't work another. He's currently wide awake on the bed showing no signs of sleep 😅

@Newbornmum23 just to say we had a very bad night with wake ups every 30-60 mins 🙈 I'm a zombie today, thank goodness DH is still on paternity leave so could take over from 6am. I'm dreading that he's back at work in 2 weeks 😭

How are you feeling OP? Hope you're doing well. I remember with my first born DS1 things got A LOT better/easier around the 6 week mark 🙏

@Lwizzer I had the exact same night! Had to get my husband in at 4am to do the feed as I just needed to get my head down for an hour! I was seeing the baby everywhere too, deliriously, despite him being in his crib, on his changing mat and at one point thought I was cradling him but it was blankets!

I'm dreading my husband going to work again, he's been amazing. So many of my friends husbands had enhanced paternity of 3 to 6 months, I'm so jealous now! Mine has the standard 2 weeks and has taken holiday too as I had an emergency c section so need a little extra help longer. How long does your husband have?

@Lwizzer I'm going to put 6 weeks in my diary 😅 about the time I'll be moving house too which I'm both dreading and desperate for as we're in a small flat atm

@Newbornmum23 WOW 3-6 Months paternity is amazing! My DH has 6 weeks off in total but taking 4 now and 2 later. I find I'm totally exhausted in the mornings by the time I've finally settled DC2 (has a feed around 3am then fussy for an hour or two with what sounds like gas pains), DC1 wakes up 😩 its relentless!

Can I ask what formula you are using? Our little one has also been very colicky/gassy the last few nights and the only thing we've changed is the formula from Aptamil to Cow & Gate

Hope the past few days have been treating you well :-)

Very much feeling the pain of those with a newborn and a toddler. Am wishing I didn't take for granted the days where I could snooze all morning with a newborn in my arms.
I also forgot how relentless the winding is!! Are any of you getting long stretches of sleep just yet? I'm exhausted.