Please help, I've been trying to get my 5 week old to sleep since 6.30pm

[PrincessRomy]

I've fed and fed and fed, tried taking him out in the pushchair, tried going to a darkened, quiet room, tried cuddling him. He will not sleep. I have a toddler who will be up at 6am. I need to go to sleep now and try and get a couple of hours before I'm needed for another feed. Please please please help me I think I'm not coping very well with this.

Princess I do feel your pain and I really sympathise.

But - all this about milk being poor quality in the evening etc is a load of bollocks. Your breasts won't feel engorged but the milk is still being produced and it is of exactly the same quality as it was in the morning crabby I'm glad you found a method that worked for you but your HV was talking shite.

Cluster feeding is very normal, it is a way of triggering an increase in milk supply and to not feed from the breast but to give an expressed bottle or formula instead could have a negative impact on supply.

Princess this bit doesn't last long, it will improve soon :) Do you have an opportunity to get a nap during the day? I never managed it with DS2, because between he and DS1 they would be awake the entire time. It is exhausting but it will get better, hang in there.

Soft, stretchy sling was the only thing that worked for me. Walk around the garden, bob up and down in a dark room, climb up and down the stairs, whatever works. Can then gently untie and lay baby down. Can also breastfeed as needed.

Get the tongue tie sorted. Please!

You're giving me flash backs to dealing with tongue tied DD and a toddler. Oh my god i was exhausted as dd wouldn't settle for hours sometimes. Or would wake up constantly then I'd have to drive ds to nursery. Driving while exhausted was horrible.

Can you recommend a particular soft, stretchy sling I can buy?

Hv coming on Fri, going to ask for a referral re: tongue tie.

I'm using a Kari Me sling, DD sleeps in it all the time for naps. It is bloody brilliant.

Regarding the tt, make sure you can see someone who really is good at spotting them as often they are tricky to see. Maybe see if someone can observe a whole feed for you too.

Totally agree with Ali regarding milk quality -utter cods wallop to think that resting/drinking more/eating protein etc etc will change the quality of your milk. Your boobs are never empty.

I agree, DS fed until 11pm at 5 weeks,
crazy cluster feeding but by 11/12 weeks he
was down by 7.30-8/ it here earlier quite
quickly. Although it seemed forever at the time.

Cluster feeding does up your milk supply
but if you are desperate the odd bottle is a
lifesaver, do what works for you. DS took a
bottle of expressed milk like a dream until
8 weeks which meant I could leave him with
Dh and get some sleep. Sadly he now won't
Take one at all! Good luck and hang In there

Don't ask for one, demand one!

I used a close baby carrier.