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Original poster

Awake with newborn, anyone else? :)

979 replies

Jellybean2017 · 14/08/2017 01:35

My little boy is nine days old. He sleeps pretty well during the day but at night just wants to be held and breastfed. He doesn't settle in his moses basket at night (but he will quite often do so during the day)

Anyone else up doing the same?! I'm not keen on the idea of co-sleeping but would be grateful for any advice. Baby sleeps in a gro-snug and we have a dream sheep but I'm guessing this frequent feeding and love of cuddles in the night is probably just par for the course at this early stage? 😊 I am napping during the day so I'm probably averaging about 6 hrs sleep in a 24 hr period.

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Lallypopstick · 30/08/2017 06:41

That sounds pretty blissful Nina - I was told that you only need to wake them up for a feed in the first couple of weeks to establish your supply and after that, it's fine to let them sleep as long as they want. I can imagine I'd panic / worry too though. Not that my little one is showing any signs of managing 7 hours yet!

NinaMarieP · 30/08/2017 06:50

I do hope it's a sign of things to come for us! Would be lovely if he slept that long regularly. (And if he'd go down quicker so I could maximise sleep even more 😂). According to my Fitbit I got 4 hours and 39 minutes all in the one go. Add that to my nap in the evening and I'm nearer six hours. So if he goes down again after this feed I'll be laughing.

crazycatlady5 · 30/08/2017 08:14

@Jellybean2017 it is completely normal for them to cluster feed. Mine did EIGHT hours straight one day!! It is normal I promise.

LadyNymeriaGhost · 30/08/2017 08:23

That sounds great, Nina! Long may it continue.
DS was still unsettled second half of the night. I put him on my chest at 6.30 and he's still asleep now. I'm going to have to move him soon because I need the loo, but I'm trying to maximise sleep to get him over this cold. Decisions, decisions...

NinaMarieP · 30/08/2017 10:24

He went down again at half seven and is still asleep 😁😁😁

I have to make sure I pee before starting to feed him every time, even if he's screaming for it. Too risky otherwise! Even then I can be left quite desperate. I haven't attempted to master the art of holding him and peeing at the same time. My partner has, but then it's much easier for a man! 😂

Original poster
Jellybean2017 · 30/08/2017 11:16

Well from the two monster poos we have had so far this morning I'm guessing baby was indeed cluster feeding in the night!! Glad everyone had good nights, hope they continue and hope it's our turn soon 😂

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k567 · 30/08/2017 13:51

I've been lurking here each night around 4/5am with my little boy who is two weeks old. He will not settle on his own in his side sleeper and will only sleep on me. Have tried swaddling him, the dream sheep and he has the babymoov but when he realises he is alone he cries.

After reading other posts here I've decided the only way we are going to survive is to co-sleep until he is able to settle more independently.

Continuing to follow this post and feeing hopeful for the future Smile

LadyNymeriaGhost · 30/08/2017 17:28

Don't lurk, k! We're in this together!

NinaMarieP · 30/08/2017 17:53

Welcome K and good luck, hope the cosleeping works for you.

Original poster
Jellybean2017 · 30/08/2017 18:00

Ahh yes definitely don't lurk! 😊 you'll have to let us know how things are going for you tonight (although hopefully we will all manage some lovely sleep at some point!!)

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Lallypopstick · 30/08/2017 23:09

Seriously, the startle reflex can piss right off. Baby fed, fell asleep in my arms, then along comes the startle reflex and wakes him up. I swear it's worse lately.

Lallypopstick · 31/08/2017 00:35

Still feeding. This is a bad night. He's been fussy all day too and barely slept.

Original poster
Jellybean2017 · 31/08/2017 01:10

My baby won't settle tonight. Will only sleep on me. Feeding again now. He still doesn't seem to latch on as well in the night 🙈 luckily I had 2 hrs sleep earlier this evening while my husband watched him.

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LadyNymeriaGhost · 31/08/2017 03:34

DH has kept us all up tonight coughing. It's not his fault but you know when you're irrational in the middle of the night - I could cheerfully kick him!

Lallypopstick · 31/08/2017 04:19

That's so annoying Lady - not his fault but definitely not what you need.

Jelly hope you're asleep now.

I had some tears tonight when he wouldn't sleep or stop feeding. Worrying about my milk supply, and that he's starving when in reality, I know he's not, but I was just so tired (no naps yesterday).

Anyway, he finally settled after I posted at half 12, and we're just awake now. Why can't he fall asleep before midnight?! He'd started to, but it's gone again.

DonkeyPunch88 · 31/08/2017 04:28

I'm still up with my newest DD, she's just turned 3 months and has decided to torture me by sleeping 10pm-5am for two weeks, then when I uttered the magic words of 'oh I think she's now sleeping through' to which she clearly heard and thought, hmm, challenge accepted.
So for the last 3 nights she has woken me 2 hourly to feed, poo or just scream Hmm

Lallypopstick · 31/08/2017 12:57

DonkeyPunch babies really are the biggest trolls. When my little one went to sleep at 9pm the other day, I was thinking "yes, we've got this" and then he hasn't done it since.

We've had a lovely nap with him in the bed in his sleepyhead this morning, which I needed after the stress of last night. He woke up about half 11, I've changed him and fed him and now he's asleep on my knee. He only had two naps of about 1 hour yesterday which wasn't enough at all. I hope tonight is better and he's not overtired again.

NinaMarieP · 31/08/2017 16:53

I've introduced a dummy today and it's marvellous. He went from screaming to silent in a fraction of a second and then after a while he sooked himself to sleep. GrinGrinGrin

FATEdestiny · 31/08/2017 18:08

I've introduced a dummy today and it's marvellous

Never, ever a truer word said Grin

Dummies are absolutely amazing

Lallypopstick · 31/08/2017 19:25

Should I be introducing a dummy? Any tips on how and when?

NinaMarieP · 31/08/2017 20:23

Well he'll be 4 weeks on Sunday. I have a Philips Avent dummy... and I just shoved it in his mouth 😂.

Checked with the health visitor first and she was all for it.

I'm hoping to use it sparingly - to get him to sleep mostly, or to keep him calmer if I can't feed him immediately.

I just wanted to start now because my fiancé goes back to work on Monday and I hoped it would help me cope when I don't have anyone to hand a crying baby to for a break.

Panda81 · 01/09/2017 01:13

My LO is being really difficult tonight. He's fussing at both breasts, head butting and shaking, eventually latches on but then slips into poor latch so I'm constantly taking him on and off. I'm exhausted.

Midwife also weighed him earlier and he's not gained anything in a week which is so disheartening when I'm so sleep deprived after all the feeding he's been doing. They aren't concerned yet as everything else is ok but will see feeding team tomorrow to check our technique.

gizmosslave · 01/09/2017 01:17

Can I join?

I have a week old who will not sleep tonight :(

NinaMarieP · 01/09/2017 05:24

Welcome Gizmo. Sorry that you and Panda are having rough nights.

Things are continuing to improve in my house. Baby fed at about half eight, was awake for a bit and then fell asleep on Daddy before 10. Put him in his basket and we slept on the sofas expecting him to wake in an hour or two.

I woke up at 4 and seeing as I was up and hungry I figured I would wake him to feed. He's just gone back down now (I hope!!) after about twenty minutes of back rubbing as he didn't want the dummy.

I'm sure things will get better for you two as well.

LadyNymeriaGhost · 01/09/2017 05:40

Hi Gizmo, 1wos are tough! Remember, everything is a phase. Nothing at this age is going to last. You will sleep again!
Nina, I'm glad you're getting some support with the feeding.
DS has pulled a 10-5, just when I needed it most. He threw up everywhere just as I put him in his cot, as well. DH suggests we should get him to throw up every night if this is what it leads to! Wink