Awake with newborn, anyone else? :)

[Jellybean2017]

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.

We started off really badly last night, baby wouldn't stop crying and think he had wind. Husband tried everything and eventually got him to sleep and we all had about 5 hours of broken sleep so can't complain! Today we have been to see lactation consultant and baby has tongue tie so we are having it sorted out on Friday!

Start of my night was better, but couldn't get him down after his 5.30 feed. Woke my OH up a bit early so I managed half an hour of sleep then, and after he left LO and I claimed the big bed and snoozed/fed for a while.

Managed to get dressed and go for a walk in the afternoon too.

Hope fixing the tongue tie helps you, Jelly.

I have a feeling we are in for a long night😴😴

LO hardly slept all day - but thankfully was pretty content between feeds and I managed to take him for a walk. He properly crashed out before ten and I got to bed for 2.5 hours of blissful sleep!

LO wouldn't go down at all last night, lots of crying because of wind and she eventually fell asleep on me at 11pm, up now for a feed, hoping for a quick turnaround

First night with MIL and FIL who wanted to fully take over and let me sleep the whole night for the first time in 2 months , but we have had a painful colic crisis which woke me up 3.30 and I managed to settle 4.30 and convinced FIL to go to bed. MIL sleeping on the other sofa now. I have to stress them the idea that they can't do this otherwise will end up exhausted and unmanageable like my parents.
I can't sleep now - thinking to the first set of jabs due on Thursday as I've heard that rotavirus has a pretty bad effect on the stomach. Thinking also to the conversation with HV - she told me to wait a few days for myself to see how things will be going with in laws and if I keep feeling low see the GP, about DS instead she noticed he scores 80-100% in motor skills but very poorly in communication- only milk smiles, no giggles to people, no following objects etc. I explained her that play time gets eaten up by attempts to settle him in pain, but I'm honestly terrified. What are/were you babies doing at exactly 2 months of age?

@Nightscroller1 how old is LO? We seem to have pretty similar issues

I've had an awful two nights barely slept and I'm that tired my arms ache from holding him so much.

He's been a nightmare since about 7pm ish. Cluster feeding and fussiness. I don't mind being woken for proper feeding but its when he just head butts and fussed and doesn't sleep.

I'm really not coping well tonight. I just need sleep. Any sleep. He won't even give me that

I'm with you @Panda81.

Hang in there @panda.

You all have my sympathies - my DD had day/night mixed up until the 10-12 week mark and while not exactly crying, she was wide awake/making noises/feeding.. I nearly lost my mind. Slept all day!

Then she sorted it out in her brain and switched, and is still the best sleeper in the house.

Hugs to you all..

Correction: she slept all day, I had a toddler to mind!

Sorry to hear there have been lots of bad nights! I hope everyone can catch up during the day and have a better night tomorrow!

jelly I hope fixing Tongue tie helps!

Poor dd was hysterically crying from wind 11:30-1:30. Me and dp were almost about to call a doctor because she was so hysterical. She then slept until 3:30, down again at 4:15 until now. I'm so tired! I wish she would occasionally go 5/6 hours between feeds!

Those of us not getting any sleep, are we all
Breastfeeding? My mum keeps telling me to switch to formula but I'm not convinced it will change behaviour?

My daughter is 3 months old and she refused to sleep anywhere but my chest. I Think it got better about 2 weeks in - but she still woke often and even then no guarantee that she would go down ever. She did start sleeping through the night at about 8.

BUT we had got a Cocoonababy and are now massively struggling with the transition as she's got to be out of it by about 4 months. One bit of advice I'd give is that if you use a Sleepyhead/Coccoonababy then they will need to adapt again later on. Some babies are okay as they naturally outgrow them but ours is stubbornly clinging on for some comfort!! But equally, when you're that sleep deprived and struggling with new parenthood I think I took the view that any delayed pain was needed! It's just that, as she still struggled from chest to the Coccobababy, I'm not sure if it made that much difference and so kind of regret it.

One tip I have is that if they refuse to sleep anywhere but on you, sleep with them on you with your partner watching over you. We had to do that on some occasions but I only did it if I knew he wasn't tired (so earlier evening worked best). If your baby will settle on your husband after a feed we found that if he took the early shift and brought her up for feeds until around midnight we'd both get some sleep at least.

@Panda81 I'm using formula and beat myself every day for my inability to bf as I've the feeling formula is the main responsible for DS fussiness. Tell this to your mum (mine convinced me of the sand and here we are )

Same not sand

My mum keeps telling me I've made things harder for myself by choosing to breastfeed. I know she means well but it's not very helpful.

I thought I had got my LO back to bed at 7 but he woke himself up straining with wind fifteen minutes later. He's asleep on my chest now but still sucking his dummy from time to time. Do I dare move him back into his basket?

@AnnaL82 my LO is 6 weeks but was 5 weeks premature. I have her 6 week check up today with the HV and then mine at the doctors so I'm going to say to them both that something needs done.

I'm also going to cut out dairy and foods you shouldn't eat while BF to see if that helps with wind.

My LO got back up at 3.30 and now. But I had to stay up for an hour winding/massaging and letting her fall asleep on me.

Did your LO sleep better at the start?

@Panda81 sorry you had a bad night, I'm bf only but when leaving the hospital did mix combo as she was so small & my milk wasn't coming in. To me, a happy mum makes a happier baby! The auxiliary nurse in hospital told me to get the baby on formula... and that woman are put under too much pressure to bf, do what is right for you!

I don't think there's a difference between breast and bottle fed babies and sleep - not one that's scientifically proven from what I've read anyway. Anecdotally I know of a few breastfed babies who sleep through from 8-12 weeks. I think it would be so frustrating to introduce formula milk and be no better off. Though it might help in that it means someone else can share the feeds.

We had two wake ups last night between 11pm and 7.45 which I feel is acceptable / good at this stage. Both times baby fed from both sides so the wake ups were longer but then he slept slightly longer afterwards. We had a poo explosion so he needed a change which was annoying!

Health visitor is due today for his 6-8 week check so hopefully he's gaining weight well etc.

Chaotic I did wonder about how my baby would sleep once he's too big for the cocoonababy. I have a sleepyhead too and may get the sleepyhead grand if needed. Got to do what works there and then!

I really hope those of you with bad nights have better days. It's awful when you're so knackered.

What are/were you babies doing at exactly 2 months of age?

Did you know there are mumsnet post-natal clubs for babies all born around the same time? Really useful for support and these sorts of "Is everyones baby...?" questions.

I've just found this one for babies born July 2017:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/2994875-July-2017-7-The-One-Where-We-Have-Sleepless-Nights-and-Master-the-Art-of-Eating-Food-One-Handed

My post natal group from 3 years ago is still going strong. Discussing potty training and tantrums now rather than feeding and sleep, but still the same support from mumsnetters who all had babies at the same time.

@FATEdestiny I did not know this! Thanks. I'll join now.

That's my cohort! There's a pretty active Facebook group (I'm not on Facebook but others in the group have said so), so do join that if you can.

Sorry there were so many bad nights. We had an ok one, but still suffering from this cold, and having to get DD up to go to school!
I've ff both my kids. DD was awful - woke every 45 mins day and night for the 1st 6 months (she had silent reflux), but then slept through barring illness from 6 months on. DS is fab in comparison - wakes once in the night for a quick feed and then straight back down. I've no doubt that we'll have difficulties with him at another point though, perhaps when he teeths. Bottom line is, I don't think how you feed makes a difference, it's just what baby you get. And if you're struggling now it's worth a bet that in a few months time you'll be having it easy and those whose babies slept well at first are having some difficulties. Everything is transient, at least for the first year.

Well I've given in and started co sleeping in the morning. Yet again he was too windy to sleep after his 5.30 feed and I'm not ready to accept that as getting up time.

I didn't sleep much at first what with his grunting and groaning and driving his knees into my stomach but eventually he settled and we both slept for a bit.

I have his face down level with my breasts, my lower arm between his head and my pillow and the duvet only up to my waist/his feet. Is there anything else to worry about?

@NinaMarieP do you have him on his side or back? I tried this with DS and he would be on his side to feed but then of course we both doze off and I get paranoid he is not sleeping on his back!

I wish there was an entirely worry free way to both sleep peacefully!