Still awake with newborn

[HashtagTired]

Part 2 ... everyone welcome

@GimbleInTheWabe reflux is really common in babies. Go and see your GP because they can help with some meds. I can’t remember how old Dexter is?
The fact that it’s acidic means it’s coming from the stomach and not just a bubble of air disliking stuff, so it sounds like proper reflux. It happens because the muscle that acts as a one way valve from the oesophagus to the stomach is often under developed and so doesn’t do the job of preventing food going up the wrong way as it should. It’s normal and will soon develop. In the meantime the doctor can prescribe stuff that thickens the food so it’s harder to come back up. They will also rule out allergies too. Some babies have allergies or intolerances that cause them to be sick but that is often coupled with rashes on the face too.

Best go and see a GP so you can start to think about your options.

Disliking = dislodging.

My ds has silent reflux. So the stuff comes up but not out his mouth. Harder to spot but hiccups are usually a common sign.

Yep. Doing full feed so need to express afterwards. Wonder how long he’ll go until his next feed...?

@HashtagTired Joseph is a frequent hiccuper but it never seems to bother him. No other signs of reflux... should I get it checked?

Up to you GingerHanna.
My ds has it and it doesn’t seem to bother him despite his subsequent gasping for air sometimes, he sorts himself out. Doesn’t cry and he just gets on with it. He doesn’t have hiccups all the time, just occasionally.
My dd, however, really struggled at his age. She would cry. She either didn’t like the sensation or it hurt her throat but she would cry most evenings when it happened most. She was on Gaviscon prescribed by the GP and I assume it helped because I don’t remember going back to the GP after that (it was 5 years ago).

Meant to say that I don’t plan on going with ds as it doesn’t seem to bother him that much. If that changes though, I will.

Feed #1 done

He’s back downstairs with DP for an hour or so now.

Quick, get some sleep Ohb0llocks

I will leave it then. Whilst a regular (read daily) occurrence they don’t seem to bother him at all. He’s had them from birth - beforehand really as I remember him hiccuping daily in the womb!

He’s back and feeding again 💤

Here I am again! Earlier than usual, however mid feed DD did a poo, maybe that changed the usual time? DD is another one who gets the hiccups at least once a day, she also got the them daily for the last part of my pregnancy.

I’m now giving her a cuddle to settle her back to sleep. I wonder how long she will allow me to sleep this time?

I can't believe it! DH fed DS his expressed bottle at 1930 while I expressed. I then went to bed about 2000. DH brought him up just before 0100 saying he was going to bed a d DS continued to sleep until just after 0200!! We are on a mamouth feed now after a poo explosion- but I feel amazing. Most sleep I've had since he was born. Bless the sleep fairies tonight!!
However I'm sure he's just building up for Wednesday and Thursday night. DH goes away for work training for three days as of wed morning so it will just be me, the tiny dictator (DS) and my DD. No helpful friends or family close by so our first real challenge. But I guess we have to start sometime as DH is usually a 12 hour shift worker? So in a couple of weeks when he goes to work properly will be working days and nights again leaving us to our own devices for days on end with no help! I'm dreading bedtimes then!

Can't remember who asked, but DS is 4 weeks tomo and we introduced a dummy last week. DS suffers with trapped wind and is very 'vocal' about it. The dummy seems to help sooth him and also saves my sanity. We had no issues re nipple confusion. I didn't have a dummy with DD (almost 2) as she was never interested. So it's all new to us.

We just had a monster poo. So big it came in at least four instalments. It’s lucky I had forgotten to bring the changing stuff through to the bedroom as if I’d changed him straight away I’d likely have ended up covered in it. I came back into the bedroom to hear him doing it, and not being sure whether he had just started or finished I gave him some time.

As it is it just went right up his back. So half an hour, a full change of clothes later, vest soaking in a bucket because it was literally dripping with poo and we’re back on the other boob.

I’m so glad I got four hours before this feed as my OH took him to sleep in the nursery.

Feed #2

Yep. My dh has ds for 4 hours in the evening so I get some guaranteed sleep each night. I literally could not function if I didn’t get that rest. I put my dd to bed at 7pm then go to bed myself around 7:30-8pm. Asleep shortly after, then dh brings ds up to me around midnight (dh will feed him a bottle downstairs). Dh then goes to sleep either on the floor of our daughters room or the sofa. There’s no room in ds’s room for another bed! At least dh gets some sleep though. If he was with me he’d have to put up with Ewan’s left leg and I’m not sure he’d appreciate that!! Haha.

Thanks @HashtagTired, I’ve been saying to the health visitor, breastfeeding clinic helper and anyone else that will listen that I thought he had reflux but as he wasn’t screaming crying every night no one believed me! He almost 5 weeks old.
And it’s interesting you say about a rash as Dex has what I assumed was particularly bad baby acne , but it could be a rash maybe. He’s also very hiccupy and often pulls a ‘yuck’ face after a feed. I’ve cut out dairy almost completely as I heard that was a common allergen but will def be taking him to the GPs tomorrow.

Your DH sounds v understanding. I haven’t-- done any expressing so the nights are pretty much 100% me and I silently glare at my DP who lies sleeping peacefully next to me and who also complained last week that I wasn’t doing enough around the house .--

We are on second feed. I did the first one laying down and dozing around 12 after we went to sleep at 9. Then we slept again until 3, not bad! Have had to sit up to feed. We are pretty sure DS has silent reflux but the meds don't seem to be helping so going back to GP. He hiccups a lot, screams a lot and generally hates laying on his back for any length of time. GP just looks at me like I'm another neurotic mother though!

Hope everyone else has managed to get some sleep.

DH - currently sleeps in our spare room. So he has sleep too. While he's been on leave he's been getting up with DD at 7 every day which has been really helpful. We usually take it in turns when we are both off. But once he goes back I'll be doing it as well as dealing with DS. I know I'll work out a rough plan and routine, but at the moment it seems so unachievable!

question after feeding how long does everyone wait before the attempt the transfer back to bed/cot/Moses basket. DS has currently been asleep on me almost 30 mins and I'm just about to brace it. I know I'm wasting sleep time, but any earlier and I'm highly liable to have to start the whole process again!

Hey, I’m just joining!
My boy is 6 weeks old. Had a terrible night last night, he’s such a noisy sleeper i really struggle to sleep next to him. My partner can sleep through though. I’ve just finished first feed and settle if the night, took 1.5 hours. I’m sleeping In spare room during gaps and partner waking me up... feel awful that I’m abandoning him but it’s the only way I can sleep... can someone reassure me I’m not an awful mother?! Feel like we should all be sleeping cozily together!

@Toonewtobehaving2 I read somewhere that babies have 45 minute sleep cycles. So they start to surface again every 45 minutes sounds like a whale.
I tend to transfer 40-45 minuets from the start of the feed. So he would feed for about 10-20 mins then I would transfer probably 20 mins after that. I want him to be in a deep enough sleep.
The sleep cycle thing does apply to my ds like clock work, unless something wakes him like wind or a noise.

@Jellybean2017 persevere with the GP. And if it helps, tell them it’s affecting your absolute to rest and sleep also.

@GimbleInTheWabe rashes are still really common though so may be unrelated.
If your trying the no dairy diet then just note it will take over a week, maybe two for it to get out of your system. I guess it depends (if it is an allergy or intolerance) how sensitive that allergy is.

Welcome londonloves!
Definitely not a terrible mother, my noisy baby has had me up a lot tonight so I can empathise, if we had a spare bed elsewhere I would be tempted to use it. When your baby is asleep happily they do not need you so you’re doing the right thing by optimising sleep ready for the rest of the time when you are needed :!

@londonloves read previous recent posts, and you’ll see a few of us have temporary sleeping arrangements.
I miss my dh not being close at night and feel a bit bad that he’s sleeping in a sleeping bag (I did suggest we buy another duvet but he says he sleeps fine with that - there’s no way I’d tolerate it!!). But it’s survival mode now. You do what you need to do to get through these tricky weeks.

You’re not a bad mother, so slap yourself out of that one! 😉