The great non-sleepers, newborn and beyond.

[NinaMarieP]

Thread number four (I think).

Welcome to all past posters and any new ones who are also up at all hours!

Can I join in please? My 5 month old DD has had a terrible couple of weeks sleep (awake now feeding), which I think is mainly due to teething and bad cold / cough. Last night she didn't go to sleep til 11.30 and was up at 2, 4, 5 and 6.30

One night doesn't make a leap, but... he was really fidgeting last night. Wouldn't sleep for more than 1.5 hours in any one time and whilst I was looking forward to a cozy lie in and lazy me bring, ds wants to get up. He's been chatting at me for the last hour and whilst it's cute, it isn't sleeping. So I'm up.

Third night in a row where Dd has gone to sleep after the 3am feed, so again I got 3 continuous hours overnight!

On boob #2 of the morning feed now after a disastrous nappy change that involved multiple poosplosions.

Hello all you lovely fellow sleep deprived mums Sorry I've not been around for a few days, I've had some awful nights with hardly any sleep and kept nodding off when online so took a break from it in the hope I'd get some sleep. I wonder if my ds is having a growth spurt (he's 5 weeks old). He's been fussing/fighting and pinching my boobs when feeding. It started off being in the evenings only, from around 5 pm and would go on for a few hours. Then at the weekend it happened during the day as well and he would only sleep an hour at a time including during the nights... once he got over fighting the boobs he'd feed a lot... it's been exhausting and as some of you will know I constantly question my ability to breastfeed and ever so often contemplate going on to formula. But so far he's been gaining weight beautifully so would seem a shame to abandon the bf. I have expressed a couple of times but it can be tricky to find the time and I haven't managed to express more than 1oz at a time... I phoned my heath visitor yesterday for advice and hopefully some reassurance but never had a call back. She is due to visit in the 3 January.
We did manage to go out for a walk on Saturday the three of us. We did a bit of food shopping and had a panini and a gingerbread latte in Costa, I was starving by the time we got there so it tasted amazing and I've been wanting a gingerbread latte for ages this eas the only time ds stayed asleep for 2 hrs.
@AMagdalena My ds is off on his first flight on Saturday as we're spending Christmas abroad too. The frequent feeding worries me a bit...
@Jellybean baby sensory sounds nice I want to look into something similar.
Got to try out the sling today and start thinking about what to pack...
Stollen oh I love stollen I might have some with a cup of tea

@Sakura03, my 6 week old Dd also was fussing and fighting a bit for about two weeks. It felt add though she just forgot how to latch properly.

She has stopped doing that now, and my sore nipples are starting to heal. My HV said to insist on a good latch, which meant popping her off and reattaching until we for it right.

Don't beat yourself up, you're doing great to keep it up despite sleep deprivation and the fighting. Keep persevering, and hopefully it gets better soon. I know how it feels to dislike bfing when they're fighting, but it will get better.

Another boob fighter here at 19 weeks 🙈 bf has definitely become easier over time though. I stopped for a week (carried on expressing including through the nights) and gave formula. But then became concerned DS has a milk intolerance so went dairy free and back to bf. Took a few days to get my supply back up. Ultimately you have to do what works for you though. Being happy is equally important as long as baby is fed.

Hope flights go well for those of you going abroad for Xmas. You're very brave 😊 I'm scared to take DS on the bus 😂

DS is having a mega nap on me over 90 minutes) so still stuck in bed. Should've closed my eyes too!!

@Sakura03 My DS would often punch my boobs and fight it when feeding. Thankfully he's too small yet for it to hurt! I was told it was common for a baby with reflux, plus I have a fast letdown and milk often comes gushing out. Another thing I noticed is it's his digestion, as he starts drinking milk his tummy begins making room for incoming food, and he starts straining to fart or poop and also squirming on the boob. Don't doubt your breastfeeding skills, as long as he is eating and putting on weight you're giving him everything he needs. For us it's happening less and less now that he's 12 weeks so I do think it's a phase and it'll get better once their guts develop a bit more.

@sakura we are around the same stage (DS is 6 weeks) and definitely going through a growth spurt. DS is feeding loads and nights have been very tough. He's also fussing on the boob and really hurting my nipples. But he got weighed yesterday and he's put on quite a bit of weight so that explains it and helps to know it's all been for a reason!

@Sakura What you describe is very normal. It was for me, anyway. BF was very tough for me for the first 10 weeks or so. It's a challenge anyway. Pobably the most difficult thing I have ever done and let me tell you, degress, jobs etc. don't come close. DD wouldn't latch, lost too much weight, my milk didn't come in till day 7...I had some colostrum and that's it.
It's been a round the clock job. Now it's very easy, though. For example, I went to lunch today, dd was hungry, so get yer boob out AMagdalena, 5mins later- job's a good'un. No faffing with bottles, warming them up. I am also so forgetful; wouldn't trust myself to bring bottles etc. 😂

Anyway, not a bad night last night. Co-slept, obvs, but DD is now asleep in the pram after a successful transfer.

@Jellybean I booked the flights before DD was born and it's a good job because we wouldn't be going otherwise 😂 It'll be alright. I can handle a meltdown much better. There have been so many now

We'll also be flying in the thick of winter (in January, DS will be about 15 weeks) and I'm already stressing about how it's going to work. What do I need to take of equipment etc. Will be happy to hear about your experiences after Christmas!

So...DD is in her non-sleeping bag dozing on the boob.
I have loads to do tomorrow, so neee her to be a good girl tonight. Probably jinxed it then.

Good luck @AMagdalena and everyone else.

DS has been having serious mood swings again today. He isn't happy with anything! I'm bloody exhausted! When he is happy it is lovely but getting a headache from all the screaming he does 😔

Those of you who have been through the first development leap, please can you tell me what it was like? I want to know if what we are experiencing is normal.

DD is refusing to sleep and crying quite a lot. I bottle feed and she is taking her milk as well as usual. Will take a couple of ounces then cry.

My nana died today so I'm finding a miserable baby exceptionally difficult to deal with :(

Ok, I think 'drowsy but awake' might have accidentally happened in the AMag household.

@theotherendofthesockportal so sorry for your loss it must be very difficult with the challenges of a little baby on top.

First leap I seem to recall even more crying than usual and feeding almost constantly...

@AMagdalena I'm soooo jealous! What did you do?! Tell us your secret 😂

@theotherendofthesockportal Oh I'm so sorry I hope your LO gives you a break tonight.

All of the leaps have more or less the same signs from what I've gathered: crying and fussing more than usual, wanting to feed longer or more often, disrupted sleep patterns. Fun fun!

@theotherendofthesockportal so sorry for your loss.

I think some one must have snuck DS an energy drink this evening, he's been crazy lively. He's looking like he's going to roll over back to front real soon to.

Trying to get him to go sleep but he's wiggling all over the place

Thank you ladies, I'm trying not to be sad in front of DD. I don't want her to pick up on negative emotions. I feel like crying along with her though! What a horribly timed first leap. Although trying to look on the positive side we should be past it in time for Christmas.

@Jellybean2017 With you re: mood swings. My little guy goes from happy as Larry to meltdown mode in less than 2 seconds. Thank goodness for the smiles.

Wishing everyone sleep tonight.

So sorry @theotherendofthesockportal It must be so hard to cope with your loss and your family. Be kind to yourself and take things as easy as you can.

DS just slept for 3 and a bit hours (on me, naturally) so first feed!

Really sorry for your loss @otherendofthesockportal. How utterly crap you're having to endure the leap too. Be good to yourself and make sure you're getting time and space to process and deal with your emotions. and hugs for you.

First feed at 1.30. But didn't get much sleep before then as DD is restless again tonight and has been shouting for us - she wants to get into bed with us I think. From rhe sounds of it, DH is standing strong and not letting her...which is a good thing I guess, but part of me wishes he would as my chances of getting sleep are slim enough anyway! This is the first time we've had both of them kicking off at bedtime, it's not fun...

And DS now needs a nappy change which I know is going to disturb DD even further...

Up again for feed and nappy change. As usually made it sound as though he was being slowly tortured 🙈

Abysmal night tonight after DD had been so good all day. I had to go downstairs and leave her crying for 5 minutes just to give myself a breather. And then wake up DH to take her away when that didn't work either. Now we're attempting to sleep again, and if the only way that's going to happen is by her sleeping on my chest then fuck it, she can stay there.