New born help and advice

pesky85

Have you tried co-sleeping? x

hereigoagain22

Hi, congratulations!! How are things now?

I had a very similar time with both of mine - I have a 6 month old and a 2 year old. You sound like you are really helpful and supportive emotionally and practically which is a fantastic start.

Newborns are tough little monsters! But he is still so teeny and little, just enjoy the cuddles and the innocence as they are never this small again, I know it's said over and over again but they really do grow up so quickly. My youngest is coming up to 7 months and the first few months are a distant memory.

Practical advice - I can only suggest swaddling (even if your little one seems to fight the swaddle it really does help keep them asleep) and white noise. We use the "Prince Lionheart Slumber Bear" but you can get a similar effect from white noise on you tube, a loud fan etc. It has to be a lot louder than you'd think. I've also heard really good things about Ewan the Dream Sheep and the Fisher Price Seahorse.

Is your little one sleeping well during the day where there is noise going on around? Sometimes going into a dark and quiet room at night can be a little frightening for babies.

Is he formula or breast-fed? Which bottles are you using? I always prefer Dr Browns for my eldest who was really colicky - they are usually easy enough to pick up second hand on eBay if you don't want to remortgage to pay for them ;-) For my son we have been limited on the bottles we can use because of his swallowing disorder and I have definately noticed he is much more colicky.

Does your little one seem to be bothered by wind? You can get Infacal that helps with burps but I have never really found anything to help with digestive wind. There are "comfort" milk which are gentler and easier to digestive but it is still early days so I would try to hang on a little while to see if things get better.

I know someone mentioned it's unlikely to be reflux but my son suffers severe reflux with aspiration (he has been hospitalised many times and I'm a reflux expert now) and his symptoms have always been worse the second part of the night. He would always sleep well from 8pm - 12am ish then be up the rest of the night crying, thrashing around, straining etc. They don't have to be sick at all to have reflux (have a look at "silent reflux").

You can prop up the basket or crib with some books etc. - you are looking for as high an angle as you can safely achieve without baby sliding down and ending up in a crumpled heap at the bottom.

We started a bath + bed routine from a couple of weeks old with both and I really think it has paid off. Nothing fancy just a quiet warm bath, some cuddles and change into pyjamas and then milk into bed.

I know you are going back to work soon but please please try to take over some of the night from your other half. The nights are long, lonely, frightening and overwhelming when you're doing it on your own! Go to bed early and spend some of the night together but also a part of the night (3 hours each if poss) where one person sleeps in another room for some unbroken sleep. This is only temporary until the sleep gets a little better (and it will I promise). You never truly know how devastating sleep deprivation is until you have a newborn who just won't sleep!!

roses

stay_at_home_mum wrote: »

Congratulations. I remember those days....... it does get easier believe me. My DD was an awful sleeper. Hated sleeping in moses basket in our bedroom,so from 2 weeks old she was in her own room in her cot. We swaddled her and that seemed to work for her. She loved it. So much so she slept through the night from 9 weeks( Can't say that now but thats a different story). We followed gina ford's "contented baby" book and are quite strict with her routine. It works for her. You will find what works best. Trial and error i'm afraid.

Another thing we done which i believed to calm DD is cranial osteopathy ( google 1 thats near you). worth a shot if things dont get better.

good luck

Hi, I second this. Sounds like your baby is sleeping too much in the day. Contented Baby is excellent. I don't follow it exactly 100% but its fab at helping define day and night so you can get some rest and the baby is eating and sleeping enough.

pigpen

Some babies simply do not sleep much. My youngest is 16 months and last night slept 7pm-1am and was up the rest of the night until she about 4 months she didn't go to bed until about 3am and she was up by 6am most days. My niece is 4 and simply never slept as a baby, I had her a few times so my sister could sleep.

New babies meant to sleep around 23 hours a day so I doubt he is sleeping too much in the day.

I'd just put up with it for a few weeks, they usually find their own routine very quickly. Mum should sleep/rest when she can.

Once you get over this small hurdle you will be faced with a lifetime of phases and some torturous practices and this will look like a breeze. Welcome to the joys of parenthood.

guruchelles

Just for balance, in my opinion (backed up with experience and research) Gina Ford's methods aren't conducive to a gentle family environment or positive outcomes for children. Try 'The No Cry Sleep Solution' by Elizabeth Pantley instead.

harty999

Hi all. I haven't been on in a few weeks so think its only right I give you all an update.
Firstly thank you so much to everyone who has passed on some great advice. It was also very touching to read your comments.
We started with tommy tippe bottles then on advice changed them to tommy tippe colic bottles. We have also not got colileaf drops on prescription as well as buying a back up bottle. We raised his Moses basket uo with 3 dvds. We have tried infacol. Tonight we are trying a nightly bath as a new start. My wife and son got out of hospital on Xmas day. She started breast feeding. On boxing day morning my wife was so upset and heart broken that he was not latching on. So I went on a hunt to get what was required.
Things are pretty similar with his sleeping pattern. But we are adapting a lot better. On my night off work I will take him all night and if working late I will send the wife to bed and look after him until about 3am. As you can imagine it's stressful.
We took him to the doctors on Thursday who sent him to hospital. It turns out he has a condition called laryngomalacia. Which is a lazy windpipe focal cord. So when he is laying down he can't breathe to well and won't sleep. Hopefully he won't need an operation and if he doesn't it should clear itself in about 9 months. A tough time ahead. I am angry with myself for being angry at him for not sleeping. We went out and bought him a new swing yesterday to try and help.
He is amazing during the day. Evan is also starting to smile which melts our hearts everytime. My wife sends me pictures daily and get so happy at the end of work every day when I get home to see my wee man. He really is a great wee lad and he is so lucky as everyone says he is the spit of me.
Sorry about the novel but I hope I have answered all the questions.
Oh and one of the only things to stop him crying is sky 623 the baby channel. But my wife says it's not good for him staring at that.

Gillyx

Glad to hear you are getting on ok. You sound like such a proud Dad. Well done for helping out Mum at night even though you're at work. Sleep deprivation is horrible and can really cause arguments in a relationship. All the best and hope your little boy doesn't need an op x

Homemadehappiness

Congratulations Although I'm sorry you baby has laryngomalacia I am pleased that he has received his diagnosis as now it will help you to understand how you can help him more Hope he feels better soon xxx

lollipopsarah

Aw that's hard for you all, but I wonder why it's worse at night.
Don't be angry with yourself you are human and tired but it will get better.
Hugs to you all
xx

harty999

Hi all. I just thought I would give you all a wee update. Well my son is almost six months now and so much has changed.
He now sleeps in his cot most nights he goes down about 10pm and will sleep until about 7am. He would wake about 5 times just so his dummy is put back in.
My wee man has his own personality now and a smile that makes my day. When im at work my wife will send me daily pictures of him which makes my day in work just seem that little bit better. Its really true the first 12 weeks are the worst. Dont get me wrong its still tough for us. But he really is brilliant.
I would like to say thank you to everyone for your advice in the past it really did help.
Best wishes