3 week old feeding every 1.5 hours!

ss3n08

Oh and gripe water seems to be helping with the wind. All in all a much better night

RobotsinDisguse

I'm glad you're both happier today ss3.

I'm currently pregnant with my first and have read this thread with interest.

I think it's very interesting to hear that last night your baby just wanted to be awake from 12-4.30... My pregnancy book says that's when babies in the womb are often awake too.
This reminded me of an article I've read (don't remember how I stumbled upon it), about the habits of newborns & the 4th trimester idea.
I thought I'd share it in case it sheds on light on your little mans actions.

All the best hun x

http://babycalmblog.com/2012/07/06/the-fourth-trimester-aka-why-your-newborn-is-only-happy-in-your-arms-30/

ss3n08

Thank you very much and congratulations. I hope this hasn't put you off in anyway. I will update you tomorrow with tonight's progress. I haven't napped today so tonight might not be so successful xxxx

shell_girl

So pleased to hear you're feeling better. I found that until 12 weeks ish, although we tried to make clear differences between day and night, our lo marched to the beat of his own drum completely!

After 12 weeks he almost seemed to demand a bedtime, and started sleeping better in the evenings. It does get easier. The early days are special in that you've got this tiny tiny baby, and it's all so new. They're also really hard. Massive life change, hormones everywhere, baby not interacting that much...

Go easy on yourself and don't expect it to be perfect straight away. And nap. If your baby is asleep, you need to be too! X

RobotsinDisguse

ss3n08 wrote: »

Thank you very much and congratulations. I hope this hasn't put you off in anyway. I will update you tomorrow with tonight's progress. I haven't napped today so tonight might not be so successful xxxx

I hope last night went well? Or at least not too bad?

Thank you, but at 21 weeks it's a little late to be put off now!!:o Though when i told my husband that he should expect 12 weeks of constant feeding or sleeping and that if i manage to do anything else at all we should both deem it amazing, the expression on his face was priceless!!

But after reading this thread, and other online articles, i think i'm set on believing the 4th Trimester idea... they really are so small and helpless, and do need time to adjust to such a different world... even shellgirl has just added to that for me.

What i'm saying is that i'll try to keep Epectation Management in mind during those first few weeks, and if baby and i manage to do any more than feed, sleep and wash i'll count it all as gravy! So, if that's the case SS3, I think you are doing fabulously! :T:T

ss3n08

Thank you Robots but I'm starting to feel that he is not so much helpless but actually has a cunning agenda! It's always when we have plans and are just about to leave that he will manage the biggest and messiest poop or decide that he is hungrier than he has ever been and must be fed immediately. Anyway, last night went very well I gave him a bath so was kind forcing him to stay awake for longer earlier in the evening then at night, he woke up at 1 and fed for an hour, then woke up at 5 and fed for 15 minutes and then didn't wake again until 8 this morning. He has gone back to sleep again now. I am definately going to try and get a routine going with him at night involving bath, massage, feed and reading. Thankyou all for your help, I don't want to get my hopes up but fingers crossed this will be the start of some actual sleep! Xxxx

vic3

That's a brilliant night! I hope you got some much needed rest. Xx

thriftylass

Sorry to budge in.

It was the same with DS, feeding constantly and I was at my wits end, tired and near breakdown. But it seemed normal and got easier with time. But at least I had just him. Do any of you have any advise how to do this again but with a toddler at home? DS is nearly three and DD is due in 4 weeks. I'm really looking fwd to it but dreading the constant feeding while trying to entertain and feed etc a toddler. Never mind do anything else (will not like this not getting anything done bit). I know that women had to do this for centuries and coped, just wondered how

ss3n08

Thrifty lass, just the one for me but hopefully one of the lovely people here can help xxxx

jojo2004

Hi OP, I'm flossy_splodge's DD and she's right, as is Molly, above.
I'm just starting to realise that you CANNOT have a baby and expect life to be as it was before. It isn't. You will have to give yourself a break, and be kind to yourself, or you'll go mad.

Also, as Molly said, don't set too much store by what you read/are told, as in six months time you'll feel confident enough to dish out the advice- that's all most of it is: someone with a bit more experience telling you what worked for them. I was fed the most appalling rubbish in hospital about bf, by midwives who haven't actually done it.
When I tearfully repeated it to a bf counsellor, who'd had three kids, she said 'you are the only expert in the world on your baby,what do you think?'. Made me stop and think!
Also, re ff, we had to ff from the first, as I was in theatre being transfused and stitched up, so she had her first feed from a bottle. She happily takes both breast and bottle. I think 'nipple confusion' is just so much guff.

Do you feed on the sofa? I've just bought two baskets to sit next to me. One has a sports bottle of water and tasty snacks, the other has the tv remotes, DVD remote, phone, any pills I need, baby scissors (seems to need her nails cut a lot), lip balm, Infacol which I give her before each feed, etc. Everything I need to stay glued to the sofa, comfortably and without trying to multitask (impossible when bf).

And lastly (she is now asleep, so taking the 'sleep when baby sleeps' advice), as my mum says to me a lot: you are doing really well.