Day 11 & struggling

[CrystalBoo]

First of all - YEY on the BF! Keep it up, it releases feel-good chemicals in both of you! My DD was ALWAYS falling asleep during feeding and nothing would wake her so she fell into a pattern of really regular feeding. The health nurse was always saying 'oh she's having a vegemite sandwich instead of her meat and veg. Get her to have both breasts at once' Easier said than done and I worried a lot about having enough milk and how much she had at once and looking back now, I wish I had known to just not stress! To this day she feeds sometimes two hourly sometimes four or three - whatever, and it's all fine! And the fear when they are asleep? I know it and probably so does everyone - are they going to wake any minute? Do I have time to eat? You find yourself just waiting for the cry and spend your whole time stressed when you could be relaxing. I finally had to consciously make the decision 'ok, if she wakes it's ok. I will just try another feed/bath/walk around the yard' All this is not very practical advice, I know, but I wanted you to know that you aren't alone in your feelings and worries. One thing I will suggest is trying a little lie-down feed - maybe you will both get some sleep together. Good luck and don't feel bad about seeing and talking to someone about it all - it's a great decision. :hugs:

[Claire]

You're doing a great job - well done!

Those first few weeks are really tough especially if you have a wakeful baby which my first was. My only suggestion is to feed, feed, feed - forget about how often and for how long and try and get as much rest as you can. You need the stimulation and baby obviously wants to be close.

Do you wear your baby? A sling would be great to carry bubs around and still feed if you want to.

[2CheekyMonkeys]

i agree you are doing a great job! my DD was just like this!!!!!! it is so hard, so tiring and so frustrating at times! you get used to it, then they change for the better, you get used to that then they change for the worse again! but with time it does get better. i found when my DD was at this stage i kept comparing her to other more 'easy going' babies and what was 'expected' of her at her age and what the 'experts' were telling me and it really makes you doubt yourself and your baby. it made me quite upset on many occasions.

the only advice i can say is... do whatever makes him sleep, (car, walk, sleep with him on you, co-sleep) whatever gets you a little bit of a sleep as well. my DD slept in her basinet for all of about 1 night!!! then slept on my chest while i slept on the couch, then slept on me while i was in bed, then next to me in bed, while DH got to sleep in spare room, eventually DH moved back into our bed, then at about 6 months i got her into her cot during the day only but that lasted about 2 months. she slept on our bed during the day. woke for a comfort feed back to sleep 2 hourly until about 16 months old! finally got her in her bed during the night and sleeping for most of the night and that was at 18months! but during this time i learnt to accept her for how she felt comfortable in sleeping and stopped thinking about all the other good litlle babies doing what babies were supposed to do.


i agree you should try a lying down feed cause that is truly how i got through all those months! and yep, sounds like you have a snacker! mine was too. i couldnt find a way to get her out of this habit, just fed on demand even though at times i felt like oh my god get off me!

sorry for the long post! whoopsy... but yeah, it does get better, and you will start feeling more confident with time and the more you get to know you little one.
(but it is hard work) :-)