sleeping pattern changed - but i am ready to drop! help - alan? anyone?

[PinkPalace]

Well with introducing the bath and nighttime clothes - ashley will sleep well over night (2hrs at a time - taking about 1 hr to feed and settle in her cocoon). However now she will hardley sleep during the day! she has slept a total of 1 hour in the last 8 hours and that was on me. she wont sleep in her cocoon - and if she falls asleep and i put her down she will wake within 10 minutes.

she is obviously tired and cries alot ++- gets windy (when not on the boob - which equates to a lot of time!!). the only way i seem to setlle her is put her on the boob (sometimes every hour - not that she always feeds sometimes she just suckles).

i think about expressing so dh can feed overnight but i feel it is counterproductive to my supply (as i need to feed to keep it up anyhow??). plus i know it sounds odd but i dont want to express ebm when we have family coming up as i enjoy bfing and i dont want them to assume they can feed her instead - i want dh to share the experience but i dont want it to be a givenn to take the bottle???

also she has had lots and lots of watery yellow poos and squirt out! about 8-10 dirty nappies ( + wet ones only on top) a day! is this normal for bf bubs?

i have ordered a sling but it prob wont arrive until monday , and she hates the car rides...

i am starting to get so tired.... i get nothing done at home AT ALL... and no chance of sleeping during day as ashley wont sleep! and i am lucky to have breakfast by 11am because she is so restless.... (i am taking elevit to make up for my shortcomings). i always eat dinner though because dh is home and he can comfort her!

Any advice or help would be appreciated on hints.

ta!

[Karina]

Princessmya, have you got a baby carrier, like a Babybjorn or a hug-a-bub? If Claire is being feral, I put her in that and she sleeps on me. It at least gives me some rest as well. Another thing I do when she is feral, is I lie down on my bed with her and I feed her lying down. She falls asleep pretty quickly doing this. Or would you be happy to try seeing if she will take a dummy? Claires hates dummies, so not all babies will like it, but some seem to love them.

About the watery yellow poos, this is normal. Claire went through that at around 2-3 weeks old as well - felt like she always had a pooey nappy and they were so runny they'd come out of the side of her nappy. Might just be her body getting used to using her bowels and perhaps now your milk has started to settle down a bit and she is still getting used to it? Or have you changed something in your diet?

Hope you can find something that works.

oh i just thought of something else the nurse told me at the baby health centre.. lie her on her tummy on your fore arm, and sort of sway a little. I hope that makes sense? It sort of works for us sometimes, if only just to stop her crying for a bit. Does she like baths? Could you try a nice warm bath?

[Emma1979]

hollie was like this for probably the first 10 weeks of her life... i think eventually they just settle down as their bodies mature (digestive system etc), i know that is not offering you any help right now. i know how exhausting it can be, i think it takes time to work out what it is that settles them too, it takes a while to work them out and have them sussed. hang in there, i know it feels like its never going to end but it will pass and things will get better, and then something else will come along to throw a spanner in the works like teething. haha! being a mum is so challenging and forever changing.

i used to lay propped almost upright and hold hollie and constantly pat her back to try to get her to sleep, it was exhausting. now i put her in her cot and just stroke her forehead a few times, it is wonderful. i honestly think it takes them about 3 months to settle down and to stop fighting sleep so hard. well that is what i have found.

good luck and just repeat over and over to yourself in your head 'this won't last forever, this will end soon' - its the only thing that got me through. before you know it you will be wondering where the time went and reminiscing about their 'newborn' stage.

[Ozziehoffy]

Firstly, big to you. Oskar was pretty much the same as you've described. I spent a lot of his first probably 8 wks with him either attached to my boob or being held (except at night cos he was good with night time) during the day. He would wake like you said within 10 mins if I put him down. I just decided in the end to not fight it and to go with what he wanted and he did end up settling down into his own routine (if you can call it that...lol). Now he will have naps during the day (on his belly though) which can last for a couple of hours. He will NOT sleep on his back during the day. At night he's in his hammock and loves it. I hope it settles down for you soon. It will get better. I used to also just prop myself up with some pillows and let him fall asleep on my front in his hugabub (so he couldn't fall off me) and I'd catch a few zzz's that way.

[PinkPalace]

Thanks girls.
Well i have a sling on order - so i am really hoping that will make things easier during the day to get things done. i do have a front carrier (it is a quinny brand) but i find it too cold to have her little legs poking out at this stage.
As for dummies she wont have a bar of them! we have tried but it makes her scream more (and we tried a few different types).
Ashley also doesnt like being held in the 'colic' hold on her belly on my arm. she much prefers to be upright...
I havent changed my diet at all so not sure about that. I have a pretty fast let down so i have been hand expressing a little so that she isnt drowned in the fast spray of milk that comes at the beginning of the feed.
I guess it is persistance and doing what i can to get through the day.
She does like her baths though!

thanks again girls