Hi,

Who knew before you had the baby that when people said "I was up all night with the baby" they were REALLY "UP ALL night witht he baby"? It is so confusing and tiring.
It's good to have some idea of newborn patterns - it's easier to empathise with them if you have a bit of an understanding of how they work
Babies are born expecting mum to be their whole environment. Food, comfort, warmth, company. A baby needs his mother. And so they come well armed with ways of keeping her close. Her breathing helps regulates the baby's breathing. Her heartbeat regulate the baby's heartbeat. Babies have no circadian rhythm - our ideas of day and night mean nothing to them. They need to feed 8-12 times per day. When we hear that, our adult minds do a quick calculation - every 2-3 hours. But babies don't work like that. A more normal sleep pattern is that in a 24 hr period they have one "long sleep" - 3 hrs is probably as good as it gets- and another time of the day where they seem very unsettled and want a cluster of feeds close together. This is normal.
Baby's dries are at just the right pitch to cut right through a mother - listening to your baby's cry is excruciating. It is meant to be. You are meant to go to them and help them, feed them, comfort them. So, if he needs another feed, feed him. If he needs a cuddle, cuddle him. If you are tried (and don't take drugs, alcohol or smoke) take him to bed with you. Many people see a little feed 10 mins later more as a "top-up" than another separate feed, and often after this, baby will settle down for a longer sleep.
Can you tell me, how did your baby's birth go? What was his birthweight? Is he back to his birthweight yet?
Have you got help and support? The first 6 weeks or so with a new baby are very tough going as you establish breastfeeding, work out your babies signals and you and your baby gett o know each other. You need to gather all the resources you have at your disposal.
Warm Regards
Barb