Is my 7.5week old 'overstimulated'

Hi

Just in the last week my 7.5 week old baby has decided to start a new behaviour and its seems to happen mostly when she has been around my parents and siblings (they are very loud and over the top -crazy) - normally my household is very quiet with just hubby, myself and baby so when my family come to visit the house is a nightmare - very noisy and people not giving the baby any space and constantly talking to her and making funny noises etc etc.

DD is not used to this as we are generally a very quiet household.. SO once my family leave all is fine EXCEPT when it hits evening and the trouble begins - DD will start to make tired noises and little tired cry so i go to try to put her to sleep and all of the sudden she is completely alert and her little arms and legs go wild with kicking and moving (like she is trying to swim) and this continues for HOURS. Both times this week I would say on average she goes wild for 4-6hours with a mini feed inbetween (breastfeed) which is broken up by her coming of the breast and making tired cries. Nothing i do works with her arms and legs going crazy. I have tried swaddling (ends in tears) tried rocking and ssshhing, tried putting her down, tried giving her to hubby , tried the bath and she loves it except when i take her out she screams hysterically..

I really have no idea as to what i am supposed to do (first baby) its stressful as usually i am exhausted by the time she goes down and only to have to wake up to feed her an hour later etc etc.

Any tips and does this sound like she is overstimulated ? My family just does NOT understand me when i tell them to back off and give the baby a break - my mother looks at me as if i am overprotective and then they all whinge when i wont let them hold her..

Really doing my head in but not sure what to do....

Sounds like it could be - maybe try popping her in the pram and a nice long walk after the next family experience? It's the only thing that would calm down my little one.

I don't have any extra tips on top of what you tried. However I would continue with the swaddling. Lachlan fought it for months.... now it's an indication of it's bed-time!

Tell your family to behave and if not, they can't come over. explain to them the hours it takes you to calm bubba. it's all well and good for them - they can leave. Each baby is different so regardless of if their babies were fine with it - your's clearly is not... it 'razzes' her up.

GL hun!

Sounds like overstimulation to me. I had very similar problems with my DD.

The good news is that, as I understand it, most babies sort it out by about 3 months. So it won't last forever.

In the meantime, you either have to just put up with it, or be firmer about people not overdoing it with the baby. I found it difficult to do the latter, but by the time I got really exhausted because she was impossible to settle at night, I was much more motivated to tell my mum to take it easy.

One option is to put baby in a sling and carry her yourself while they are there. If she's sleeping, then they will understand it's not OK to disturb her. And even if she isn't, explain to them that she's having a rough day and needs her mum.

Don't forget: it will probably get better quite soon, once your baby learns how to switch her attention off so she doesn't get overstimulated (my DD did this by breaking eye contact with people who looked at her and gazing at the ceiling instead). So you won't have to deal with this issue forwever.

Maybe you can visit them, so you have control over how long you are there for?

Yes I certainly need to be stronger and tell my family when enough is enough with bubs.
They just don't get it though (yes, all of mums kids were bought up in a very NOISY full on environment)
Biggest problem is is that i have 9 siblings and most of them still live with my parents so none of them get enough time with baby cause there are SO many of them and when i see them they are all super excited.
This calls for some ground rules to be put in place - - and hopefully in time all will settle :)
Thanks for all the advice!