June 2010

Nelria - that sounds like a good routine.

Alex wakes up between 6-7, awake for nappy, feed. Sleeps until 10-11. Awake for nappy, feed and bit of play time. Sleeps until 2-3. Awake for nappy, feed and doesn't sleep again until 4-5. I can't get him to sleep before that. Then wakes at around 7. We have yet to introduce the bath time and massage time - we've been doing it when it fits us, but I told DH that we have to start doing it. Anyway, then he sleeps until 10-11. I have to wake him for a night feed which is anywhere between 2-4, depending when I wake up. And then he sleeps until 7.

I am pushing to get the night time routine in place - I know how important it is to get this established early on. And I'm dying to start massaging - a bit nervous, but armed with Baby Sense guidelines, we will prevail!

He is sucking me dry though. Today it took 4 boobs before he fell asleep again. Thank goodness I have enough milk.

Nelria - Xen seems to be in a routine already. Connor isn't. He doesn't sleep or feed at the same time every day and he never sleeps the same amount. How can I get him into more of a routine with the sleeping? He's sleeping for an hour or so and then awake for sometimes 3 hours. He doesn't cry while awake, he's just looking around etc but if we put him down, then he starts to cry.

I'd really appreciate some advice.

In the first week and a bit, I felt like we were doing so well but now things have going hay wire.

I'm trying to bath him at 6 (sometimes we're sleeping) and then feed and change.

DH is doing his own thing - letting him fall asleep on chest, talking to him while trying to put him to sleep, blarring tv during sleep time etc. Will start with "your" routine on Monday when he goes back to work.

Please help!

I hope you dont mind me intruding. Just wanted to say Congrats to the new mommies. I am a June 2009 mommy and reading what you going through bring back stacks of memories for me.

Enjoy every minute of the newborn stage even though at 2 am when you are sure that the angel you brought home is in fact a little monster Lol! They grow up way too fast and before you know it you will be throwing their first birthday party just like I recently did.

mrs s - its just baththing at the same time every night xens routine is as follows

wakes at 7ish in morning then a feed has 1hr awake time sleeps until 10 1hr awake 2wake and feed, wakes at 5 keep awake till 6 baths at 6 followed by massage and nightfeed in bed by 7 wakes at 10,2,4 - change nappies only at 7 and 2 falls asleep on boob and gets no burping - so far we havent had one night of variance if he gets crampy he comes into bed and i massage belly and give telament and dummy and he sleeps on my arm for heat and pressure when asleep back to cot

i also dont clean cord at night - i basically avoid any light, talking etc so he knows its night - during day i check time and if he has been awake 40min-1hr i put him down as their bodies start aching from handling and needs to stretch so far avoided any overstimulation or over-tiredness

girls one seems to overcompensate with the 1st baby i was there and also had all these problems but stick to routines and less handling and they will setlle very quickly

Hi,

I also change Alex's nappy before feeding. Feed him one bood, then burp him and feed him the other boob. I don't change his nappy again if he fills it - it wakes him up completely.

Ronel - Alex used to hate the surgical spirits on his cord too. What did the clinic say about Zarika's cord - did they give you any advice? Don't feel like a bad mommy!! You're doing the best you can/know. We're all just settling in and getting to know our babies.

Alex - don't stress. Yes it's tough the first few weeks, but as you can see from this forum, no baby is the same. Be prepared for little sleep, be prepared to sometimes feel completely and utterly useless, but know that there are rewards. Like when they're awake in active-alert stage and all they want to do is gaze into your eyes. When they're asleep in your arms. When you see your DH and baby cuddling - I promise you, it melts your heart.

Another thing - Alex is sleeping in our bed. I know that's completely against all the rule books, but he is sleeping like a dream. It might be tough to get him out of that routine later, but we can't get our heating sorted and I'm sure he woke up for being cold a few nights. But it is helping for him to sleep and DH gets his rest, so it's working for us at the moment.

Oh and Alex bathed with DH this morning. He loved it when his body was submerged in the water. He wasn't even crying, just staring at DH! Definitely think that's the way forward for bathtime!

By the way, Nelria/Lucy, forward me that evening routine.

Alex is wanting to feed so often now. I feel like all I'm doing is feeding, burping and changing nappies all day long. Oh and my freaking back is killing me. It's from feeding in bed at the beginning and bringing breast to baby instead of the other way around. THink I might have to go to the physio to get it sorted. All the rocking yesterday didn't help.

Also, another thing that I'm noticing helps Alex sleep, is the noise from the air purifier. If that is on, he's out.

Good luck ladies - I'm going for a nap whilst his royal highness is sleeping too.

Simone_k - sjoe it sounds like you're so close now!!

all u mommies should be given an award for dealing with a newborn and maintaining ur sanity!!

simone- i still think u need to relax and take leave but only u know how u feeling and what u can cope with. I have the pressure down below but its not constant, still battling with the pelvic pain tho.

ronel- dont feel like a bad mommy pls! I'm sure u doing everything u can and thats all that matters. (((hugs)))

ooh u ladies are starting to scare me with all the stress and worries that comes with the first few weeks of baby's life. I havent a clue what i would be doing in any of ur situations, i've already told mark that if i cant calm baby down i'll probably end up in tears. All u ladies can take comfort in knowing that really soon u'll be in the swing of things and these times will be a distant memory.

Hey ladies

Connor woke up every 2 hours last night and wanted to feed. I fed him some milk, changed his nappy and then fed again. Tried to put him down in carrycot, while awake, - he was quiet at first, just making oohing sounds but then he choked on milk so I had to pick him up. Tried putting him down again, while awake, and this time he oohed and then started crying, so I had to pick him up.

I hope this niggly stage goes away soon - he used to sleep soooo well and now it's just 2 hours and then feed.

Warming bottles- I've started to warm the water and then add the formula, thought maybe it would make him sleep better. Is it okay to warm it in the microwave or should I get a bottle warmer? I've been putting it in a jig with hot water but it takes forever.