Hi ladies,
I'm feeling really overwhelmed and lost with where to start. The crazy thing is this is my third child, but with a 7 year age gap I cannot remember what or how I did the baby stage.
So lo is breast feed which I thought was going ok, but unfortunately he has lost weight again this week so has not gained his birth weight.
The biggest issue is sleep. We seem to spend what feels like eternity feeding and then trying to settle to sleep. Unfortunately sleep might be 20 mins/ 30 mins.....on occasion might get 2hr but rare.
I can't get him to settle in moses basket, bouncy chair. So basically he wakes and I try resettle in arms, and keep him like that till it becomes apparent sleep is not forthcoming.
The nights are slightly better, might get him in moses for 2 of the 3 wake ups.
The public health nurse today said he is probably loosing weight because he is burning all the calories as he is mot sleeping. Wtf?? Sorry! But that leaves me devastated. I'm not doing it on purpose. She made it sound like I can just pop him in basket and he will magically drift of to sleep.
So some advice ladies.
What should I expect for a 2 week old......I'm now completely wound up by sleep and lack of it. I have two other beautiful girls to care for. All they have seen is me constantly carrying a baby. My 7 year old is definitely feeling left out.
So after I feed and wind. I swaddle with one arm out. I let him get sleepy in arms. Currently use a dummy and it feels constant through the whole day otherwise he is not quite.
I settle in cot and try and remove dummy at calm drowsy stage. It seldom works. Settling could take an age. Then it's hit and miss if he sleeps. I try resettle if he wakes, bit normally after a while I give up and then just try and get him to sleep in my arms....needless to say by time he is asleep it's near eating time again.
I'm lost. How do I get successful naps, and independent ones. I'm worried about him becoming completely dependant on it. He already constantly has it.
So I realise this is a complete ramble but I just don't know where to start.
Grateful for any help.
Claire.