well, still no sleep, and my sister and brother inlaw have just left as, there was a stink with the wife! roll
Wonderful crimble this turned out to be, I'm done for, about to curl up on the futton in the basement, because if I don't sleep NOW! I'm going to do something daft.G'night!
Oh dear (
Did your daughter arrive early? Was the visit planned before you knew there was a new baby in the house. I hope whatever "the stink" is you are all able to sort it out. It is best if you can avoid houseguests those first few days home, hopefully your sister will realise it was not the ideal time and you'll all be able to get past this.
As for the sleep, good idea but please make sure your wife gets the same opportunity and that each of you does it when the other one feels confident about coping alone for a few hours.
It will get easier. In a few years you'll hardly remember how bad it was. If you did, then there's be a whole lot more only children in the world.
Don't worry about Christmas. Look forward to a new year with your new family, don't expect too much of yourselves and pity me with a drum kit and three kids ;)
Ditto what Monster said.
It is hard to know what to do or say for best sometimes. Isn't there anyone that can come and give you a couple of hours break? Do you have a close friend nearby who can come in and sit with the baby so the two of you can go back to bed. Don't feel guilty about having a sleep during the day and don't feel that you can't ask for help from people. You just sleep when the baby sleeps - that goes for both of you.
Keep posting also and give your wife and yourself big hugs.
I don't trust anyone enough to let them "help" not too mention that invariably when someone "helps" it ends up that I have to do more to put there helpfullness,lol.
Things are a little more in perspective now, I've been receiving a little counselling,lol ;)
I just could never have imagines it would be like this, it's bloody madness.
I don't trust anyone enough to let them "help" not too mention that invariably when someone "helps" it ends up that I have to do more to put there helpfullness.
This too shall pass. I think this is why the sleepless thing exists -so that new parents are eventually forced to trust other people with their offspring and learn that it doesn't matter how things get done as long as the baby is happy at the end of it all! :lol:
Congratulations chucks,
I had a baby 7 months ago and he still does not sleep all the way through the night. I think you just have to get used to it because you don't have much choice.
I used to think that because I was nursing Colin that he wasn't a great night sleeper, but even when I started to recently supplement with formula and he would still wake up.
What gets easier though is that they become very predictable when they need feeding, when they will sleep day and night so you can start planning around those times.
Also if you and your wife are there for each other as much as possible, it makes it alot easier.
Trust me, all that lack of sleep will be all worth it and before you know it you will be worrying about something else..they grow very quickly.
I remember feeling down when I would see all the neighbours turning off their lights (we live on a townhouse complex) and you knew they were off to bed for the night; whereas we had no idea when and how long we could go to bed for.
Just hang in there (b/c you don't really have a choice), maybe taking turns with your wife for on duty might help.
P.S She's a cutie pie.
So who is in charge in your house right now?
Yep! She is!! lol
I'm amazed I got the pic before poop monster started to wail! lol
Seriously, it defies physics that stuff
You may have already tried a couple of these things but I thought I would mention them anyway just in case.
Sometimes babies are frightened by being 'free'. They are used to tight spaces and now their arms and legs have free movement and they don't like it (daughter was like this). Wrapping up in a blanket with arms tucket in and legs wrapped helps this feeling.
Another thing is noise. Don't keep the place quiet. A lot of babies don't like peace and quiet because they are not used to it. Remember they have had to deal with a lot of noise for a long time. Vacuum cleaners, radios etc., make noises that are similar to what they have been used to for a long time.
Moi - you are right, supplementing your milk doesn't make any difference to sleeping at night. I read in one of the parenting magazines when our eldest was 7 months old that one thing that can often help is changing who gets up with the baby in the night. I breastfed and I used to think the reason why James woke up in the night was because he was hungry. This article explained how after 6 months old babies can go through the night without needing feeding but if you are breastfeeding the baby smells your milk and so wants it. We swapped over to hubby getting up with James when he woke at that 3am ish time and within a few days he stopped waking because he soon realised he wasn't going to be fed. If he didn't settle back down straight away we had some water in a cup incase he was thirsty. If I got up with him he would cry until I fed him! roll Unfortunately, because hubby traveled with work, I didn't have a choice but we used a time when we knew hubby wasn't going to be traveling for a while and it worked. Also, this is a good tip for when you want to wean baby off the breast as peacefully as possible (if baby is really hooked which both my boys were).
Sometimes I can't believe that that was 15 years ago! It seems just like yesterday )
Hi there Vapo,
What a cute picture! And I second what Ben said about the noise thing and the wrapping the baby up. I have had 3 in the past 3 1/2 years, so believe me, I know all about sleepless nights and wailing babies. ???
With my youngest, I was given a Miracle Blanket, which is a fancy swaddling blanket, and it worked wonders. I believe there is a website, something like
http://www.miracleblanket.com . I know they are listed on ebay too, cos I sold mine on there after we were done with it. Pretty pricey, but well worth it.
For me, I found that "shusshing" (you know, sssshhhhh) as loud as you can, and I mean LOUD, actually silenced the little wonders faster than anything else. Do this while rocking them pretty vigorously (not shaken baby like), and before you know it, you will have a sleeping little bundle of joy in your arms. And VERY IMPORTANT!!! Never try to put them down to sleep until you can lift their arm or leg and it flops like a rag dolls, as if they are at all stiff, they aren't in a deep sleep and will start to wail again as soon as you lay them down. roll
Good luck, and it really is so worth it. Please let us know if the tips work. Maybe we can write a book between us all. wink
CONGRATS Vapo she is adorable you must be very proud grin Hang in there it really does get easier.
yep I wrap her in a blanket and she wriggles the arms out every time,lol
As for noise, well that's an odd one, I bring her down and sit and eat and go about my "chores" and she just lays asleep in my arms, if the wife tries it, she cry's....that's my girl )
First doc visit morrow, so I'm all nervous,lol don't know why, she's happy and well fed.
Proud!! you bet, I'm sure it's all going to seem a very distant memory quick enough.
She is awesome! Congrats.
I have enjoyed, it is actually the greatest joy to watch children grow. Me and Mango as she already stated have a 3, 2, and a one year old. If you don't mind me saying just enjoy each and every moment even the trying ones, they do pass.
Give moms her credit too, tell her congrats she did a wonderful job and thank her for your new baby. It will do nothing but good for you both.
Any questions or things you may wonder about please feel free to PM me. I am a very interactive dad with my three and my 15 year old from previous marriage. I do not know it all, but would love to help in any way I could.
TY Mr Snuggles, in fact TY to all the offers of help and encouragment.
Just got back from the docs 1st visit, all ok, except I was not burping properly ;)
I thought the doc was going to crack her spine the way she was "patting" I was getting a little over protective!
Try one of those heartbeat womb cd things to help her sleep.
Or gripe water.
/no kids? what gave it away?