It’s been six years since I had a newborn. Although I’m much more relaxed this time around, there are things I do not remember. It’s all a sleepless blur. Below is a series of questions I have compiled in order to get your input on life with a newborn. Let’s begin:
1. Surely all parents go through a time of frustration when their newborn has his fussiest existence at 2:00 a.m. and refuses to fall asleep. Does his happen? Is it normal? Because I cried just a bit last night when I couldn’t figure out what the heck was causing Evan to be fussy. Although I did eat a whole bag of chocolate covered peanuts…
2. All mother’s have a moment when they want to cut off their boobs and take a hammer to the breastpump. Correct?
3. When do you give up on the stinking swaddle? Evan sleeps better when he’s in it but he can break free from it like an innocent man on death row and he grunts til he’s free.
4. Pacifier. Yes or No?
5. A shower is a masterpiece. A work of art. Or am I the only one who has to shower in order to function? Well. A shower with a cup of coffee. At the same time.
6. Fact or Fiction: Babies sleep longer when formula fed.
7. Adult interaction is taken for granted, right? I mean, if a telemarketer called me right now I would probably chit chat for a good hour. I wouldn't buy their product but I'd be happy to tell them all about the number of diapers I've changed and how I haven't done my hair and need a new hair color and talk about how to lose weight. Really. Someone should call me. Actually. I don't like talking on the phone. So. Now what.
Joy
Joy
4 comments:
1. i had a couple of nights/weeks with both girls where they were up all.night.long. mine weren't fussy during that time tho, they just wanted to party.
2. hmm i gave up on my boobs about 2 weeks in with both. so maybe?
3. i stuck with the swaddle for months. i always felt like it was a great way to signal sleepy time to them.
4. i desperately tried to get my girls to take pacifiers. they overruled me and chose their thumbs.
5. meh. shower's are overrated.
6. i've read that it's fiction that formula fed babes sleep longer.
7. adult interaction - key to keeping this mama sane and i don't get enough of it! not sure what that says about my sanity! :)
enjoy those newborn snuggles! i've found they go faster the 2nd time around! :)
Hi! I'm Ashley's friend and the mother of a five month old, so I'll chime in! (And I'm just up the road from you in Denver, by the way!)
1. At first, yes. Very common. Hang in there.
2. Yes, and yes. Someone told me it gets easier in 2 weeks, others said it gets easier in 30 days. Definitely took the 30 days for me to feel like we were getting breastfeeding. I switched over to all pumping at three months and am going to make it to six months (18 days left, but who's counting?). Best advice someone gave is "Don't quit on your worst day."
3. We're still swaddling but are trying to get away from it. Do you have any Halo Sleepsacks with the velcro swaddle wing thingy? Jack broke out of the swaddle if it was just a blanket, but these Halo sacks are the Ft. Knox of swaddle blankets.
4. We did pacifier on day 2. Jack loves it.
5. I showered every day during maternity leave. It was just something I had to do for myself. Now, teeth-brushing is another story...
6. Eh, I don't know. I gave Jack a formula bottle after I breastfed him every night, and he's slept through the night more often than not since 7 weeks. I don't know if it's the fact that it was formula, or if he was just really, really full. I called it his nightcap.
7. We should meet for lunch sometime! And I mean that in a non-creepy way - ask Ashley, I'm legit. :)
I went to college with Ashley. Here are my thoughts. I have a 20 month old and we live in Roann, IN.
I was one of the “lucky ones.” When my guy woke up in the night all he wanted was to eat and go back to sleep.
My boobs hurt for the ENTIRE year that I nursed BUT my son was NEVER sick- not even a sniffle. And, there comes a time when they will be crawling away when all you want to do is nurse them. For me, it was so worth it. We do so much to take care of them when they are in the womb that it seemed silly to not continue that after they are born. When I wanted to give up nursing, it was mainly for selfish reason (MY boobs hurt, I didn’t want to feed at night, etc.) I had to remind myself to be selfless.
Swaddling was a lifesaver!! We used a sleep sack until he could get out of it!
Pacifier from one month ‘til 18 months when he gave it up ON HIS OWN. Praise the Lord.
I was always much more pleasant- although that’s the understatement of the year - if I had had a shower!
Even though I am a breast feeding advocator, I do think formula fed babies sleep longer. I wanted to smack all of my friends (whose babies were formula-fed) that said things like “he sleeps all night long” at a month old. First off, define all night. Because for me that means 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. and NO baby sleeps that long! LOL!! I think formula fed babies also gain more weight…not always in a good way either. (Just my observation!)
Additionally, Warsaw Hospital offers a great breastfeeding class and breastfeeding mothers group. Great for support!!!
Adult interaction tip: Join a MOPS group. Someone tends to your baby WHILE you visit with other adults. Need I say more???
Hope this helps!!! I have a question for you. What do you think about the age difference between your two boys? There are days when I think that I would like an age gap similar to yours.
1. Yep, normal. Sorry.
2. Yes, I threw the pump across the room when I was nursing with Clayton.
3. Key to the swaddle is the blanket. I stole one from the hospital with Clayton and it worked for all three kids...has to be stretchy.
4. If they want it, yep. Abby just uses it for falling asleep, which is awesome.
5. Showers are overrated. I used to need them, but with three kids, sometimes impossible.
6.Not sure...nursed all three and they all had different sleeping habits.
7. I hear you!
Your boys are so cute! And you'll make it...we all do I guess, even when it doesn't feel like it! :)
Jessica
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