Stressed- any advice?

[El1en]

Hi girls

My baby girl is 6 days old now and I'm a little worried about her. I will see the midwife on Monday but thought maybe someone could offer some advice / comfort in the mean time

I'm breast feeding my baby and we are having trouble sleeping. When I put her in her basket flat on her back she seems in a lot of pain and squirms until I put her back on the boob. She's never on for long and falls asleep then the cycle seems to start again. She's been having wet nappies but after an exploding poop 2 nights ago she hadn't had a poo.

I'm just worried about how hard it is to settle her- if I don't give her boob she just won't. I'm getting 0 sleep. She manages little naps but not for long and I just hate seeing her squirm

Any ideas? I hope this makes sense

 

[El1en]

Also she sleeps better on her side, is that allowed in her basket?

 

[sorpresa_bea]

Sounds a bit like reflux? http://www.rebeccajuddloves.com/2015/05/06/the-dreaded-reflux/
Hope your mw can help!

 

[Sprout]

It could be a few things, firstly, do you wind her after every feed? Perhaps she's in pain with wind?

Also, babies that young just want to be held, it can be quite a shock for them to go from your nice, warm arms where they can hear your heartbeat to a cot or moses basket. What helped for us was putting a rolled up blanket under the head end of Anna's cot mattress to prop it up, swaddling her and putting a used breastpad in with her (sounds a bit gross but the smell of the milk is comforting to them.)

I also held/wore her for all her naps until she was 3 months old - it was pretty intense but it meant she slept really well in the day which I believe helped her at night.

We now bedshare, started when she was 5 months, and we both sleep better. I wasn't comfortable doing it when she was tiny but it's something to take into consideration, maybe google safe bedsharing and see what you think.

Things will be better before you know it, hang in there!

 

[TTT]

My thoughts are similar to sprouts. We once read that newborns.have a curved spine and they remain in the fetal position for a couple of weeks so laying them down straightens their backs out and is uncomfortable for them at first. It sounds as if she is suckling for comfort rather than hunger. I think that's ok and my.baby still suckles to sleep but too much of it and mismanagement gave me a foremilk hindmilk imbalance. - but one problem at a time!

I think the sleeping and the constipation are likely to be separate problems so try to tackle one at a time or you will go crazy.

My baby slept on us for six weeks and we took turns to sleep and survived on about 6 hours sleep a night and I went to.bed around 7pm but obvs had to feed during that time. Then he outgrew us and started squirming.and.slept in hus carrycot for.a few weeks and now he co sleeps with me. Swaddling is great for the first.four week (after then you have to be careful of their hips).my baby still has his arms swaddled or he sleeps in his swaddle up.

Forget any chores atm except for absolute essentials like a few.clean.clothes. get some sleep and wait it out as they will go longer between deeds in time.

Can't help with the constipation I'm afraid as never dealt with it.but look at tummy massaging as that may help.

 

[Lilmisshopeful]

My lo slept on his side from birth much to the health visitors horror. I did the same with my daughter many years ago. Both hated laying on their back. Some babies just have a preference hun xxx

 

[El1en]

Thanks for the advice girls

I definitely think she's suckling for comfort rather than hunger.

I do try and wind her after every feed but she hates it and gets super stressed. I will give swaddling a go and speak to the midwife about possible constipation.

As for reflux, it definitly crossed my mind, I suffer with bad reflux and it so so bad in pregnancy do I wouldn't be surprised

Thanks again

 

[Rooster30]

Mine didn't like her crib either until we put a poddle pod in it and swaddled her. Poddle Pods aren't supposed to be used for night sleeps but she finds it really comforting. Try buffing up her crib a bit so she feels more comforted, it might help

Good luck

 

[clairebear22]

My lo slept on his side from birth much to the health visitors horror. I did the same with my daughter many years ago. Both hated laying on their back. Some babies just have a preference hun xxx

My youngest slept in his tummy from a week old due to horrendous colic. I thought the HV was going to have a heart attack when she saw him! She wouldn't even listen when I told her I'd watched him like a hawk at first to make sure he could turn his head. Which he could easily.

My youngest has always been a side sleeper. Still is at nearly 4. I hate sleeping on my back so can't imagine how it would be for a teeny baby full of milk. It sounds like wind pain if she's squirming but not getting upset. Try winding her a bi harder and also over your shoulder rather than having her in the seated position and cupping her face if that makes sense?

 

[OMGbabyno3]

When I was in hospital after c sec with Dd3 they said to pit her down on her side. Makes a load of sense to me as if sick side is better.

As other said, they just like to be held. Tbh, this week is first week mine has settled on her own bed for a few hours and she's 11 weeks!

 

[Niknaknoo]

My wee man often wriggled about and ended up on his side in the first few weeks, which I can understand as he could curl up into the kind of position he was used to. Absolutely fine on his back now though at 8weeks.
At the beginning we were getting multiple poos every day but he now only goes every other day or so...apparently this is normal for ebf babies, as long as it's soft and yellow it's all good but still mention it to mw.
It will get easier though! X

 

[hellywelly]

Deffo go with the side sleeping - my daughter did it from birth and was quite a good sleeper but if I popped her down on her back I wouldn't get any peace! You can roll a towel and pop it next to her stomach to stop her from on to her front - that's what the midwife suggested to me. She will get there eventually. Also babies can go up to 5 days without pooing, especially on breast milk. Evie went 6 days at 3 weeks old - I was tearing my hair out!!