Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Sleepless Nights

Ok, so my little girl isn't letting me get any sleep...I know this comes as no surprise to the many of you who already have kids. It's 1:20 in the am and I just fed her. I just changed her. She'll sleep for about 20-30 minutes, then she'll be awake again. It's not like she cries and cries-she just fusses. So I'll go in to check on her and she'll be eating her fists and licking her lips as if she hasn't eaten since she's come out of the womb. Am I missing something? So right now I have her pacifier in and the music playing from the mobile on her crib. Is she still awake??? She sure is. K, so now it's 1:40 and I just got finished rocking her to sleep. I come in here to the computer, sit down and hear her making noises. Awake again. Suggestions anyone????

This is what I want her to look like....asleep :)

9 comments:

Jilene said...

it's tough. it really is, the first few weeks. You have to remember when you were awake, she was asleep, and vice versa. So it takes some adjusting. Sometimes you will just have to let her fuss. Don't attend to her EVERY need. Almost every one, but if you know you just fed her, changed her and she is ok, it's fine to let her be for a little while. Are you sure you are producing enough milk? Maybe top her off with a little formula to make sure she is full. Sometimes our bodies don't produce enough and there's nothing you can do about that. But you just want to make sure she is having wet diapers and that she is getting enough to eat. Can you switch off with Lui so you can get some sleep too. I know it's a maternal instinct to think we have to do it all, but we don't. Give Lui a chance to get up too. It's a good bonding time for him and Baylee. Hang in there. It will get easier. Call me if you have any questions. I have a 5 year old that still doesn't sleep through the night, so I feel your pain! Love you!

camille said...

Oh my gosh Coco, she is beautiful! Congrats! I was just telling my friend that I didn't understand why Heavenly Father made newborns not sleep! After everything you've just been through, don't you deserve some rest?

It gets better! I'm not one of those knowledgeable mothers who can give you any advice. I am not good at letting my kids learn to fall asleep on their own. SO - I have a 3 year old who still has to have me lay by her to go to bed and a 2 month old who is getting in the habit of being rocked to sleep as well. Oh well, they grow up so fast!

Hang in there and sleep when you can!

Kevin and Natali McKee said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Kevin and Natali McKee said...

I am sorry you are so tired. Does swaddling help her at all? You could also pump if you didn't want any formula, and have Lui feed that. Good luck, sometimes they just have bad nights. I hope things get better.

mandy said...

If I knew the answer I would be a bajillionaire. Hang in there! It stinks and it is hard but it will get better. Try all of the above things and then come back to me in 6 months and I will tell you the way to ensure that you have a good sleeper for years to come. (Or at least it has worked for my 4.) She is too little now but when she is older and bigger and doesn't NEED to eat in the middle of the night then I can tell you what to do. (It stinks and it is hard but it works!) I love you and I will be thinking about and praying for you!

Jilene said...

yeah, we went to the INO in St. George. It made me sick. I don't know if it was the food, because it was SOOO good going down, or if it's just been too long since I ate fast food, but it didn't sit right with me. But it was good going down! It was packed!

Tiffani said...

Zack fusses and grunts ALOT!!! We don't have another room to put him in, so I have started putting him in my closet (don't think I'm awful) so that I can hear his REAL crys but not his "I'm just talking myself to sleep" noises. Once that girl is fed, you gotta crawl back into bed... even if it is only 30 minutes.
If you are worried about your milk supply, I would definately say try the pump after each time you nurse her during the day. That way, you'll know you're producing, you can give her a bottle of breastmilk if she still seems hungry and you won't sabotage your supply by supplementing. Also, if you do have a shortage, pumping will help stimulate more production. Hang in there with the breastfeeding though... its worth it.

Alicia said...

Unfortunately, no one is an expert! One thing I think all mothers soon find out is that every little one is so different! When they are that little, they just want the closeness. I would definitely make sure she's getting full. My little ones always had the tummy gas that kept them up, too. (Mylicon drops help!) My last one slept in his swing until he was two or three months old--at least for naps. I think Sydnie fell asleep on my chest for her first couple weeks in the world...just because that was the ONLY way! You just improvise and nap every second you can when they're sleeping! She will adjust, I promise. In the meantime (even though you're exhausted) enjoy that super quiet time when it's just the two of you in the middle of the night. I promise you'll miss it ;) Love ya! Hang in there!

Vanessa said...

You have gotten a lot of good advice. The only thing I would add is to make sure she has all her burps out. So many times my kids would fuss and stay awake, I'd go back in and get them to burp again and that'd be it. It's just trial and error. Babies are just like us and have their own personalities and likenesses. I think too often we forget that and expect the same thing to work for all. You are doing great just worrying about it and hang in there- five more months and you should be getting a lot more sleep.