I am begging for some advice...please

My baby is only a week old...and I understand that newborns will keep you up...but all night crying? I mean ALL night. Shes perfect during the day, but at night she screams and its completely inconsolable. The only time she calms down is when she is in bed with us...and I know what they say about co-sleeping but Im afraid we finally gave in and let her sleep in our bed last night- and we got one solid hours rest because of it.
Has anyone had experience with this at all? I would like to feel like Im not alone and that it does get better somehow. Did anything work for any of you? I was thinking about buying that anti-rolling thingy and placing her in it in our bed. Am I so bad for letting her sleep iin with us? Does anyone else do this?
Do you think I should supplement formula so she gets a heartier meal before bed?
As you can tell Im a bit frantic...my DH goes back to work on Thursday and Im terrified that I have to handle this on my own and keep her quiet so he can sleep. Between this and the baby blues Im just crying writing this. Any words of wisdom would be so appriciated

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Well I co-slept with both my kids and we all slept very nicely. My kids cried at night too, so it worked for us. Do you have a co-sleeper next to your bed? I would try doing that. Good Luck

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Posted by Stacey1403

Well I co-slept with both my kids and we all slept very nicely. My kids cried at night too, so it worked for us. Do you have a co-sleeper next to your bed? I would try doing that. Good Luck

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Sounds like colic to me. I am so sorry you guys are going through this. I can only say that IMO I would do whatever it takes at this point to console her and get some rest. Many will say co-sleeping is dangerous but we have done it at times too and it never became a habit and we just naturally sleep a little lighter when she's with us. There are precautions you can take. Does she like the swing? I would even let Sydnie sleep in there if it calmed her down a bit. Also, I recommend the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block". Swaddle Me blanket, white noise, shhhushing noise. There are many moms here who I am sure can help you. Best of luck

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

I would suggest the video The Happiest Baby on the Block...there are 5(6?) ways to calm a crying baby & it really works. My DD went through her witching hour for 2-3 hours a night & no matter what you did she wouldn't calm down....we found white noise soothed her & shushing her & rocking her, but it seems like it'll never end while its happening.

It does get better

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Posted by Stacey1403

Well I co-slept with both my kids and we all slept very nicely. My kids cried at night too, so it worked for us. Do you have a co-sleeper next to your bed? I would try doing that. Good Luck

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

DH and I were just talking about our little guy's first few days at home. They were SO stressful. You are totally not alone and it will get better.

I don't have any advice about supplementing with formula, as I formula fed DS.

I did sleep with DS on my chest for a few hours each night, it was the only way to get some rest, for both of us. I also spent a few hours in the recliner sleeping with him...anything that works. There were also nights I let him sleep in the swing. A lot of days he still naps there, I just shut the motor off once he is alseep. I don't know if it is bad or not, but it does let him get some rest.

Do you swaddle her at night? Jacob is 9 weeks and we still swaddle him to get him to sleep at night. I just got a microfleece one that keeps him very snuggly.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Babies this young sometimes get their nights and days mixed up for a couple of weeks so it may be that. Colic usually doesn't begin this early so I hope that isn't it for you guys. If she is sleeping well in your bed, she may just miss the security of the womb and the sound of your heartbeart. I don't see the harm in letting her sleep in bed with you until this passes. They do sell those little beds to be put in bed with you. We have one that we used to use on trips when my DD was a bit older. They really do work to keep her seperate from you so you don't roll over on her.

Hang in there! It does get better- the first few weeks are so hard. I am going to be there in two months again and I am still terrified.

We are all here to help

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Posted by pixie

Posted by Stacey1403

Well I co-slept with both my kids and we all slept very nicely. My kids cried at night too, so it worked for us. Do you have a co-sleeper next to your bed? I would try doing that. Good Luck

i have a bassinet right next to our bed. did you sleepwit your babies in the bed...or in the co-sleeper thing?

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

I agree with getting Happiest Baby on the Block ASAP .... The 5 S's work wonders for babies

swaddling
side/stomach positioning in the parents' arms
shushing
swinging
and sucking

Swaddling: Newborns are not used to having such freedom to move around - they have what is called a 'moro reflex' where they can feel as if they are falling. Swaddling gives them the feeling of being held tightly in the womb again.

Side positioning: have baby close to your heart. They listened to it for 9 months. Also the heat from your body will comfort her.

Sushing: Do you remember what the sonograms sounded like? Lots of swishing and nosies from your own blood stream ---- buy the sleep sheep or another white noise machine - run the vacuum or hair dryer ... this world is too quiet for baby!

Swinging: Your baby was lulled by constant movement while in your belly - so a swinging motion will lull her again

Sucking: Sucking for babies is one of the most calming things --- so giver her a paci or your pinky and let her suck herself calm.


The book (or DVD) really explains it all - it worked wonders for us.

Message edited 12/7/2008 1:43:19 PM.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Do you swaddle her? My DS liked to be swaddled nice and tight with the hospital blanket. The "swaddle me" things were too loose so we stuck with blankets. Are you BFing? She may need to eat a bit more but I didnt BF so I dont know about this first hand. Like others said, days and nights could be messed up. Also my DS loved LOVED loved to sleep in the swing so we let him! If it works, it works.. The only way he would nap for months was in the swing and it saved me!

Good luck

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

thanks so much for the advice.
I tried swaddling but it dosent work. i actually think she hates it. Where do you get this video from? Is there a white noise maker I can buy? Shes not receptive to her mobile music so Im not sure if this would work either??? Do you think I should keep her up during the day?

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

swaddling alone does not work. She is going to try to break free with all her 1 week old might!

You have to do all the 5 s' together and it will work.

Swaddle her, then hold her close, sush her and swing her. You would be surprised at how well it calms them down.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

we had the same problem with DS when we first brought him home.

we got a sleep positioner that had a fake heartbeat and used that in his crib. worked like a charm. he started sleeping the day we got it.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

I agree with the above posters who said get the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD. It was recommended to us, and was a life saver. It truly works.

Also, newborns have their days/nights mixed up. When you walked around during the day preggo it would lull the baby to sleep...then when you were still and sleeping at night the baby would be awake. It takes some babies a little longer than others to adjust.

We have never co-slept, so nothing to offer on that front.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

For the first two weeks ds would only sleep if he was laying on my or dh's chest.

Also, I remember that running water (usually the sink) would calm him down right away

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

In our experience with Eryk, he cried A LOT in the first 6 weeks. it took a couple of weeks to realize WHY he was crying all the time..... we discovered that 98% of the time ge was hungry. some babies sleep a lot and eat a medium amount while others are awake and super hungry. If your baby is sleeping all day, then she will wake-up super duper hungry and you will likely need to feed her several times in a row before she calms down

I BF and supplement..... so I increased the formula following a BF session from 2 oz to 4, and voila! he would sleep for 2 hours!

also, make sure you burp DC thoroughly after every ounce of food (or after unlatching from the boob)... gas is very painful for them....

and while DC is freaking out, gently tap the back or rock them.... it calms them down... sometimes it also helps to SSSSSSS (like a snake) in their ear.
HTH

Message edited 12/7/2008 2:14:18 PM.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

No advice but my firstborn was a "very crabby" newborn (to say the least!) so I want to send some I really feel for you bc you want to be excited about your child and you're miserable over not being able to comfort them, lack of sleep, hormones, etc. I can't even remember what ultimately worked with my DS, but I see you got some great suggestions already. It will get easier though, I promise that.

Re: I am begging for some advice...please

Don't wake her if she's sleeping during the day. Newborns sleep a lot day & night in the first few weeks.

However if she is not getting enough food she may be lethargic -which is why I asked about the diapers. Is she gaining weight? How many times is she wetting a diaper?

My niece cried all of the time as a newborn but it was because she latched wrong & was hungry. Later she developed colic (which doesn't happen in a newborn until about 3 weeks).