I need encouragement, ladies!

My girls are 1 mo old, and I just can't remember what this stage was like with my son. I just seems impossible to keep them asleep for a couple of hours...let alone in a crib. If I have any success, it's in the swings. It's like they only take little catnaps throughout the day. They sleep great if they're being held of course....well sometimes....sometimes that doesn't even help. Plus it's rare that both sleep at the same time. I feel like I can't do anything....even take care of my 19 mo old son. It's like I'm battling with them to nap, and then before I know it, it's time to nurse again. And lately they're not nursing well and like to have screaming fits after nursing. They don't do that so much at night, but daytime is such a mess. Don't know if I'm dealing with slight reflux, or general fussiness at this age. Oh I'm so frustrated! I need encouragement. Please tell me all of this is normal and that soon (like within the next few months) they will be taking normal naps and not constantly crying. They don't really have quiet awake time...I guess they don't know, right? If they're awake, they have to be rocked or soothed or feeding. I feel like I'm in a hamster wheel, running in circles. Ladies, I need you! Thanks for letting me vent.

 

QUOTE(Trish13 @ Apr 13 2009, 04:43 PM) [snapback]1271395[/snapback]
My girls are 1 mo old, and I just can't remember what this stage was like with my son. I just seems impossible to keep them asleep for a couple of hours...let alone in a crib. If I have any success, it's in the swings. It's like they only take little catnaps throughout the day. They sleep great if they're being held of course....well sometimes....sometimes that doesn't even help. Plus it's rare that both sleep at the same time. I feel like I can't do anything....even take care of my 19 mo old son. It's like I'm battling with them to nap, and then before I know it, it's time to nurse again. And lately they're not nursing well and like to have screaming fits after nursing. They don't do that so much at night, but daytime is such a mess. Don't know if I'm dealing with slight reflux, or general fussiness at this age. Oh I'm so frustrated! I need encouragement. Please tell me all of this is normal and that soon (like within the next few months) they will be taking normal naps and not constantly crying. They don't really have quiet awake time...I guess they don't know, right? If they're awake, they have to be rocked or soothed or feeding. I feel like I'm in a hamster wheel, running in circles. Ladies, I need you! Thanks for letting me vent.


I have them sleep everywhere in the house at that age. I rocked the and put one in swing while I was holding another to fall asleep. It will get better. Hang in there.

 

That first month (and sometimes the second) is all about the catnap. They can't sleep longer than that b/c they need to eat so frequently. My boys slept anywhere (bouncer/swing/infant carrier) until they were 4 months and I made the change (slowly) to the crib. Hang in there. The first month is a day by day survival, but :youcandoit:

 

Those days were not too far behind for us. It does get better. As pp mentioned, it's all about survival right now. I'm curious if you are dealing with slight reflux too. This affected one of our daughters and she was extremely fussy and crying at that age. She also didn't like to sleep very much and got super overtired. Once they are overtired it's like a shot of caffeine to them making it extra hard to settle down.

Do you have bouncy seats? Ours spent a ton of time sleeping in those for the first four months. We'd flip the vibration part on and it worked like a charm. Not to mention the slight incline was more comfy for our reflux daughter. We even put the bouncy seat in the crib for sleeping during naps when we were ready to transition them.

It sounds like your doing a wonderful job, especially having 19 month old on top of twins!

Hang in there

 

Sounds to me like you might be dealing with some reflux. My girls are 6 weeks and I've been dealing with it since they were 1 week old. Doesn't help to monitor it and possibly call the ped depending on what you want to do about it. My girls are on Zantac because it gets pretty bad for them, so they need it so that they don't cry during/before/after bottles. Mine eat every 3 hours, so they sleep about 2.5 hours in between feedings- sometimes they decide they want to just lay around or even be awake, but they generally sleep for about 2-2.5 hours in betwee. If you're having trouble with them sleeping, how long will they sleep for?

 

I am so glad to be reading these posts- I have been going through the same thing and both of mine are suffering from slight reflux and the not wanting to sleep is carrying into our nights as well. They were doing so well sleeping in their cribs until about last week and then the fussing started. We have started sleeping them in bouncy seats and it seems to work well most of the time - so maybe that's something you could try. The swing is working great for the rocking motion too because I feel like I am having to rock and soothe them so much more now then I was in the beginning. My biggest fear is that I am coddling them too much or something. I have felt the hamster feeling too! It's a juggling act trying to soothe and comfort one or both twins, feed them, and keep up with everything else. Mine were a month yesterday and they are our first. I thought I was alone in how I was feeling, but it's good to know that this is normal!!!

 

At that age mine were fussy all the time. I thought I had the worst babies! They may have had reflux but I'm not sure. It did eventually get better and so will yours. Sending you hugs. It is so hard those first few months but you will get though it and it will get better. We used a lot of mylicon and colic tablets along with swaddles.

 

QUOTE(Lisa&Lonnie @ Apr 13 2009, 06:48 PM) [snapback]1271498[/snapback]
Do you have bouncy seats? Ours spent a ton of time sleeping in those for the first four months. We'd flip the vibration part on and it worked like a charm. Not to mention the slight incline was more comfy for our reflux daughter. We even put the bouncy seat in the crib for sleeping during naps when we were ready to transition them.

It sounds like your doing a wonderful job, especially having 19 month old on top of twins!

Hang in there


We do have bouncy seats, but I thought they might be little for them. They end up leaning off to one side. When you put yours in bouncies at 1 month (if you did at that age), did you also swaddle them? They don't do well lying around unswaddled.


Thank you all for your responses! We're not alone!

 

Yes, it is all normal. At that age mine slept whenever and wherever. They needed to be held and soothed and carried around all the time. They had horrible reflux so they slept on an incline either in a bouncy seat (swaddled or unswaddled) or swing or the PNP elevated. They never touched the crib until they were 4 months old. They slept cat naps lot until about 4 months old when they decided to start taking a nice long morning nap.

I would consider reflux a possibility with all of the fussiness and arching during and after a feeding. But at that age, they fuss ALOT! I would mention it to your Ped and see what he or she thinks about it. Ours did a lot of grunting, gassiness, one was a spitter, the other not so much, and they cried during their feedings.

Hang in there. It is very challenging for the first few months and then you will start to get some breathing room. :hug:

 

QUOTE(Trish13 @ Apr 13 2009, 09:44 PM) [snapback]1271716[/snapback]
When you put yours in bouncies at 1 month (if you did at that age), did you also swaddle them?


We used bouncies from day one. We didn't experience any leaning issues with our seats so we sometimes swaddled with them. We swaddled them pretty tight so they hardly moved being so little.

Since your little ones are leaning in the seats, I'm sure you nervous about swaddling and not being able to buckle in. As an alternative, have you considered the Boppy Newborn lounger? We received two as gifts and still use them to this day. They are pillows for use on the floor that cradle the baby and still slightly elevate the head (good for reflux). Boppy states they are not for sleeping but our girls used to nap in them all the time. I was always in the same room with them when they were lying on the loungers so I didn't see any harm. Plus, if they are swaddled, they don't move around much at all.

Just sharing what worked for us. I hope things improve really quickly for you.

Take care!