My newborn baby doesn't let me do anything as she doesn't sleep more than 15 mins only if she is in my arm.?

Question

she is now one week old and can you believe during past 72 hours I couldn't sleep even for 3 hours??...I have enough milk (my doc also confirmed this and even I can see it has a good flow). If she is clean and being burped, then there is two options: she will sleep in my arm for about 15 mins or she will wake up immediately after putting her down, again start crying and wants milk and this cycle seems not to be ended.
whole last night up to 5 am she didn't let me sleep for a sec and now am sooooo exhausted. I did Cesarean and am already in pain and discomfort...now I am that much tired that I can't hold her even. ....pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee help... I can't stand it more.

Answer 1

This is actually quite common, unfortunately.



Try swaddling, a cradle, or putting a crib vibrator on her crib.



If she wakes as soon as you lay her down, try heating a receiving blanket in the dryer, lay it down flat in the crib, and then immediately lay her on top of it. A lot of the time it's the contrast from mom's warm body to ther cold crib that wakes them.



You can also try cosleeping if you are comfortable with that. It makes nursing a whole lot easier, and babies tend to sleep better when they are in contact with mommy.



If none of that helps, look on the bright side...this won't last forever. She will begin to sleep better with some time.

Answer 2

Well, my dear, you need to get some sleep. Do you have somebody who can hold her or watch her for a few hours so that you can be relieved of your duties for a nap? Remember the little one came to live with you and will have to blend into your rules to a certain extent, as far as a bit of sleep, my gosh. If I even got to that point I would have asked the doctor what to do before I'd let that go on and on. There are nurses at most doctors phones or phone to answer questions to new moms. I was a pediatric nurse for almost 7 yrs..and I promise you no mom could keep that up. Bless your heart! Get her cleaned up and dry..then put her down after being well burped. You can lay in the same room if you'd be less worried about her, but not same bed. Both of you can fall asleep to a little soothing music. Babies love a little soothing music and it sounds like you could use some too. My best to you..good luck



Nora

Answer 3

wow sounds just like my youngest daughter! I ended up having to sleep with her in my arms. Since I had had a cesarean as well I wasn't about to be moving that much in my sleep anyways so I would put a pillow under her and hold her beside me in my arm. Obviously not the best solution but I needed some sleep as I'm sure you do! Wish I could be more help, good luck.



* If you have support people see if you can have somebody come over for a few hrs to watch her just so you can at least try to get a few hrs of sleep during the day.

Answer 4

Sorry to hear it/ If you decide to keep up with the breastfeeding, it'll get EASier. My wife and I have a 7 month old, and she's very glad she stuck with it. No ear infections, no cradle cap, no skin problems; no matter what kind of formula you give her, nothing will be as good as what God has given you. That being said, there's nothing wrong with formula, and it does let daddy give you a break.



Our baby was similar; she would sleep about 30 min though, but like yours, she wouldn't sleep anywhere except in your arms. But then we a DVD, The Happiest Baby, and it was a blessing! Try swaddling, shushing, and holding her on her side with your hand supporting her head (I don't how to explain it real well). The first 3 months should really be called the fourth trimester (as the DVD explains); your baby is still trying to learn how to live without the constant white noise and warmth of your womb. It'll take awhile, but it does get better. Congratulations for you and your little angel :D

Answer 5

You will be okay.

Just remember this too shall pass, it really will and one day you will look back longingly for those days and nites when your baby wanted nothing more than to be held and loved by you.

Try to see it from the babies view, she has been literally carried by you safe and sound for nine months.

She is so new and just want to feel the love and security only her mama can give her.

Try to shift your view on the situation and take naps when she naps.



Breastfeeding gets so much easier after the learning curve and baby will eat less as time goes on.



Learn to nurse lying down, its so great.

You get to relax and baby gets superior nutrition and nurturing.



Check out "Hey Facebook breastfeeding is not obscene group" there is a community of moms from all over the world who will cheer you on and give you so many tips on breastfeeding and parenting in general.

Take what fits and leave the rest.



Good luck and congratulations.

Answer 6

Have you tried a bouncer seat? I used to put my son in one when he would wake during the wrong times. I would feed him and change him and then put him in his bouncer seat and keep the lights off the whole time. Then I would turn the bouncer on vibrate and set it next to my bed and go back to sleep. I wouldn't turn the toy part on with music and stuff I wanted him to know it was time to sleep. It didn't last long until he realized if he was awake when everyone else was asleep that it was boring. If your daughter likes to be held maybe you could put in a head and body support that snuggles her so she feels like she is being held. I had one in my son's carrier and they are great!

Answer 7

My first daughter did this too, and we were walking zombies. It turned out she had silent reflux, and that was burning her throat when she lay down. The only position she could sleep in was upright in a front pack on my chest. I even had to go to the bathroom with her like that. Please go to your doctor and ask if this is a possibility. It is uncommon for a well baby to only cat nap in 15 minute bursts, but I have set up a support group for mothers of reflux babies in our area (two of my kids have it), and these cat naps are common to almost all reflux babies.

Answer 8

Are you sleeping with her in your bed? If not, I suggest you do so. you can latch her on and then fall back asleep as she nurses. Makes life so much easier. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do beyond sleeping with her when she sleeps, and asking friends and family for help. She is going through a hard transition herself. She was held 24/7 in the comfort and warmth of your womb, soothed by the sound of your heartbeat. Coming into the world is a hard transition and being held is a need for her. It will not last forever.

Answer 9

This is typical. Are you swaddling her when you put her down to sleep? Feed her up as much as possible, swaddle her, and put her in her bed with a paci.

Answer 10

have you tried swaddling her? babies that young dont like feeling this much freedom. Remember, the environment she was just in was very warm and tight. So when you swaddle her it reminds her of it and she is able to calm down and sleep for longer periods of time

Answer 11

Welcome to motherhood she will start to sleep good for you at about 6 weeks old my son didn't sleep at all at nights i didn't get any sleep for almost 3-4 weeks good luck. Also if it helps i lay him on me and he seemed to sleep better that away

Answer 12

My son is 11 weeks old and let me tell you, it does get easier. And pretty soon you'll be looking back on those first weeks and wondering where time went.



For sleeping I highly suggest getting yourself a good swaddling blanket and wrapping the baby in it as tightly as possible- babies like to be wrapped tight, its comforting for them. We use a swaddling blanket called a Miracle Blanket- they're a bit spendy, but SO worth it. I also suggest not having her sleep with you. Yes, it sucks getting up when she cries but having them sleep with you (and nurse whenever they feel like it) is a tough habit to break. Our son is only 11 weeks and only slept with me in the hospital (because the bassinet was too high). At home he slept in his bassinet for about 8 weeks, now he sleeps in his own room in his crib- it was a VERY easy transition due to him being used to sleeping by himself in his bassinet. He also has slept through the night since birth (a miracle) but I'm sure the swaddling blanket has something to do with it (plus the bassinet...if he had slept with us our turning in the night and noises would have woken him).



I know most breastfeeding moms are against formula, but I also suggest formula before bed/during the night. Formula takes longer for a baby to digest, thus making them hungry less often (and sleeping longer due to not being hungry). Formula is a good thing- and as long as baby is getting some breastmilk they still get the antibodies and whatnot.



My son drinks mostly breastmilk during the day, and has a bottle of formula at night around 9:30pm and then wakes up around 7:30am and has another bottle of formula and sleeps until about 10am. I sleep pretty well for a new mom. And yes, he takes formula, which according to most makes me a bad mom, but he's healthy as can be (15.5 pounds already) and is actually developing faster than some babies I know (he sits in his bumbo already and plays in his exersaucer).

Answer 13

You could feed her some formula, both of my girls I feed breast milk and formula. I feed them breast mild in the day and one bottle of formula before bed. They both sleep through the night. No matter what you can't take care of a baby when your that tired. Even if you just feed formula just this once at least you can get a little rest, babies are always happier when mommy is happy.

Answer 14

new borns are the most difficult its nothing wrong with letting cry crying is actually healthy for them it helps their lungs...you should not hold her all the time that's bad business because if you work and decide to take the baby to day care or allow a friend to watch them i don't care if its your mother no one is going to hold and rock a crying baby it gets frustrating...but with my son in the day time i would put blankets up to the window in his room to make it dark and i would sleep on the day bed at night i would leave the lights and stay up a week later he was sleeping all night and up all day because i had trained his brain to think when lights go out its time to sleep when lights are on its time to be up...girl good luck

Answer 15

THATSV WHY IO QUIT BREAST FEEDING SO SHE THEY COULD BEEN BOTTLE FEED BY HUSBAND MOM AND SLEEP WHEN THEY WERE AROND! TELL PEOPLE YOU TRUST TO HELP1!!!! THEY WILL SURE S