Advice for Moms
Also, I try to lay DD#2 down after feeding but she seems to wake up and get very upset. I don't want her relying on sleeping on me ( after I feed her I try to burp her and she falls asleep more on my chest) but I'm not sure what to do because she won't stay asleep if I lay her down elsewhere.
Replies
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Getting drowsy while nursing is very normal. Nursing releases sleepy hormones in both mom and baby. I'd say the best way to prevent this is to get plenty of rest yourself, it only happens to me if I'm already tired (which is only recently for me since my little one is teething. :(
It's also very normal for newborns (and even older babies!) to not want to be out down or away from mom while sleeping. YOU know they're safe... THEY do not. They're going on instincts and their instincts tell them to always stay close to mom since mom will protect them.
You can try swaddling really well... and what worked for my little girl was to put her on her tummy (after 3 kids, I wasn't worried about tummy sleeping anymore)... and you can try putting one of your shirts (that's been worn) in her crib. But, if all else fails YOU need sleep... so lay baby down next to you and get some sleep. During the day, you should be resting anyway... so holding her while she sleeps is fine for now (watch TV, read a book, etc... you need to heal!) and you can get a wrap or sling for when you want to start doing stuff.
She may outgrow needing to be close to you while sleeping pretty soon, or she may just need to grow up some more. All babies are different, but most babies do by around 3 months... co-sleeping in invaluable for the first couple of years since they wake so much! :)
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Yes, what you are going through is quite normal. If you can take a nap with her when she is nursing then you should. Mama resting with baby is one of the best ways to replenish yourself. Take any opportunity you can to rest while baby is young and little. You will need your energy for later. And it wouldn't be a good thing if you ended up sick. My first baby was the samew ay. She wouldn't let me put her down for any length of time. Just don't stress too much if you don't end up getting everything done right away. This time with your baby is more important than trying to be everything to everyone. You also did just fine with how you handled your soreness too. I had the same thing happen with my 3rd baby and really suffered alot. And let me tell you a little secret. You can have several children and still feel like this is brand new stuff that needs to be learned. I have 7 of my own and still felt that newness with each one. You are doing just fine. Believe in yourself and that confidence and sureness will come. I promise. Good luck to you. :)
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Just a tip to help baby sleep without you... I used to lay a bed pillow (covered with one of my soft t-shirts) across my lap while I was breastfeeding (to warm it up, basically), then after feeding and burping, I'd gently lay them across the warm side of the pillow. It seemed to work perfectly for me!
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Your milk comes in between the 4th and 7th day after birth. The more often the baby latches on, the more milk you make. The less often your baby latches on, the less milk you make. Period.
Why wouldn't it be fine for her to rely on you?
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I agree
Quoting SewingMamaLele:
Getting drowsy while nursing is very normal. Nursing releases sleepy hormones in both mom and baby. I'd say the best way to prevent this is to get plenty of rest yourself, it only happens to me if I'm already tired (which is only recently for me since my little one is teething. :(
It's also very normal for newborns (and even older babies!) to not want to be out down or away from mom while sleeping. YOU know they're safe... THEY do not. They're going on instincts and their instincts tell them to always stay close to mom since mom will protect them.
You can try swaddling really well... and what worked for my little girl was to put her on her tummy (after 3 kids, I wasn't worried about tummy sleeping anymore)... and you can try putting one of your shirts (that's been worn) in her crib. But, if all else fails YOU need sleep... so lay baby down next to you and get some sleep. During the day, you should be resting anyway... so holding her while she sleeps is fine for now (watch TV, read a book, etc... you need to heal!) and you can get a wrap or sling for when you want to start doing stuff.
She may outgrow needing to be close to you while sleeping pretty soon, or she may just need to grow up some more. All babies are different, but most babies do by around 3 months... co-sleeping in invaluable for the first couple of years since they wake so much! :)
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Listen to your instincts. Sleep whenever you can, hold the baby whenever you want to and don't listen to people who tell you you're "spoiling her". It's garbage. Of course you're going to be tired! You just had a baby! Give your body time to heal and give yourself time to relax and to sleep. Congratulations on your new daughter! ♥Hugs♥
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She is still young and well sleep better with you and so nu well u
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Yes, Especially if you are not getting a lot of rest, so when you nurse the baby you become relaxed and that tells your brain that it is time to rest and naturally you become tired...