Am I only a milk machine to him?

[kismetbaby]

Silly question, but when will my LO be happy to be awake and NOT nursing?

Maybe we are in the 3 week growth spurt right now, but it seems like if he is awake and I am holding him or nearby he wants to nurse. And when I say wants to nurse, I don't mean is thinking about it, I mean he is screaming bloody murder until the nipple is in his mouth!

He does have a few stretches of time (especially if someone else is holding him) where he is happy to be walked around and look at things, and he loves getting a bath and even having his dipe changed. But he just won't hang out with me without deciding he *must* nurse. When do they realize that there are other things in the world besides boobs?

[skydancer]

I think my older ones transitioned from that stage so slowly that there really wasn't a pin-pointable time...they just gradually had more happy non-nursing times.

Paige (at three weeks) is in the same stage as your little one...just eats, sleeps, and cries. Wearing her helps. This evening I was able to talk to her a bit and have her enjoy it, and I have had her on a play mat on her tummy and on her back for a couple of minutes, but that doesn't last for very long yet...

I just think it's nature's way of helping make sure a mom takes it easy for the first month or so...if you constantly have to nurse the little one, you're not going to be running huge marathons or anything else too strenuous.

[HydeParkB]

DS is two weeks, and I am in the same boat.

If I hold him and he's awake, he cries to eat. I barely hold him for a few seconds before he gets frantic.

If DH holds him, he's fine. It's rather frustrating for both of us. But I know it has to pass at some time. I guess I am thankful that he wants to nurse and he is gaining weight like he should.

[2boyzmama]

Gavin is afraid every meal may be his last He is *constantly* nursing, I was just telling my husband that it's a good thing he's not my first or my nipples couldn't have handled it! He screams bloody murder if I put him down or even if someone else holds him!! He has short periods where he's ok, sometimes he'll sit in the swing with his pacifier, and two days ago he found the mirror on his vibrating seat and happily stared at it while I ate a whole dinner!! But that's rare.

He sleeps great, in my arms, so there's that at least! And since he's my third, I'm very calm, so if he's screaming while I'm getting Connor dressed, so be it. If Ian ever screamed like that, I would have been a sobbing mess!

[StrongFeather]

I remember feeling this way but it was more aqt the 6 week growth spurt for us. DH could hold him and not have him cry, but the minute I picked him up it was rooting and eventually crying to nurse. It was (really) hard not to be a little jealous of the nice happy baby time dh got. But it does pass, so keep that in mind!

[2boyzmama]

Haha...literally right after posting my last reply, Gavin popped off my boob and started just looking around! So I took him to Ian's room and laid him on the floor and got some cute pictures of Ian and Gavin together! (Connor is at school). Gavin had about an hour of happy alert time, and wouldn't you know it, I haven't showered or gotten dressed or anything, so I could get any pictures of me and Gavin together Murphy's Law!!!

Then Gavin had a poop explosion, so I changed him, and he STILL was happy! Now he's in the other room starting to fuss a little, so I think this period had officially ended, but hey, progress!!!

Here's a few pictures from his happy time http://blockboys.blogspot.com/2009/10/play-time.html

[StrongFeather]

Originally Posted by 2boyzmama

Here's a few pictures from his happy time http://blockboys.blogspot.com/2009/10/play-time.html

too cute pictures of the boys! I fel you on the pictures of you and your LO together. I feel like I have none of Sam and I. My Mom just came over so maye today

[coldandsleepy]

This is my first so I don't have any idea when this period ends... but just wanted to chime in and say I know exactly what you mean.

It's funny-- when Grey was first born, he'd nurse every two hours and be happy. In his second week, he'd nurse every hour and be happy. Since he hit 2 weeks old, he wants to nurse literally all the time. If he's awake, he wants to be hooked on to me. And if he's not nursing happily, he's screaming unhappily. It's been almost two weeks of this.

On the rare occasion where's he's not freaking out AND he's not actually latched on and sucking, he licks me. It's like having a little dog or something.

[pastrygirl]

Ugh, we are almost at 8 weeks here and STILL in that phase. I can't wait til this guy SMILES. I can't remember when my older son took interest in the non-boob world, but he was pretty darned cranky all the time for months, so I've never really had any experience with a happy baby.

I was really hoping this baby would be happy.

[lmclanahan]

All of mine have been different.
This little sweetheart is 7 weeks old, and loves to smile now!!!! She just started having time when she wasn't nursing every waking moment, except for changing times, when she was screaming. She has smiled, cooed, and let out a small squeal yesterday.
So, I am sure your baby will do this soon. This is my fifth, so I am trying harder to make time go slowly, instead of wishing it would speed up to the next, possibly easier, phase. With my first, I just couldn't wait until he did the next thing.


Leocea

[Lovinmum]

They nurse for comfort SO much at this age. Its wearing on mama but its a good thing! They are just loving on you in a different way than they are loving on Daddy or others. You can try holding him away from your body and cooing and talking to him to get him to settle down and some times they will calm at your voice. Either that or talk to them while someone else holds them and when they are calm try taking over.

Huge *hugs* to you ladies. I've been there, but like I said, its comfort and bonding to them. Maybe try to look at it more from that perspective?