I can't be the only one... - Page 2

[Kmama2]

Originally Posted by Norasmomma

Well I have a Moby, but I wear it really high and pretty tight, I have no choice but to wear him since my 3 y/old terrorizes him and things still need to get done. I also use my Ergo, it has the head cover thing and I'll put that up if he's sleeping, IDK I just find that it is more supportive for when I am doing things. Maybe I'm just more used to it or something I do almost everything wearing my baby.

hmm see when I wear my baby I feel almost like I am pregnant again. All this weight right up front... plus its hard to see. Last night for instance I tried to wash dishes with ds in the Baby Bjorn.. It was terribly uncomfortable and hard to do. As is laundry, picking up toys, eating lunch etc. I only find it hand if we are going to to the mall and walking around or in church etc. Someplace where I am going to be doing alot of walking/standing but not bending if you know what I mean? I really thought it would be more comfortable to wear a young baby but I don't find it to be so when I am at home.

[Norasmomma]

Yeah IDK if I didn't wear him absolutely nothing would get done. My DD is a highly spirited 3 y/o-I mean she's highly extroverted and needs A LOT more time and energy than most kids her age. Wearing my son is the only way I can tend to her, get him to have any sort of a nap without her harassing him. She constantly wants to know if he is sleeping, and if he is she really has the desire to wake him up. The girl hasn't napped since he was born, and is just so full of energy it is hard to explain to most people.

I'm guessing since it is such a necessity I've adjusted, plus I know it's not forever and soon he'll be on my back.

[Pookietooth]

to you. I've had similar issues although today dd is actually napping on the bed (we have an additional problem with ds waking her up). I find that if I take her outside in the morning, and she falls asleep while I'm out for awhile, she naps better on her own later. Also, she naps better in stores or with some sort of white noise. Sleep begets sleep, as Elizabeth Pantley says -- it's hard once they're overtired to get them back to sleeping more. Maybe you could try wearing her all day once so she naps well and see if one well-rested day would be enough to get her sleepier.

[Pookietooth]

Originally Posted by Kmama2

hmm see when I wear my baby I feel almost like I am pregnant again. All this weight right up front... plus its hard to see. Last night for instance I tried to wash dishes with ds in the Baby Bjorn.. It was terribly uncomfortable and hard to do. As is laundry, picking up toys, eating lunch etc. I only find it hand if we are going to to the mall and walking around or in church etc. Someplace where I am going to be doing alot of walking/standing but not bending if you know what I mean? I really thought it would be more comfortable to wear a young baby but I don't find it to be so when I am at home.

They are getting old enough you will soon be able to use a back carry (not sure the minimum age on that though), and then it will be easier to do dishes. I don't do a lot of laundry or dishes while baby wearing, but I bet in the babywearing forum they could help.

[Pookietooth]

Originally Posted by Friendlee

I'm just starting to feel resentful....I went through such hell with a "longer than normal" birth without any drugs, I strictly breastfeed even though I just want a break and I cloth diaper...etc., and so on. All moms make sacrifices and I feel like I am voluntarily sacrificing even more than the typical modern mom and...for what? I'm not sure. I don't know that things are going any better for me than they have for any baby/mom who had the epidural and use formula. I know if I had even one night's sleep I wouldn't feel so resentful or defeatist. But I haven't...and so I do.

They probably aren't going better for you right now, but they will later when your child is more bonded to you and more responsive than had you used formula, done CIO, etc. The infancy stage is much harder in many ways with AP (time wise especially), but there are definite rewards too, such as the oxytocin you are getting when nursing or being skin to skin.

[joyakshi]

Originally Posted by Friendlee

I'm just starting to feel resentful....I went through such hell with a "longer than normal" birth without any drugs, I strictly breastfeed even though I just want a break and I cloth diaper...etc., and so on. All moms make sacrifices and I feel like I am voluntarily sacrificing even more than the typical modern mom and...for what? I'm not sure. I don't know that things are going any better for me than they have for any baby/mom who had the epidural and use formula. I know if I had even one night's sleep I wouldn't feel so resentful or defeatist. But I haven't...and so I do.

you are simply sleep/rest deprived. you should do what you can to help yourself get rest, without losing your milk supply if that's important to you.
you won't feel this way once you're rested. whenever that is... I hope soon.

[Friendlee]

Thank you gals for your support and encouragement.
I've been thinking a lot about the whole sleep begets sleep thing...and I think I might try the suggestion of wearing the baby for a day. I'd been trying to hold her for a nap each and every time she was tired, but I may as well wear her and at least have a little more freedom to do some stuff. It's true that I probably wouldn't feel so resentful if I were more rested. In fact, my mom came over yesterday and totally helped me to put on my oxygen mask. I felt SO much better and consequently, today went much better for us and the baby, though she didn't go to bed until 12:30 AM, she slept a lot longer than normal and I even woke up a little engorged and had to pump!

Pookietooth: I think you're probably right about things being better for us in the long run.

joyakshi: I am confused. Are they selling just the motor through that site or do they sell the whole get-up? I found a couple on Google and the hammocks are SO expensive. But I didn't close the door to it, because I am so desperate. I'm debating if I should even ask my husband. We're getting quite a fe hospital bills in the mail these days and it's not the best time to shell out $300 or more! But how can you put a price on sleep?!?!

[stephanie95]

At the risk of being blasted... have you tried letting baby sleep on her tummy? All of my children sleep better on their tummies. I found that they startled themselves awake all of the time. My DD (middle child, now 3) is a terrible sleeper and has been since day 1. She slept on her side for a while but then would sleep better on her tummy. I struggled with sleep with my first DS and he would not sleep more than 15-30 minutes on his side (Per the recommendations 14 years ago). I put him on his tummy and he'd sleep hours.

Also my new Oct. baby likes to sleep on flannel so he now has new sheets of flannel. He rubs his face on his blanket as he falls asleep. He startles himself awake a lot too. I swaddle to help keep his arms in. I keep experimenting with him sleeping on his back but he doesn't last very long at all, less than 15 minutes. He's a good sleeper otherwise. Except in the car seat. He won't sleep there at all (which is not helpful with 14 yo and 3 yo siblings!).

I hope you find something that works. No sleep is a terrible thing.

[Friendlee]

Yep, we're having her sleep on her belly. I was pretty torn about the fact that she was happiest on her belly until I spoke with my doctor, whom I really trust and like, and he said if she absolutely won't sleep on her back that it was okay to let her sleep on her tummy. He said that he even did that for a few of his own kids when they refused to sleep on their backs. I figure he has a lot of liability and if he was willing to give me the okay (considering we have none of the other risk factors for SIDS) then I felt comfortable doing so. However....it hasn't made much of a difference in her willingness to sleep longer. Turns out, she doesn't sleep well on either side!

[stephanie95]

Too bad about the belly not working any better. I am currently reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child. I have found some good insights but I don't know. My 3 yo DD is a disaster when it comes to sleeping. I know it's largely my fault for being inconsistent. I've been lucky with my new guy. He sleeps well. With the holidays he started getting off track and that book has helped me get him back to sleeping OK. I don't have any other wisdom for you...just commiserations and wishes for sleep.