fussy? or just vocal?

[Bubblette]

This feels so weird to be writing...

Charlie is just three weeks old, and very vocal/noisy already. It seems like he never sleeps peacefully and is always making noise and squirming even while asleep. We're cosleeping, he's gaining weight well, our midwife says he and I are doing beautifully. I just never imagined a little baby would be like this.... It's sometimes just sweet little coos, but frequently it's grunting with flailing arms and legs. I thought at first this was only when he was pooing- but it really seems to be random.

I'm not really complaining, as we've been getting nice long stretches of sleep (3-4 hrs) every night, but he does wake us both up worrying something is wrong. We've tried swaddling him at night, and he does seem to sleep more deeply, though not any longer (and I don't want him going any longer between eating at this age!). Swaddling seemed like a good thing, but over in the nighttime parenting section I've seen lots of comments about swaddling and cosleeping being dangerous... so now I'm torn. He does not sleep better cuddled up to either of us! in fact he seems to have a hard time settling when we cuddle him in bed at night.

He's also constantly vocal while awake. It seems like he fusses constantly while his eyes are open.

Is this normal? I bet it's pretty obvious I'm a first time mama

[Abraisme]

It's totally normal. My DD was like that, only I kept her swaddled until she was 7mo. If she wasn't swaddled she'd flail around all night and wake herself up every few minutes. I think swaddling and co-sleeping is fine. My DD sleeps on a home-made co-sleeper right next to me, we've never had any issues. I think you should do whatever allows you to get the most sleep.

[P.J.]

I have a 4 week old son too, and I also can't believe some of the sounds that come out of him! DH and I laugh sometimes just because to see this tiny sweet baby making such sounds is such a contrast! His grunts can be really loud and very guttural, and he always makes the loudest ones upon awakening...it's what gets me up when he does! But he does it pretty much all the time when he's awake. I think, as for the noise, it's just normal, and at least in our case it is not fussing.

As for the restless sleep, I don't really know what to say. Maybe he'd rest more peacefully in one of those sidecar co-sleeper cribs? I've heard some babies really do want their own sleep space.

[shannonsmommy]

Speaking from personal experience with my (almost) three week old daughter, all those little noises he makes are completely normal. The first night my daughter spent at home I was a nervous wreck, looking over into her bassinet every time she made the slightest noise, convinced she was having trouble breathing because of her little grunts, gargles, and other odd sounds. She has reflux and frequently spit up, and there were times I was just convinced that she was choking by what I heard.

I remember calling my mother in tears and telling her I just couldn't sleep, not because Shannon wasn't sleeping, but because I was so worried about all the sounds coming from her bassinet.

She still does that- and even cries and flails her arms in her sleep occasionally- and before I understood that it was normal I'd often accidentally wake her by rushing to comfort her, not realizing she was actually still asleep as she did all this.

She's swaddled now and sleeps in a bassinet- which I pull over to the edge of the bed beside me- and that seems to help her get a good night's rest. I've adjusted to her noises and have a better handle on what is normal for her now- and I'm sure you'll do the same.

Don't worry, Mama, your little boy is fine, despite what a noisy sleeper he is.