Need more help - getting sleep!!

[psychocandy]

So, i've always heard to sleep when your baby sleeps. What happens when your baby only sleeps 10 minute stretches at a time? She is constantly nursing, although sometimes she slows way down and pretty much sleeps with my nipple in her mouth. If I try to break the seal, she starts crying hysterically. I am feeding her all day and all night and getting 20 minutes of sleep here and there. Help me! I need to get sleep! How long will this last? I am so tired.

[ChristSavesAll]

Have you tried laying on your side and bfing? You get sleep and baby gets breast. Use something to support you behind your back so you can sorta lay into it which is comfy for you. Works very well for me and Seraphim. Good luck!

[veronicalynne]

Originally Posted by ChristSavesAll

Have you tried laying on your side and bfing? You get sleep and baby gets breast. Use something to support you behind your back so you can sorta lay into it which is comfy for you. Works very well for me and Seraphim. Good luck!

That is exactly what I do with Mr. Jaffer too. It is the only way he will sleep long enough for me to either sleep or do anything. Mind you, if I leave, he is guaranteed to wake up in 15-20 minutes tops.

[psychocandy]

Hmm..I've tried that, but I am afraid my breasts are too big. I have to hold the weight of them off of her, or it seals off her nose and she breaks the latch. Once I fall asleep, I drop it, and she breaks the latch and starts to cry.

[lil_earthmomma]

Feeding laying down requires patience on both your parts and practice. I didn't get the hang of it until much later on and wish I'd tried more when ds #1 was a newborn, as I would have been much more well rested!

Good luck, and don't give up. Wiggle around lots until you have a good latch that isn't squishing your lo and you are comfy in. I find that if I latch ds on, and then wiggle down the bed a little, this pulls my breast away from ds's nose and he can breathe.

[Three~Little~Birds]

I agree that lying down and nursing takes a lot of practice - it took me 3 months of practicing with my first baby! Seriously! But it is so worth getting the hang of it.

Does baby nurse non-stop like that all day and all night or just right now (like a growth spurt?) If so, maybe there is another issue, like a poor latch and she is not satisfied...hmmm...I don't know though...

Hang in there (like you have a choice!). Sleep deprivation is the worst. I think that they actually use sleep deprivation as a form of torture in the military! Hugs, Mama.

[psychocandy]

She's only a week old, but most days she sleeps for about 4-8 hours in one stretch and I can't get her to nurse at all. Then she nurses pretty much the rest of the time - sometimes she's just latched on and there is no real sucking, and soemtimes she is going to town.

Yesterday there was no sleep time at all.

[Shiloh]

I am very very large chested I do the lying down propping baby lying on my arm...boob and nipple get to right height and angle and won't fall onto baby's face...

I mean the baby lies on my entire arm..not the head on my arm...
and use pillow on back....am I making sense?

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by psychocandy

Hmm..I've tried that, but I am afraid my breasts are too big. I have to hold the weight of them off of her, or it seals off her nose and she breaks the latch. Once I fall asleep, I drop it, and she breaks the latch and starts to cry.

I have big breasts too, and thats why I suggested something behind you that you can lay in to, a body pillow is great. Another thing is to pull babes but in toward you as much as you can, that helps angle them better, this combined with the body pillow should have you getting some good sleep tonight

Good luck!

[ChristSavesAll]

Originally Posted by psychocandy

She's only a week old, but most days she sleeps for about 4-8 hours in one stretch and I can't get her to nurse at all. Then she nurses pretty much the rest of the time - sometimes she's just latched on and there is no real sucking, and soemtimes she is going to town.

Yesterday there was no sleep time at all.

When she starts doing this, show her there are other ways of being comforted, pick her up and walk around with her. Seraphim is tired of looking at my room and gets very fussy, but leave the room and she is happy as can be with new things to look at. Sometimes when they arent hungry you have to learn to let them fuss it off. I don't mean let them scream and cry alone or for very long but I lay Seraphim tummy down across my legs and let her fuss for a couple minutes then pick her up and walk her or rock her a bit. Right now they think that only sucking will provide comfort but they learn to enjoy being walked around as well and they also will slowly learn to comfort themselves. Sometimes I will let Seraphim fuss for a few minutes and she falls asleep on her own, mind you she is not screaming just fussing and usually all it takes is a couple minutes never more than 3 at the moment since she is so young. Hope this helps.