My wife and I just got home from the hospital yesterday with our newborn baby boy Ethan. Up until this point he had been a relativley quiet baby, but sunday night we could not get him to go to sleep. My wife (Jessi) had tried everything from feeding him constasntly to both of us checking his diaper and holding him. I know the first several days or months are hard with a newborn, but I feel like I'm not helping enough and my wife and I (at least I know I am) are stressed out and tired. Any help at all would be greatly appreciated.
2006-11-13 00:02:22 · 19 answers · asked by joshua_s_rapp 1 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Congratulations on your little boy! It looks like you have a ton of great advice here. I don't know if this has been posted, but if your wife is breastfeeding, is she producing enough milk? He may not be getting enough to eat. Your pediatrician can help you with this. If this isn't the case, have you tried swaddling? It's not for every baby, but it works for most. The Amazing Miracle Blanket was a wonderful find for us because our little girl could get out of the other blankets. I also recommend buying or checking out The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Dr. Harvey Karp. Good luck and enjoy your little one!
2006-11-13 14:21:08 · answer #1 · answered by KatyZo 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Imagine how this feels to your son. All this stimulation and different feelings from just a few short days ago when he was insulated, isolated and darn happy. Then begin to calm down.
The first few weeks are rough, but all you can do is move through them. The very first thing I would suggest is that you call family and friends and ask them to come be with the baby so you guys can sleep alittle. Even just a few hours will make all the difference in your frustration level. This is a must, you need to ask for help.
Second, if your wife is breast feeding you are going to feel like a third wheel. Frankly there isn't much you can do except be supportive and take the baby in between feedings. A baby shouldn't need to feed constantly and leave the diaper alone for a while.
Bundling helps a newborn. Google it and see if you can get an illustration, it really does help to snugly bundle the baby.
Put your clean pinkie in his mouth or get a pacifier, he's learning to suck and so let him.
You will get through this time, just calm down don't try so hard and do the things that comfort you, like rocking.
Good luck to you and your family.
2006-11-13 00:23:05 · answer #2 · answered by tjnstlouismo 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Congratulations on your bundle of joy.
To try and relax bub you could try the following...
Wrapping him up
Cuddling him
Singing to him and or constantly talking to him
Putting on some music
Putting on a household appliance with routine noise such as the washing machine, dryer, or the tv or radio on a non channel. A lot of babies find that this sort of constant noise is soothing. You can also buy CD's with this sound... white noise I think it's called.
Take him for a walk in the stroller
Take him for a drive (babies love the vibration which can lull them to sleep)
Try sitting and just rocking him gently
Try a vibrating bouncer or baby rocker (highly recommended, some even play music and have a toy bar)
Give him a relaxing bath and massage
Read him a story (babies love to hear your voice, so it really doesn't matter even if you're reading them the newspaper or magazine).
Feed him more, until you are certain that he couldn't possibly be hungry. (remember that babies only have tiny tummies, so they can be hungry every 2 hours or so).
Make sure that there is a soft light in your child's room, or where ever they are sleeping. Nightlights are perfect. Your baby may be unsettled from the change in lighting.
If you are still concerned that he isn't settling as he should, take him to your doctor or hospital for a check up. Also to put your minds at ease and ask for some advise from a health care professional.
2006-11-13 00:35:52 · answer #3 · answered by Netto 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Try swaddling him. Newborns take a little bit to get over their bad selves. It's only been a few days, so he is still getting use to the outside. A bouncy seat with vibration, or an infant swing did the trick for my two. We even sat iher in the seat on the running dryer sometimes. If he continues to be fussy over the next month it could be colic. Hyland's colic tablets, available at healthfood stores, calm them down quite nicely. If he seems gassy, the gas drops for infants work pretty well. Start listening to the difference in his cries-tough but there are differences! "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" is a great book written by a newborn nanny who has helped thousands of households through the transition of bringing home a newborn. I learned it was important to get baby to adhere to a schedule from her, and once I did, it made all the difference. You guys are getting use to each other. Give it some time and trial and error-and sleep whenever you can. The first year is a long one!
2006-11-13 00:24:38 · answer #4 · answered by radlmama 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
New babies generally are much different when they come home, especially 1st babies, cos parents worry a lot, feel and throw off their awkwardness etc,
baby will getused to home, just be patient.
After feeding , burping checking nappy etc, and all seems well, put bubs down, but if baby continues to cry and you still feel helpless, sometimes a lovely all over gentle massage, will help relax baby, is wonderful therapy for life, helps baby settle, relaxes both baby and who ever is massaging baby, sometimes a very nice warm bath will also settle a baby who won,t go down easily.
Massage for babies is something that will reward you all in many ways in the years ahead, stress and upset tummy, colic etc, are usually things these babies don,t suffer with.
Books on baby massage are readily availabe, and there is lots online about this also.
It would also be something both you and your wife can learn to do, and share, while the other makes a cuppa, or has a sleep, or for that matter you do together.
Good luck, of course if it continues( the crying and upset for more than a week, I would seek out help from midwife also.
But still continue the massage, you won,t be sorry.
Sandy T.
Mum of 4 nanna to 14
2006-11-13 00:13:08 · answer #5 · answered by Sandry T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Two words: swaddling & pacifier
Newborns usually like to be swaddled. Theres a product that's called a SleepSack Swaddler that is great for this. However, you can use a recieving blanket for swaddling instead.
Also, if you haven't tried a pacifier it may help. The SIDS Foundation actually recommends now that babies sleep with a pacifier. Also, sometimes babies just want to suck because it's soothing, not because they're hungry.
There's a video called "The Happiest Baby On The Block" that totally saved us when our son was that little. There's a book too, but I found the video to be much more helpful.
Good luck & Best Wishes!
2006-11-13 00:25:00 · answer #6 · answered by CatTech 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's probably not going to help but the first few days and nights are the absolute worst. Your trying to get to know each other, it's a strange place for the baby to be in and to sleep in, and your all a bit hyped up. Try to calm down a bit (easy I know...I have been there!) just do what you feels right for you all and after a couple of days it will all slip into place. If your not sure though ask your Midwife or Health Visitor. Just all sleep when you can, eat when you can and just close the door to the outside world for a day or so to all get acquanited.....all the very best...it's the absolute best thing and I hope you've got your camera!!
2006-11-13 00:55:50 · answer #7 · answered by aza 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
get some outside help like your mom her mom your sister her sisters you can get some sleep and they will be able to spend some time with the baby if you think something is wrong with your baby you should take her to see the doctor and i know because when my child was 3 months old the baby cried all night i couldnt do anything to comfort my baby it was like normal everybody said oh its gas itll go away i was not convience so i took the baby to the emergency room my baby didnt have gas my baby had spinal meningitious i know its spelled wrong but anyway my baby spent 14 days in the hospital and when the baby got out a nurse came out another 10 days so it doesnt hurt to be safe
2006-11-13 00:18:47 · answer #8 · answered by Avis S 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Firstly congratulations on the birth of your baby boy. Newborns have to get into a routine just like you do with him. Its just lots of TLC and patience. Things will fall into place at some point and it shouldnt take that long to distingish his crys to his needs. I know its hard and tiring ive had 4 children and it doesnt get an easier, your wife needs a lot of rest and so do you, rest and relax when you can.Hope things go well with him xxx
2006-11-13 00:06:51 · answer #9 · answered by spensmum 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
check with your doctor on the formula, sometimes the formula gives them a reaction and all they want to do is cry, cry to the point that the are so red faced like they are hurting really bad, took the baby to the doc and he was switched formulas and is a happy camper once again, also over feeding the baby will cause gas rock the baby back and forth on your lap this helps alot to. good luck
2006-11-13 00:54:56 · answer #10 · answered by sissy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋