in December 2024 Babies 🇬🇧

Is this normal? Not enjoying being a mum right now :(

I don’t think there’s anything ‘wrong’ with my 7 week old baby - she feeds fairly well, sleeps fairly well - maybe 80% of the time in the ‘next to me’ at night, and Moses basket in the day, usually 1-2hrs at a time, and 3-4hrs for the first night stretch. I think, on the face of it, I’m fairly lucky? But, she doesn’t seem happy or content and spends any awake time fussing or crying - waking up after a nap is a 0-60 starving scream. She often arches and fusses after feeds - I burp her often but that doesn’t seem to help. She hates the sling, we occasionally manage a few minutes of tummy time, but they’re not fun. Bath times are stressful and she’ll often poo or puke in the water 🥴. Maybe I had unrealistic expectations, but I’d hoped to be ‘playing’ a bit by now, or sitting and reading/engaging with an awake but not fussing/screaming baby. Maybe my previous experience has been of older babies and I’ve not known 🤷🏻‍♀️ it’s just not a lot of fun. Just a rant of sadness I suppose, but is this normal?!

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It's totally normal. You probably won't get that play/reading fun stuff until they're around 3 months old. Also, every baby is different. Motherhood is difficult, and I don't think people are ever really honest about how hard the 4th trimester is. You'll get through it. Maybe speak to your Health Visitor or GP about the arching and fussiness . Could it be something else like silent reflux? Bath time isn't always fun. Some babies love it and some scream the place down they'll get used to it eventually. It's fine to be sad sometimes, but definitely talk to people about it xx

It’s completely normal, I’m going through the same thing with my 7 week old son. I could’ve written your post myself, trust me you are not alone. Most likely down to a growth spurt as they get really fussy between 6-8 weeks. Have you checked if she may be teething? X

I’ve been through this, people really aren’t honest about how difficult the newborn stage is, it’s not the dream everyone paints it to be and maternity leave isn’t the break everyone thinks it is newborn life is very demanding. Is your baby formula fed? We changed formula and he chilled out so much, he just seemed so uncomfortable and unhappy before we changed x

I’ve read between 6-8 weeks if a fussy period. I’m feeling it too. There’s lots of developments happening. It’s literally like I’m watching my son realise he’s been born and he’s not happy about it!

Although some fussiness is totally normal, if she’s more fussy than content I would try to figure out why. She might have some discomfort that could be solved. Silent reflux? Allergy? Tension in the body?

My little girl is 7 weeks on Saturday and I could’ve written this myself. She sleeps so well at night, last night she slept from 10pm to 4am so have to try and count myself lucky but It’s so difficult in the day when she’s awake, she always seems so unsettled and in discomfort. HV said colic peaks around 6-8 weeks and their learning how to use their bowels so the grunting and crying will ease, hoping better days come for us all 🩷🙏🏼😭

As others have said, I could’ve written this myself too. Not enjoying awake times and finding it really hard on constant nighttime broken sleep and no sleep in the day. Desperate to enjoy awake times and do tummy time / sensory stuff etc but he’s so cranky most of the time. Daren’t go out to places as unless he’s asleep, he just seems to cry xx

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