Anonymous wrote:I am a SAHM. The first few months, my baby was just feeding and sleeping.

I was on her schedule.

My mom and DH were there to look after her, they would bring her to me for nursing and that was the extent of my involvement. At night time, I would pump one feed and hand it to my DH after nursing the baby. He took care of the 4 am feeding. So, I used to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep at night. I used to continue dozing in the daytime.

Thankfully, we had hired helpers to take care of house cleaning, laundry and cooking - so that was a big help.

So unhelpful with your army of hired help.

I only had 2, but when my second was born, I just carried him or pushed him in the stroller. He slept or woke up when he decided to. Other than bedtime I didn't really try to put him to sleep. Sleep just happened, and meanwhile I went through life one handed much of the time.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what do SAHMs do? I mean, my other kids are in daycare all day while I’m home on maternity leave. I literally have no idea how I would watch all three alone at this stage. There must be a way to get a baby like this to sleep without literally spending hours on it!

Baby carrier

Yeah, I'm a SAHM of five and there is no secret or trick. Some of my kids have been chill newborns. Some have not. You get through it, and you do what you have to do to make that happen. There are desperate posts from me in here from all five of them...

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what do SAHMs do? I mean, my other kids are in daycare all day while I’m home on maternity leave. I literally have no idea how I would watch all three alone at this stage. There must be a way to get a baby like this to sleep without literally spending hours on it!

Hired a babysitter or gave my kids the iPad, sadly.

OP here.

This actually makes me feel better. Sometimes it seems like there must be some trick or secret I just don’t know. Seems like most of us are just muddling through the first few months.

i'm a sahm of 3 (dp): the house goes to crap and everything gets back burnered

The closest protip I can give you is aim for an older baby's sleep schedule

it's ok to wear headphones to watch something while the baby cries at you

I am a SAHM. The first few months, my baby was just feeding and sleeping.

I was on her schedule.

My mom and DH were there to look after her, they would bring her to me for nursing and that was the extent of my involvement. At night time, I would pump one feed and hand it to my DH after nursing the baby. He took care of the 4 am feeding. So, I used to get at least 6-8 hours of sleep at night. I used to continue dozing in the daytime.

Thankfully, we had hired helpers to take care of house cleaning, laundry and cooking - so that was a big help.

One of mine was still in the nicu at that age and the other one only slept while being held, so I have no idea.

Why does he have to be asleep? He might need more awake time? It’s ok to lay him down or put him in a swing etc. don’t need to carry him every waking moment.

When he’s awake make sure he’s in daylight, fresh air as much as possible. At 6 weeks they start knowing night from day. Naps and bedtime in a dark room, noise machine etc.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what do SAHMs do? I mean, my other kids are in daycare all day while I’m home on maternity leave. I literally have no idea how I would watch all three alone at this stage. There must be a way to get a baby like this to sleep without literally spending hours on it!

Hired a babysitter or gave my kids the iPad, sadly.

OP here.

This actually makes me feel better. Sometimes it seems like there must be some trick or secret I just don’t know. Seems like most of us are just muddling through the first few months.

Anonymous wrote:Ergo so he sleeps while you do chores?

I don’t know, I had some terrible sleepers. I never got the hang of them until they were 5 months and we ferberized them.

OP here Yeah, we sleep train right at 4 months (with a dreamfeed, we use the Sleep Easy Solution) so it’s a short term problem (and barely a “problem,” after one with colic I know this is really nbd). I’m just annoyed, it was a rough day.

I do a carrier naps sometimes for the fourth nap, more like a little catnap, cause the big kids are home then. But that guarantees a short nap (max 45 mins).

Maybe I’ll see if any neighbors have one of those yoga balls you can bounce on, I’ve heard some babies love that.

Anonymous wrote:OP here - what do SAHMs do? I mean, my other kids are in daycare all day while I’m home on maternity leave. I literally have no idea how I would watch all three alone at this stage. There must be a way to get a baby like this to sleep without literally spending hours on it!

Hired a babysitter or gave my kids the iPad, sadly.

Ergo so he sleeps while you do chores?

I don’t know, I had some terrible sleepers. I never got the hang of them until they were 5 months and we ferberized them.

Bueller?

OP here - what do SAHMs do? I mean, my other kids are in daycare all day while I’m home on maternity leave. I literally have no idea how I would watch all three alone at this stage. There must be a way to get a baby like this to sleep without literally spending hours on it!

It’s taking like an hour to get my six week old to fall asleep. For all naps and bedtime. I’m watching wake windows, about 60-70 mins, shorter or longer makes it worse.

Rocking chair and pacifier works… sometimes. Letting him cry in our arms for a few mins works… occasionally. Holding him upright, walking around with him in our arms, gripe water, even putting him down drowsy but still awake and letting him fuss/cry for 5 mins (not really comfortable with any more than that, he’s so young) - all these work every once in a while. And he’ll usually nap in the stroller so I do that once a day.

But nothing seems to work consistently, I’m spending like five hours a day trying to get this child to sleep and I’m TIRED. And bored. Any suggestions?

FWIW - I’m a third time mom! But my first had colic (nothing worked!) and the second could be reliably rocked to sleep in 15 mins, 90% of the time. I’ve never had a “medium” baby before, only easy and impossible.