I know this sounds lame, but can you get some fun books on your phone? Or play a game on your phone? I remember at one point I got really bored and started playing roller coaster tycoon on my phone. It helped for a few days.... I also got pretty interested in what was going on outside the window. There was a tree with a pretty bird that showed up a lot. I got really into that bird haha.

The entire newborn period is time of war. You do whatever you need to survive.

I had a bad napper so I feel you. Once I sleep trained life got better. In the early stages I did a lot of babywearing.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baby is a slow eater and my storage capacity is low so he eats every 2 hours, for 45 minutes each feed, which means I’m spending literally half my day feeding him. He also won’t sleep except in my arms so I spend the next hour holding him and then the cycle repeats.

Mine was like this and he slowly grew out of it. Around 6 months I felt like I was getting my life back. My second is much less needy.

I wish I had known some babies just don't sleep well so I wouldn't have spent 30 minutes trying to get a baby to sleep for at most 45 minutes.

This is how my good sleeper was at 8 weeks. At least 20 minutes of swaddle and rocking to “drowsy but awake” and then putting her in the bassinet and rocking her with my hand for several more minutes for every shitty nap. I used to set a timer so I wouldn’t go insane. A few weeks after that it was 5 minutes and now at 12 weeks I just put her in her crib and wave goodbye. The naps are still 45 minutes though.

Sorry hit submit too early, the point is even easy sleepers can be tough at that age. It gets better soon. Imo keep trying to do drowsy but awake as best you can because it might pay off, but use the carrier so you can eat a delivery sandwich and fold the laundry.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Baby is a slow eater and my storage capacity is low so he eats every 2 hours, for 45 minutes each feed, which means I’m spending literally half my day feeding him. He also won’t sleep except in my arms so I spend the next hour holding him and then the cycle repeats.

Mine was like this and he slowly grew out of it. Around 6 months I felt like I was getting my life back. My second is much less needy.

I wish I had known some babies just don't sleep well so I wouldn't have spent 30 minutes trying to get a baby to sleep for at most 45 minutes.

This is how my good sleeper was at 8 weeks. At least 20 minutes of swaddle and rocking to “drowsy but awake” and then putting her in the bassinet and rocking her with my hand for several more minutes for every shitty nap. I used to set a timer so I wouldn’t go insane. A few weeks after that it was 5 minutes and now at 12 weeks I just put her in her crib and wave goodbye. The naps are still 45 minutes though.

Four weeks is the worst. It will get better. 8 weeks for some sanity, and been it gets better gradually until between 5 and 6 when you sleep train.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 to PP who mentioned eat-awake-sleep and the 5Ses, I would check out taking cara babies too. I could never/would never hold for all naps. A carrier nap now and then, sure, but I would be an insane person.

It is easy to say if you have a baby that will go down for a nap. Not all do.

Yeah...... literally nobody holds a baby for nap with garbage can and sink overflowing, no clean laundry, greasy hair from shower >48 hours ago, coffee cooling on the kitchen counter out of reach etc etc

OP look into meal prep. There are all kinds of recipes for slamming something frozen into the oven then having at hot meal 60 min later. Try to do housework on the weekends

Anonymous wrote:Baby is a slow eater and my storage capacity is low so he eats every 2 hours, for 45 minutes each feed, which means I’m spending literally half my day feeding him. He also won’t sleep except in my arms so I spend the next hour holding him and then the cycle repeats.

Mine was like this and he slowly grew out of it. Around 6 months I felt like I was getting my life back. My second is much less needy.

I wish I had known some babies just don't sleep well so I wouldn't have spent 30 minutes trying to get a baby to sleep for at most 45 minutes.

Lots of good wisdom posted already. I posted a similar question when my DS was that age. It does get better slowly. Once bedtime is established and you have some alone time at night, then once they sleep through, then all the other small milestones. It gets better, I promise! Never easy, but better, and more doable.

Anonymous wrote:Eight weeks. Hang in there!

+1 and I watched all seasons of The Mindy Project. Good luck!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1 to PP who mentioned eat-awake-sleep and the 5Ses, I would check out taking cara babies too. I could never/would never hold for all naps. A carrier nap now and then, sure, but I would be an insane person.

It is easy to say if you have a baby that will go down for a nap. Not all do.

So true. My almost 5 month old will only nap when held and I’ve been trying to train him. Sleep training worked better for nights thank God.

OP, buy some Bluetooth wireless headphones. Easier to watch. Maybe a refurbished iPad too. Together that’s $200 for endless entertainment while you hold the baby for naps.

Anonymous wrote:+1 to PP who mentioned eat-awake-sleep and the 5Ses, I would check out taking cara babies too. I could never/would never hold for all naps. A carrier nap now and then, sure, but I would be an insane person.

It is easy to say if you have a baby that will go down for a nap. Not all do.

+1 to PP who mentioned eat-awake-sleep and the 5Ses, I would check out taking cara babies too. I could never/would never hold for all naps. A carrier nap now and then, sure, but I would be an insane person.

For me 8 weeks was when breastfeeding didn’t hurt horribly every time and 12 weeks was when I started to feel like myself again.

Ignore me if you have already tried these things, but I was in a similar boat around this time, though DD didn't have too much trouble sleeping in the crib.
- used the eat, awake, sleep routine, with 60-90 minute wake windows, so put baby down to sleep around 60-90 minutes after waking
- When putting baby down, used a swaddle blanket with velcro to contain the moro reflex, and used the other 4 "Ss" to calm her down since she didn't love the swaddle (held her on her side facing away from me, swayed her with short movements like a little bobblehead, shushed her and offered pacifier for sucking), then when she was calm I'd put her down in the crib on her back and gently rocked her side to side with my hand on her torso, until she fell asleep.