[ShannonMVT]

*sigh* I really wanted this to work. Matthew ate about 5 times between 8:30 pm and 10:30 pm so I thought for sure he'd go down well even though he had slept a lot during the day. I put the Miracle blanket on him and we tried that until about 3:00 am when I gave up. I'd feed him, hold him up for about 10 minutes, then put him in his (inclined) co-sleeper. He'd spit up, then he'd cry, then I'd have to pick him up again, try and calm him, didn't work, nurse him again, hold him up for 10 minutes, down again, spit up again, crying again, nursing again, over and over. It also seemed like the miracle blanket was just pissing him off because he couldn't turn over on his side. But I don't know if the problem was he didn't want to be laid down, or it was the spit up (still not sure if he has reflux, sometimes he is a happy spitter, sometimes not), or if it was the miracle blanket. I changed him into a sleeper and gave him to Dh at 3:00 and he slept 4 hours (a new record) with Dh holding him. My problem is I just can't sleep on my back while holding him. I'm not comfortable with co-sleeping and even if I was, he is supposed to be sleeping on an inclined surface to help with the spitting up.
Should I give the Miracle blanket another try tonight? I'm hesitant because this past night was such a disaster.

Also, did anyone else deal with a frequent nurser? The books all say he will need to eat 8-12 times a day, but I don't think we have had a day where he was nursed less than at least 16 times a day. Granted, some of the feedings are shorter, but still! I keep hoping this is a growth spurt?!

[~Jess~]

He's only 2 weeks old, so yes, that's pretty normal. Remember, he's used to being cradled in your womb 24 hours a day. Smelling your scent, hearing your heartbeat, feeling your warmth. He's now transitioning to the outside world and has a deep instinctual need for YOU. Then he is laid down in a cold bed away from you, where he can't feel you, smell you, or hear you. Then, he gets uncomfortable and spits up, and that just makes him want you and need you even more. It's rough, I know. My babies wouldn't sleep anywhere except on my chest for the first 6-8 weeks of their little lives. If I tried to lay them down elsewhere, they'd wake up screaming. I transitioned them all to their cribs without any problems after about 3-4 months.

I did find that sometimes they would let me lay them in the boppy right next to me on the bed. I would lay a blanket over the top of the boppy so that they couldn't slip down inside the center of it, and I'd wait until they'd been asleep for at least 20 minutes before laying them down. I think the boppy made them feel like they were still being cradled, and if you wear the blanket inside your bra for a few hours and let your milk leak onto it, then it'll also smell like you...

Here's a pic, but the blanket actually isn't laying over it in this one:

[~*Bethy*~]

Awwww shannon!!!! Hang in there!!! Have you tried swaddling and putting him in a swing?! If not, try it - it worked WONDERS for Morgan. No one could hold her while she was sleeping - not even me!!! Give the miracle blanket another try and rock him, see if that helps!!

~Beth

[Mars]

to Jess' and Beth's posts.