Re: When does this get better?

Originally Posted by
@llli*shelly3578
First, I should say I breast fed my son for over 2 years as a SAHM. It was trying but I don't remember it being as hard as my little 7 week old hungry monster I have now! lol I've written on her before and I really appreciate the time to answer my questions.
I've been reading some moms asking when does this get better?..."my baby wakes every 2 hours to feed, I need a break" but the thing is, my baby has never given me a break for more than an hour during the day and wakes me up 3 times during the night. She doesn't take a pacifier, hates the swing, hate swaddling...she basically uses me as one big paci while I'm home. I am always nursing her....if I do get a chance to take a shower or make a QUICK dinner, it's when my boyfriend is holding her...sometimes crying...mostly crying. She will sometimes fall asleep in carseat for rides but will wake up soon after the car stops. I'm not really comfy with breastfeeding in public, and even if I was, I'd have to carry around with her on me the time because she really is never satisfied. The only real time I can say that I fed her and she was satisfied is maybe in the early morning when I'm full. Other than that, there has never been a moment where she is satisfied and takes a nap. Maybe 15 minutes tops and she is back up crying. My boyfriend thinks I should stop because all I do from the moment I came home was nurse her. It's even hard to give time to my 13 year old and 3 yrs old. I feel really guilty. Every day it seems I talk my self into quitting for the sake of my other kids and sanity but I always end up nursing her when my boyfriend mentions giving a bottle, cos I've gotten to this point...and hoping there is a bright side to this story. I know there is, just don't know when I can actually feed her, and know she will be satisfied take a nap for an hour or two and I can go to the store, take a shower without hearing her crying outside, play with my kids, spend time with my boyfriend....
I'm asking at what age did it get better.....but the norm for even the mothers that say they need a break, their baby will nap for at least an hour...
I would say for me it got better at 12 weeks. Otherwise my first 3 months were like yours except more like 10 awakenings per night and a few no sleep nights here and there. I was exhausted and my husband basically did everything. Will she sleep on your boyfriend after she's well fed? Sometimes that was my break. I got her nice and full and sleepy and then put her on DH's chest and she got a nice warm body to snuggle with that wasn't mine. It gave me 15 to 60 min. Not great but better than zero. Usually I showered first! Also he had his own baby carrier and he'd put her in it facing in and go for a walk in the neighborhood. Sometimes that lasted an hour as well. I had to train myself not to be frustrated if he was back in 15. These early weeks are rough, but they're also precious and they don't last forever. Our 10 month old still only sleeps on us so if we want her well rested that's the choice we make. She's napping on me right now while I type this!
Good luck mama. It'll get better before you know it.
1st time mom over 40 to Alex(andra) b: 7/14/12