We made it to 3 months (long)

NeonNoon

I don't have a ton of experience with babies, but DS is by far the most intense baby I've come across/watched.

He was loud as soon as he arrived. He refused to stay asleep in the hospital bassinet from day 1. I didn't get any sleep until a sympathetic nurse helped me set up the bed rails for bed-sharing. I was about ready to sleep on the floor. He nursed almost all the time.

Once we were home he would only nap in my lap/carrier or if I were in bed with him. Otherwise, he'd be up after a few minutes, screaming.

He's so easily stimulated, his own sneezes sent him into a crying fit. He still needs consoling through the hiccups. Baths don't relax him. They used to freak him out and now they excite him.

I haven't driven since he was born. 10 min car rides are too stressful for him, even with me sitting in the back, unless he's put in the seat already asleep. We pray for the lights to stay green!

I needed to take breaks from pumping for the occasional bottle because that involved having him nap in the wrap while I pumped, desperately hoping he wouldn't wake up. Of course, he would.

I paced with him for hours a day, with music on. Holding him wasn't enough. I couldn't do chores while he was awake in the wrap or he'd freak out.

He took it up a notch a couple of weeks ago. I was reduced to doing chores in 5 min blocks or not at all.

Somehow, we got through it. And as long as we responded to his needs, he was content. He rarely escalates now. And, right on his 3 month birthday, just as I was at my wit's end, he started napping on his own - preferring it, actually - and taking a pacifier. Though, getting him to sleep is another matter. I can finally eat a meal without interruption (or while lying down in bed in a dark room!)

He has the cutest smiles and babbles. He's awesome all in all. It makes the work a lot easier.

Thanks for reading. Do you have a spirited child? What's your experience like?

harmonicbabe26

Yeah my DD2... I call her Cranky Mc Crankenstein... Glad yours finally got better. Mine took 6 months to become a joy of a child. It was SO ROUGH at first. Now she's so sweet! Still needy but so much better!

niknak1208

Oooh yeah. Been there. DS is 6 now but he was and still is our challenging one. Our DD is 2 and our newest DS is one week old so we will see what he becomes. Lol.

DS number 1 was very high maintenance. As a brand new baby he slept a lot but after s week or two there was no more sleeping. He didn't sleep through the night until he was one. Wouldn't sleep at all unless I held him. I slept on our couch with him in my arms until he was one year. I was back at work after 9 weeks and totally exhausted. He had colic. He was just very high maintenance.

Now, he's the wild child. I love him to pieces. He's very creative and enthusiastic and loves people and learning and doing things hands on. He's sweet as sweet can be. He loves with his whole heart. He's sensitive. He's smart. He's funny. But that kid will press buttons you didn't know you had!! Lol

DD is very different. She's a girl and she's 2 so she has her moments for sure but she's much calmer.

Sam, our newest, is a pretty good baby. He sleeps (so far) better then either of our older kids. Hopefully he stays a good sleeper.

mandyreads

I have to wait until 8pm when DD (5mths) goes to sleep before I can get any house work done. During the day I am mostly holding her. Thankfully now that school is out I have helpers.

Guennie

Wow. I do not have a child like this, I have been very very lucky from day one. My daughter has always been pretty happy and has always been a great sleeper. Whenever I hear about someone else's struggles it is a reminder just how lucky I am. Not that everything has always been easy, I had a horrible experience with nursing and pumping and my recovery from my emergency c section was slow and painful, but I didn't have a super high maintainence baby on top of it and for that I am so thankful.

Big hugs to you for getting through this! I'm glad it's getting better!

marijaa333

Congratulations on getting to three months!!

My LO is having a lot of trouble staying sated (already eating 30oz and not even 4 weeks yet) and we're having problems with breastfeeding (he clamps down, so now I pump while my right nipple heals, and we'll try improving the latch again once it's healed); however, he's a decent sleeper and does settle down by himself when he's really tired.  I hope it gets better in another couple of weeks.

NeonNoon

Sometimes clamping down is a sign of forceful letdown or oversupply @marijaa333, which makes sense if you were only nursing on one side. My nipples were cracked too right at the start. I had to pump for a couple of days since DS had to have formula, and they healed in that time. Hope you recover quickly and make more progress

mattandlora

Our first one was, and still is, very spirited. He just turned 2. His newest trick is to climb onto the back of the recliner, lean back on it, leap across to the kitchen pass-through window, and end up in the kitchen sink. While pregnant, I left him alone in a baby-proofed room just long enough to pee. I heard a thump and a cry. He took the air vent cover off and got his leg stuck in the hole.

Today he threw a tantrum because I missed 2 dog hairs while vacuuming.

His newborn period sounds a lot like @neonnoon 's description above.

I'm surprised we had another! .So far, this one is much more relaxed. Honestly, if she's like him, we're done having kids. If not, we'll consider a 3rd. I love DS to death, and his personality will make him successful as an adult. But I can't handle another one like him!

marijaa333

@NeonNoon I wish it were oversupply - I'm mostly pumping and barely meeting his demand. He's eating 30oz a day and is going to be 4 weeks on Monday... he also chomps right when he gets to the breast and then it does get a bit better after 60 seconds, but those 60 seconds are enough to make my nipples bleed.

NeonNoon

Sounds awful @marijaa333!

niknak1208

That's awful!! I will say with this baby my milk seems to have come in slower. I remember being quite engorged with my other kids but I'm just now starting to feel fullness when it gets close to feeds. My right is kind of painful too. I usually nurse each side but my right always feels more full and kind of aches. My nipple seems more sensitive too. It really hurts when he latched on. It eases a little after a minute or so but it hurts.

It also seems like he's cluster feeding a lot. Especially in the early evening hours. I feel like he is constantly at the breast.

mindaa

Wow mama,congrats on keeping your cool that long!  Glad it's getting better. Isn't it seriously such a good thing they are so dang cute?

@niknak1208

My DS has been eating almost nonstop from about noon - 8p.m. Powers out about 2/3 of his feeding time during 1/3 of the day. He won't stop for naps, which makes him pretty fussy and means it takes a lot of work to keep him active. But the good side of this routine is that he's been sleeping pretty well at night, so I power through. 

ewenner

Thanks for sharing this. We are only ten days in, and I feel like our little guy is very similar to how you describe your LO. Your post gives me hope that we will make it through!