When does it get easier?

Solafide

I'm sure this has been asked a million times but, when does it get easier?  My boys are almost 5 weeks old and I'm barely keeping my head above water.  It seems they never sleep at the same time, especially at night.  The sleep deprivation is killing us!  So, give me something to look forward to!  When did it get easier for you?

sarahjane936

They will start sleeping better.  You will settle into a routine.  And, I'm pretty sure your body figures out how to function on less sleep.

Hang in there!  I promise you will sleep someday.

MontyMrs

sarahjane936:

They will start sleeping better.  You will settle into a routine.  And, I'm pretty sure your body figures out how to function on less sleep.

Hang in there!  I promise you will sleep someday.

This!!! It's so tough at the beginning ((hugs))  It gets better and more fun too.  

TheBachelorette

Every day gets a little better.  They just have to settle into a routine.  For us, things started looking better right around 8 weeks.  By 12 weeks they were sleeping through the night.  It will get easier and soon.  I promise.

jdancer5

For us it got much better by 3mo when we moved bedtime back (gradually) to 7pm. It was heaven to have my evenings back to chill or do housework. By 4mo BFings were SO much shorter, giving us time to go out in between feeds. That was the point when I felt like I could really manage my whole life again without needing help. By 5mo I stopped pumping after every BF (hallelujah!!!), and by 6mo they STTN 12 hours. All of those were major milestones for us that made things Much easier. You're getting through the toughest part now!!

kkghotty

It will get better!  You are right in the thick of things right now.  Give yourself a few more weeks and they should start sleeping for longer stretches at night.  Mine were preemies and starting sleeping 6-8 hour stretches at about 12-14 weeks.  Hang in there!

cookiemonster03

At 11w/6w adjusted they started sleeping 5 hrs at a time at night. Not always at the same time, but it was still heaven. Last night (12/7) one slept 10-5 and the other only got up at 2 am. Divine. It'll improve!

natb22

The first 2 months were HARDER then sh*t. Right at 5 weeks my girls started sleeping 2-3 hours at a time, by 8 weeks they were sleeping 4-6 hrs at a time, and STTN at 12 weeks. It WILL get easier

Now having said that..im wondering the same thing again because this 6 mo growth spurt/milestone/teething thing is killing me! Screwing with their sleep and mine. Definately a challenge.

Leigh71

My DD1 was on oxygen for 3 months.  As soon as we said goodbye to her equipment, it seemed much better.  The beginning is very hard.  I felt like a walking zombie. 

violaplayer

It will get better, I swear! *hugs* you will get through this.

LALASEPT05

I think some improvement around 12 weeks and really much better at 6 months. Hang in there...it will happen.

KarliB84

It was just a few short weeks ago that I felt the same exact way as you, and I can tell you it does get better!! My girls are 14 weeks today and I saw HUGE improvement around 11 weeks when they started sleeping between 8-12 hours at night depending on the day and we started to be able to have somewhat of a schedule during the day. Everyday seems better and better and they are smiling and interacting with us and that makes things just so wonderful!! 

  Hang in there!! You can do this! ; ) 

LakeGenevaBride

Hang in there mama.   I asked the exact same question when my boys were newborns.  For me 3 months was a turning point b/c I got better at feeding them and they didn't spit up as much and didn't require as much burping.  Plus, one started SSTN at that point.  I hated those first couple months.  It really does get better.  Right now, do whatever you have to do to make it easier on you.  Let them sleep in swings or bouncers or whatever it takes.  After the 4am feeding we always put them in their swings b/c we found they would sleep later in their swings than in their cribs.  

LakeGenevaBride

Just wanted to add that I think it also got better b/c I went on an anti-anxiety med 9 weeks pp, so by 3 months post partum I was feeling much better.  I only took the medication for 5 months, but it was a huge help during those early months. 

missfire

I will agree that it gets better ... BUT, I highly recommend dealing with your sleep deprivation NOW! Around 7 weeks, my DH and I hit a wall where I was crying all the time, we could barely handle my older son, couldn't form coherent sentences, etc. We needed some sleep to be capable parents. And my twins are nine months old and still do not STTN, despite many other things starting to feel easier. What I have heard since then is that it takes a 3-hour stretch of sleep every night to maintain your basic functions, and two 3-hour stretches if you are starting out sleep deprived.

Our solution was to hire a postpartum doula twice a week, then once a week for about a month. She watched the twins overnight for 8 hours while DH and I got 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep. It was pricey, but it was very necessary. You can also try trading shifts with your DH, so someone watches them from 7 to midnight and the other from midnight to 5, etc. Or ask a good friend or family member to come help you all night while your DH sleeps, and then have another volunteer with DH the next night while you sleep.

You may be close to improvement already, but since you can't know whether your kids will STTN at 9 weeks or 9 months, figure out a way to take care of yourselves in the meantime! And good luck!