Newborn cluster feeding all night with toddler to look after the next day!

[xsadiex]

Wow! He fed for 6 hours in the middle of the night, I've only had 2 hours sleep. We'll be doing lots of co-sleeping I think. Need to get the hang of feeding lying down.
My first son didn't nurse this much! I was truly shocked last night. How do people cope with this when they have a toddler to look After too? I'm scared!!

 

[missk1989]

I expect their OH will be there the first couple of weeks. Maybe nursery? Im sorry you got no sleep that sounds really rough! Can anyone take your toddler for a couple hours so you can sleep?

 

[optimistic1]

I don't even have 2 babies and I feel your pain and exhaustion! It is helpful to have the OH though. I would suggest having him look after your toddler and you try to get in as many naps as possible throughout the day. I take naps when my daughter takes naps so I'm not super tired when she decides to cluster feed...but for me co sleeping is out if the question me and OH both feel it's way too dangerous to risk even if we used a co sleeper...we couldn't live with ourselves if something happened..

 

[xsadiex]

Luckily my OH is off for this month, so I'm not all alone yet. Feel a bit scared! But I kicked OH out the bed and we co-sleeped safely and he ended up falling asleep, I think he wanted to be next to mummy. I guess he's only just popped out of my belly!

 

[kitabird]

I've been there! It's really tough, but somehow you manage. I was like a zombie for the first couple of months.
Great name choice btw

 

[xsadiex]

Thanks
Felix has now decided he wants to cluster feed in the day rather than the night! I'm getting seriously sick of the sofa x

 

[summer rain]

Thankfully it was only my eldest and second youngest who were like this, eldest I had no other kids to worry about and with second youngest he usually started the cluster feeding after the other kiddos had gone to sleep, and although OH didn't get much time off from work he switched to nights as soon as he could so during the day he would at least be at home even if asleep for a few hours of that. My youngest isn't too bad but I have five kids at home most of the time because we home educate and aside from swimming lessons (which my toddler and 6 year old are too young for in this particular case) they don't have any organised activities on at the moment and OH is self employed so needs to work every day most weeks xx

 

[SarahBear]

Wow! He fed for 6 hours in the middle of the night, I've only had 2 hours sleep. We'll be doing lots of co-sleeping I think. Need to get the hang of feeding lying down.
My first son didn't nurse this much! I was truly shocked last night. How do people cope with this when they have a toddler to look After too? I'm scared!!

Co-sleeping is definitely a good way to get more sleep, but make sure you do it safely!!! I added the extra exclamation points because if you are over-tired, it is dangerous. Part of basic co-sleeping safety is that you do NOT do it while exhausted.

 

[xsadiex]

Wow! He fed for 6 hours in the middle of the night, I've only had 2 hours sleep. We'll be doing lots of co-sleeping I think. Need to get the hang of feeding lying down.
My first son didn't nurse this much! I was truly shocked last night. How do people cope with this when they have a toddler to look After too? I'm scared!!

Co-sleeping is definitely a good way to get more sleep, but make sure you do it safely!!! I added the extra exclamation points because if you are over-tired, it is dangerous. Part of basic co-sleeping safety is that you do NOT do it while exhausted.

I know about co-sleeping safely! I've co-slept with both of my children and followed the guidelines. It would be unrealistic to say never co-sleep when tired haha, especially when you have a toddler and a newborn *yawn*

 

[xsadiex]

Wow summer rain 5 kids! That's amazing. I probably need tips from you as I'm feeling terribly guilty on my eldest

 

[dan-o]

Co-sleep! Also if your toddler still goes down for naps, try having a lie down sleepy feed with baby during the day while your older one is asleep! X

 

[Rachel_C]

As well as co-sleeping (which seriously saved my sanity with my youngest) try to do plenty of lying down when you can during the day. We had a day bed (so looked sort of like a sofa but had a proper single mattress on it) in the living room when my youngest was little so I would put the bed rail on it and lie down to feed her while my toddler played in the same room. You could do the same in your bedroom too, maybe put some TV on for the toddler or something. Even though you're not asleep, it's still resting.