Parent stories and expert advice / Marie

Blogposts by Marie

Finding confidence

Sam has started making cute noises like he is trying to talk. I melt when he looks at me and smiles. He is playing with his hands and sucks on his fist. I think this helps him go to sleep because when I put him to bed I can hear him sucking before he goes to sleep.

How quickly things have changed

My life has changed so much in the last 3 months and I am loving being a mother but never thought I would be so tired. In my mother’s group there is such a range of experiences, some are having trouble with feeding, others don’t have any family nearby, and one friend is getting sleep, having no trouble with feeding her baby and has her family around.

I am so tired

After much crying from both Sam and myself there is finally an improvement in his sleep now he is 11 weeks old. From birth Sam would only go to sleep when I fed or cuddled him and when I put him in his cot asleep he woke after 20 minutes.

Learning new tricks

My days are more predictable but not always easy. John has been back at work for months now and I feel I need to get meals cooked and organise the shopping, cleaning and washing. It’s not that I mind doing this it is just that it can take me all day. At times I feel unorganised and annoyed I can't manage simple household tasks.

One small reward

My shopping trips have become well timed to make them successful. We head off just after Sam wakes up from a sleep so I can get my shopping done, feed him in a parent’s room and then get a coffee before heading home.

One step forward, two steps back

I never thought sleep would rule my life so much. Sam is now 12 weeks old and is back to waking up twice overnight again.

Some of the things we used to do

Having some more predictability during the day means I can get more rest and even eat lunch. My Mum visits a few times a week and because Sam can go to sleep without needing a feed I can leave him with her.

Sometimes it's just about having fun

Dribble, dribble and more dribble. Sam has found his hands and spends a lot of the day sucking on his fists and spreading the dribble everywhere. He delights in blowing bubbles and has started trying to talk to me when he is having a cuddle. It is all a lot of fun and he is starting to hit his toys that hang above him.