Looking for advice from mothers...?

Question

I have fibromyalgia which means basically, i'm in alot of pain everyday and i'm tired all the time. I try my best to manage it but I still have very bad days. I'm hesitant to try medications because I know other people with it and I dont know anybody who reacts well enough to medication for it to make a significant difference. I still see them struggle.

Pre-pregnancy, I have refused to take medication for it. I am scared of being dependent on medication and im scared of it not working. I would rather find a way to manage on my own. I know some people are going to frown on me for that and say i'm stupid but that is the way I feel.

Now that i'm pregnant, my bad days are really tough. It has me worried. I know if after the baby is born, my fibro causes me in any way to not be able to be an adequete mother - I would try medications in a heartbeat. I would try anything. Because it's no longer about *me*, it's about my baby.

But that isn't really my question.

You see, with fibro if I don't get enough sleep I am really groggy, really tired, get sick to my stomach, have severe muscle aches and have migraines. It's basically like if I don't get enough rest/sleep then I have the symptoms of the flu...

Obviously, with a newborn I am not going to get enough sleep. I'm fully aware of this. So I am looking for any advice or tips from mothers who have had newborns....

Do you have any tips/ideas for making the night routine easier? I do plan on breastfeeding but I am thinking of using a pump at night so I can use bottles instead of breastfeeding at night.

I am also looking into this newborn sleeper thing that goes on the bed with you, but prevents the infant from rolling or being smothered that way she'll be right there next to me and I can better assist her.

Any advice is appreciated.

Answer 1

The best advice I can give you is ask for help! Do not feel like you need to do this alone. Family or even hired help can be a lifesaver when the baby is that young. Even if they are only there for a few hours during the day so you can get some rest, it will be a Godsend. That way, with some extra rest, you will be an even  better mommy for your baby!

Best of luck and I hope you find something that works for you.

Answer 2

The newborn sleeper is a great idea, you can touch her and she can smell you which will makes her sleep better. You might think that bottles will be easier, but then you'll have to get out of bed to warm up the bottle. Breastfeeding you can do right in bed laying down and then just put her back into the sleeper. I hope you get a very easy going baby, who sleeps good stretches at night. Get as much sleep as you can, which means whenever the baby takes a nap, you do too.

Answer 3

ever since the day i have brought my son home he has slept through the night completely!!!! i think what helped alot was we do not feed him on the hour every four hours! we work around his schedule. and now he wakes up on his own every four to six hours and during the night he goes to bed at 10:30 and he does not wake up for anything until 6:30!!! he is also only 8 weeks old  

Answer 4

Do you have a partner?  You will need to call on as many friends and family to help you out.  Ask them to come over and watch the baby even if it's just for a couple hours so you can sleep.  Or, ask them to help with housework.

Because you will need so much help from others, I think pumping might be a good option for you.  I would be sure to establish breastfeeding before introducing the bottle.  Bottles are much less work for the baby, so they tend to prefer to use them over the breast.

Don't worry about housework.  Let is slide a bit until a good night time routine is established (might be months before that happens).  Be sure to nap when the baby does.

Answer 5

Best advice i got was, nap when baby naps.

Answer 6

I had the bedside sleeper and it was wonderful. Also to get more sleep, just make sure you sleep when she sleeps. Leave the housework or anything else that needs to be done until she is awake and give her tummy time while you do it. God bless and congratulations!

Answer 7

Nursing is WAY easier than bottle feeding.  And pumping is a big pain in the wazoo.  I used to set the kid next to me and let him nurse in bed with me while I slept.  You won't roll over and smother the kid anyway, not unless you drank a gallon of tequila and took a handful of downers maybe, but if they make this "thing" you speak of, then hey, go for it.  But bottles are for the birds, trust me on this, way more work there.

EDIT:  Thanks for the link, I couldn't picture it in my mind.  What a neat thing....

Answer 8

nap when the baby naps, have the baby sleep with you (they tend to be more comfortable and sleep longer), and DO breastfeed at night...having the baby laying next to you feeding is alot easier than having to pump and then hold a bottle for the baby to eat. alot of times you will both end up falling back asleep as the baby breastfeeds...also, try giving the baby baths at night and keep him/her bundled up, they like to be warm!

Answer 9

i would def make sure dad is involved fully!!! as hard as it is....rotate fedings.....let the dad take a feeding, it may take some of the stress off of you and ur body!!!!

Answer 10

Everyone gave you great ideas. Mine is to lean on your husband as much as possible, and when he's home have him do the night feedings so you can sleep.

I'm more concerned that you don't realize that YOU need to be at your healthiest to be the best mom you can be. If that means being on a medication, or having some sort of treatment, so be it.

How long ago were you diagnosed? Are you seeing a specialist, or a bevy of medical professionals? Sometimes it's not just a matter of popping pills, you need to investigate - there are lots of ways you can be getting help.

Some ideas -

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fib...

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fib...

http://www.fibromyalgia-symptoms.org/fib...

Forums are also a good way to get ideas from others -

http://www.google.ca/search?q=forums+fib...

I wish you luck, and peace.

Answer 11

try a bassinet beside your bed the baby can sleep there with out you having to worry about rolling over onto her.Keep the room lite very dimly with a night light so you can see your way around with out using a bright light and waking up the baby too much.Also if they wake up only after a couple of hours for another feeding just feed him/her don't bother changing the diaper unless it is a poopy one that way you don't wake her up fully then you can lay them back down right after the feeding and they should go right back to sleep. It worked for me.My son is 4 months now and I made it through those sleepless nights.It also helps if you take plenty of naps with the baby if they go to bed early you go to.that way if they decide to get up real early you will be rested with them.Get your husband to help out as much as posb. during the day if he is home and you get some rest.If he ain't there get some family member to come and baby sit for a couple of hours so you can rest.The better rested you are the better you can deal with a fussy baby if it comes to that.Mine was very fussy.Well congrats on the baby and Good Luck.....I hope everything goes well for you I wish you the best.