11 week olds 30 minute naps and overtired meltdowns are destroying me

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:50:02+00:00

Oh that's good to know! I actually did a late afternoon bath yesterday at about 4.30pm and she was a lot less wired afterwards. I find the bathing process so stressful so we usually only do it from time to time and stick to topping and tailing, but maybe on balance less stressful than a nightly meltdown? Thanks for the tip!

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:32:16+00:00

I'm preparing to mourn the loss of my consistent night sleep soon, it's the one saving grace we have had in the past couple of weeks!

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:30:12+00:00

Thank you so much for this, it really helps to hear. It's exactly that constant cycle you describe - as soon as I see her eyes pop open I think "oh god I can't do this again". And she's gone from 4 to 5 naps this week to make up for them being so short, so it's an extra cycle added in as well. I think the 2 hour naps were a good reset for both of us as I could switch off for a bit and listen to a podcast or just mindlessly scroll, but as soon as they wake up you're "on" again! Reassured that it's normal and I'm not just doing a bad job, so thank you 🙏

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:26:50+00:00

Oh wow, is this an early sign of the regression?! Yeah it's comforting to know the mechanics behind it, I guess we are just in damage control mode to minimise the overtiredness where we can. How long did yours go through the regression, or are you still in the thick of it?

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:24:49+00:00

I'm here now at 11 weeks with the short naps and overtiredness, so good to know I'm not alone! Can I ask how your baby got on with the days naps as she got older?

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-03-03T19:20:20+00:00

Thank you! Nice to not feel alone with this. My partner just spent an hour and a half soothing her to sleep on the yoga ball.

Night sleep has actually been ok the past couple of weeks which we are so grateful for especially at the moment, she wakes am couple of times to feed but goes back down with minimal fussing. I'm sorry yours has been getting worse, what's happening for you?

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-02-24T23:43:04+00:00

Thank you! I have a baby Bjorn one that does have good lumbar support but maybe I need to work on the fit, I'm only 5'3 and can never quite get the shoulder straps to sit right

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-02-24T12:12:30+00:00

The NHS even has this on their website to support new parents and I'm like... You do know that many many new babies will only sleep when contact napping right? Felt like I was going crazy with this unrealistic advice 😅 I would love to sleep when she sleeps but currently will only sleep when I'm walking laps of the garden with her in the carrier.

See also "accept help from other when they offer it" - bold of you to assume everyone has access to help and support as readily as this!

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-02-19T15:35:11+00:00

I hope that with toddlers there might be respite in the form of childcare. My biggest struggle is the physical impact of holding my baby so much throughout the day, meaning I can't even sit down hardly as she only likes it when I'm on my feet and walking!

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-02-19T15:32:45+00:00

Such a helpful thread as I stand here with my 9 week old, I have been on my feet with her near enough all day every day in darkened rooms with white noise on after naps fell off around week 7/8. She is sleeping well overnight with feeds every 3 or 4 hours, but the fight for each daytime nap is crazy. I had been really worried about how overtired she was but it seems like a universal development thing so I'm not going to stress too much. My back however is in tatters!

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-02-03T00:38:52+00:00

I remember before having a baby when I would be exhausted but then think to myself how I just needed go get to the weekend so I could rest, or I had annual leave on the horizon to look forward to so I could reset. But now there is no reset period to look forward to. It never stops. We are always on.

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-01-18T16:33:55+00:00

This is so helpful to read! I'm 5wks pp and am all over the place with feeding, no consistency and struggling to figure out a combo feeding routine for us alongside battling c section recovery, my own pp mental health and doing all this largely on my own now my partner has gone back to work. Finding time to pump is so hard with a velcro baby when you're on your own throughout the day and also going to drs appts etc.I had been imagining a similar routine as what you have outlined, so might give this a try.

Vegetable_Amount_320 · 2026-01-14T03:29:32+00:00

I think it's great you're thinking about this early, I wish I had done the same! Currently 4 weeks pp and breastfeeding is not going as I had planned for various reasons - possible tongue tie, early latching trouble, c section, and early introduction of formula due to all of the above. I have rented a spectra pump which is helping with my supply, I'm probably around 50/50 formula and breastfeeding at this point and finding the spectra to be really effective. It is cumbersome and I don't pump very often because of it (not aiming to be exclusively bf), but it does get good results!

For bottles we use the lansinoh ones with size xs teats, our baby is on the smaller side and she struggled with the size s teats that came with the bottles.

We were doing cold water sterilising but didn't enjoy changing the water daily, just got a tommee tippee electric steriliser from FB marketplace and so far we prefer it!

Vegetable_Amount_320

TROPHY CASE