Babies: 0 - 3 Months

2 hours sleep, please help

My DS is 5.5 weeks old, he doesn't sleep more than 2 hours both during the day and at night. He wakes up to feed after 2 hours of sleep and back to sleep till after another 2 hours. I tried to increase his food at night, even give feed him formula only at night but nothing seems to work. Anyone please have an advice or experienced this and how you go about it. Thanks.

Re: 2 hours sleep, please help

  • What is he sleeping in?  We've had great luck with DD sleeping in her Rock 'n Play
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  • imagedoremi29:
    What is he sleeping in?  We've had great luck with DD sleeping in her Rock 'n Play

     

    He sleeps in his portable crib in my room at night and he naps in his bassinet during the day.

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  • KMac570KMac570 member
    My LO was like this at first, actually worse - he slept in one hour stretches.  Around 5 or 6 weeks things slowly started to get better, after we implemented a bedtime routine. It may have just been the passage of time.  He also sleeps in a RnP.  Honestly it will get better with time.  I know it's hard now, but hang in there!  LO now sleeps about 8 hours a night, with 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hour stretches every night.
    Miscarriage in January 2012 at 8 weeks
    Subsequently diagnosed with low P4, LOR. MH DX low motility, varicocele 
    BFP in July 2012 (Gonal-f + trigger + IUI#2 (B2B) + prometrium)
    Lost Baby A prior to 7 weeks; large SCH; Baby B (Bug) was born in March 2013
    BFP June 2014; EDD February 19, 2015
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  • My little guy slept only a couple hours at a time until 6-7 weeks. It was rough, but like PP he slowly started sleeping longer. Now he sleeps from 10p-8am with one wakeup.

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  • imageKMac570:
    My LO was like this at first, actually worse - he slept in one hour stretches.  Around 5 or 6 weeks things slowly started to get better, after we implemented a bedtime routine. It may have just been the passage of time.  He also sleeps in a RnP.  Honestly it will get better with time.  I know it's hard now, but hang in there!  LO now sleeps about 8 hours a night, with 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hour stretches every night.

     

    I tried bedtime routine but DS doesn't have a specific time he goes to bed, his bedtime is not specific or maybe I don't know how to implement a bedtime routine. 

  • That actually sounds pretty normal, especially for a breast fed infant. Hang in there. It will get better. A 5.5 week old can't be expected to have a schedule. A routine will develop as he gets older.
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  • Try the eat, wake, sleep routine starting with the first morning feed. Designate a 'first feed time' My LO's is 7:00 AM. Feed your LO, and keep them awake for another 30 minutes after eating and play with them, then make a routine (rock for a little, read a book, sing a song), then when baby gets drowsy- lay them down. Or, since your LO is so little- put him/her to sleep and then to bed. Sometimes being awake after eating helps their sleep. 
  • The halo sleepsack works for us. My DD sleeps for long stretches through the night.
  • Sounds normal for the age. In a few weeks the naps should start to stretch a bit longer. Hang in there!
    Me: 35/Hubs: 35 - just moved to Minneapolis from Chicago. TTC for 18 months and expecting baby #1 April 18, 2012! Needed IVF after a few failed rounds of IUI and it worked!
  • imageKennieb16:

    imageKMac570:
    My LO was like this at first, actually worse - he slept in one hour stretches.  Around 5 or 6 weeks things slowly started to get better, after we implemented a bedtime routine. It may have just been the passage of time.  He also sleeps in a RnP.  Honestly it will get better with time.  I know it's hard now, but hang in there!  LO now sleeps about 8 hours a night, with 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hour stretches every night.

     

    I tried bedtime routine but DS doesn't have a specific time he goes to bed, his bedtime is not specific or maybe I don't know how to implement a bedtime routine. 



    First, I'd pick a specific time to call his bedtime, even though he's obviously not going to go to sleep then every night. But, at whatever time you choose, do a bath, change into pajamas, and keep the lights and noise low. It took us a couple weeks of this, but DS figured it out, and by 8 weeks is sleeping an 8 to 10 hour stretch. He wakes up, gets changed, eats, and goes back down for another 3 to 4. I may just have a baby that likes to sleep, but he didn't do that before we implemented the bedtime routine.

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  • I'm sure I'll hget crap for saying this but your LO probably doesn't need to eat so often.  This is typical newborn behavior bc their sleep patterns haven't fully developed yet.  My pediatrician recomended just not feeding my daughter during every wake up and soothe instead and it has worked wonders.  That's how you slowly cut out all night feedings, and though she's too young to cut out all night feedings you most certainly don't need to be feeding her every 2 hours at night.  She will eventually get the hint and stop waking up at those times.  
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  • imagelittlebean4:
    I'm sure I'll hget crap for saying this but your LO probably doesn't need to eat so often.  This is typical newborn behavior bc their sleep patterns haven't fully developed yet.  My pediatrician recomended just not feeding my daughter during every wake up and soothe instead and it has worked wonders.  That's how you slowly cut out all night feedings, and though she's too young to cut out all night feedings you most certainly don't need to be feeding her every 2 hours at night.  She will eventually get the hint and stop waking up at those times.  

    I agree! That is what our pedi said- and it also helped her establish more of a routine. Her sleep is going to change when she has a FULL feeding then longer to stay awake and sleep, rather then snacking every hours or so.  

  • KMac570KMac570 member
    imageKennieb16:

    imageKMac570:
    My LO was like this at first, actually worse - he slept in one hour stretches.  Around 5 or 6 weeks things slowly started to get better, after we implemented a bedtime routine. It may have just been the passage of time.  He also sleeps in a RnP.  Honestly it will get better with time.  I know it's hard now, but hang in there!  LO now sleeps about 8 hours a night, with 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 hour stretches every night.

     

    I tried bedtime routine but DS doesn't have a specific time he goes to bed, his bedtime is not specific or maybe I don't know how to implement a bedtime routine. 

     

    I'm no expert, but what we did was pay attention to when he naturally starts to get tired at night - it ended up being around 11:00 pm. We then started a routine that would have him down by that time, even though it's late.  At some point (maybe not 5 weeks), LO should start to associate the routine with sleep, and you can then move its start time earlier and earlier (say by 15 minute intervals every day or two).  I hope you find something that works for you! 

    Miscarriage in January 2012 at 8 weeks
    Subsequently diagnosed with low P4, LOR. MH DX low motility, varicocele 
    BFP in July 2012 (Gonal-f + trigger + IUI#2 (B2B) + prometrium)
    Lost Baby A prior to 7 weeks; large SCH; Baby B (Bug) was born in March 2013
    BFP June 2014; EDD February 19, 2015
    image
  • Do you get up and feed at the first sign of a sound/waking or do you wait a minute and see if they fall back asleep? My 3 1/2 week old baby is a very loud sleeper, at first I jumped up and tried to feed him at the first sign of any sound. A lot of the time he would fall asleep eating after about 2 minutes of casual sucking. Now I wait a minute or 2 and see what he does. A lot of the time he just falls back asleep within that amount of time and doesn't need to actually be fed then. If he continues to be awake then I get up and feed him. Now he fully wakes up and feeds for a good amount of time around 10:00, around 2:00 and then around 5:00-6:00. Good luck! 
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  • That's so normal. Keep feeding your Lo when she's hungry and she will outgrow it.
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  • Do you swaddle? That can make a huge difference for some babies.

    I'm not really sure if you are BFing (?). If you are, is he snacking or getting a full feeding? I would make sure he is one breast long enough to get fatty hindmilk, rather than switching breasts if he isn't "done" the first one.

    We had good luck with the 5 S's from Happiest Baby on the Block to soothe him when he woke up and wasn't really hungry. If he's hungry, feed him, of course, but if he isn't, I'd try soothing him with those S's ideas.  

    He might just not be ready to sleep longer stretches yet.


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