Go to sleep kid

jennknitspretty

Anyone else really struggling to get their LO to sleep at night? Daytime naps no problem but 10pm - 2am she is wide awake and feeding almost nonstop. Driving me crazy as I am exhausted. She is 2.5 weeks old.

Any suggestions?

kdoak2015

Possibly a growth spurt, also Google witching hour. We've been going through this daily since Monday with our 3 week old. This to shall pass gets me by daily!

Court11152325

This is a thing with my 5 day old. I'm so tired.

Gingermom15

It takes a few weeks for newborns to regulate their sleep cycles because they are ruled by hunger, not the circadian rhythm. At 2.5 weeks she has a long way to go. My almost 5 week old is still awake more at night, so try to hang in there and remember they won't be this way forever. Even though it sure seems like it.

Court11152325

Yeah. I just spent some time googling cluster feeding with newborns. It's very normal and the old adage "sleep when they sleep" keeps coming up. Being prepared to be up all night is important (as I respond with a newborn feeding for the 4th time since midnight - in other words every hour).

breezypip

I'm in the exact same boat - 2 1/2 weeks and constant feeding with no sleep. She will only sleep at all if I'm holding her. So tired I could cry. Actually I have cried.

I had a few good days where she slept in her bassinet or RNP for about 2-3 hours, but not tonight. I actually wore her in my solly wrap so she couldn't roll off and slept with her on my chest... I'm desperate.

I'm guessing we're dealing with growth spurt and/or cluster feeding right now.

blended10

This is why ppl co-sleep & bed share. Not saying it's right for everyone but you can see why it happens.
Try to rest when you can, as others say "this too shall pass"
Go to bed as early as you can & sleep late.

missphil

Babies will also be in a light sleep for about twenty minutes before they enter the deep sleep stage. What has worked for me is nursing my son to sleep and then gently removing the nipple and hold him or rock him in my arms until I feel his breath becomes more rythmic or less noisy. Then when I transfer him to his bed or put him in a swaddle, he doesn't wake up. If I transfer him too early, he'll wake up and want to nurse again and then I have to start over

helen76d

I agree that it totally normal newborn behavior. I wish that midwives and doctors were better at preparing women for the reality of what it's like caring for a newborn. It's literally an extension of pregnancy, sometimes harder too. John is my fifth baby and I've somehow learned over the last 20 years of motherhood to function with very broken sleep. Not ideal but even when baby is sleeping I wake up regularly to check on him.

And yes I co sleep for my own sanity. Right now it's just me and baby in the king size bed. Lol. My poor husband is either on the couch or with the 2 year old.

rachel10488

I'm struggling with this too and it's wearing me out to the extreme. I use an app called Mammababy to track feedings and poops and I fed him for 8 hours total yesterday, something like 24 times. I have no idea where this 10-12 times a day feeding business is but that sounds like such a relief compared to it being all my little guy wants to do all of the time.
And what's worse is with all those feedings I still don't think he's getting proper nutrition because his poop isn't right. Ugh this is so stressful.

taysun

Another important thing to remember is that it takes a while for babies to be on a correct day and night schedule. Usually they're backwards for a while. What to expect says that it's often because they're used to being asleep during the day in the womb because we're active then and being awake at night because we're resting.

Court11152325

I'm sure it's come up on other threads, but I've pretty much resigned to using the snugabunny Rock n play. I *have* to get some sleep.

groovylocks

Heartbeat sound simulator. About $25 at Toys R Us/Target. 

groovylocks

here is the one we have - My Baby by Homedics Soundspa. EDIT argh.... tb created entirely new post from the image upload... sorry.

groovylocks

ksrkim

groovylocks said:

We still use this for our 2 year old DS! Just got one for this little one. Plus if you take the discs out, it can serve as a night light when traveling. I pretty much can't sleep without the ocean sound on.

ZoeyRaeJames

I feel ya! My LO was born only 6 days ago, and I'm having issues with him sleeping in his Pack and Play. He keeps wanting to sleep on either Momma or Daddy. I know why he does, of course. But Mom and Dad can only get 3-4 hours of sleep right now. That makes for a cranky mommy, and irritable daddy. Thankfully we can contain it all, and manage to level ourselves out instantly. But with me and the SO being against co sleeping, I'm stuck between a Rock, and a Hard Place!

Ccat1977

For us the key has been the swaddle. We also do white noise, turn down the lights. We've been working to differentiate between day and night which is interesting when the sun comes up at like 9am and goes down by 4. Agree with others though - sleep when they sleep when possible. Cluster feeding rounds are no fun!

groovylocks

ksrkim said:

We still use this for our 2 year old DS! Just got one for this little one. Plus if you take the discs out, it can serve as a night light when traveling. I pretty much can't sleep without the ocean sound on.

Yeah I actually sleep better with that heart beating

holly1811

Sounds like babys nocturnal. You need to create a difference between day and night i have a 4 year old bounding round the house! And hes consitantly waking up my lo so come night time hes ready for some peace and quiet. Try turning up the telly or not putting him to nap in his crib in the day. Also swaddeling at night and white noise tend to work well.

ammnam14

I make sure to wake DD every 2-3 hours during the day to eat or else she would sleep all day long! She gets up twice a night which is amazing. The only time she has issues is when she's cluster feeding. Her bassinet also has a noise maker on it and she'll pass out to the sound of the ocean. highly recommend a noise maker.

Court11152325

Does anyone know if it's a breastfeeding issue if, only at night, I can't get her to stop squirming when she's trying to feed? It really drags out the feeding time, leaving me very little time between feedings to sleep. It was so bad last night I couldn't get her to latch and she cried and cried and I finally had to give her a little formula just for my own sanity. Had 2 feedings after that that were just fine.

TomekiaB

@Court11152325 not sure but I've started pumping and giving pumped bottles if I can't get him to latch and settle in to eat within 5-10 minutes, at least at night...after that I'm just frustrated and he's mad.
One of my nurses said she isn't sure why newborns come with arms since they make everything so much harder
Another nurse taught me co-sleeping in the hospital during a cluster feed...she said you're not supposed to do it but you will never get any sleep tonight otherwise.

Mizuiro007

@Court11152325 I've found so many reasons for being squirmy during feeding. With DD it's usually gas and is always the worst between 4-8am for her. Once she either burps or passes gas or has a dirty diaper she calms right down and feeds fine. Two clues are a lot of times they'll want to tilt their head back and root around when they need to belch. Gas pains or needing to have a bowel movement they'll usually be working their legs with it and drawing up.

Another thing that can happen is getting over hungry and frantic. I feel like it's easier to do over night if they're going a bit longer between feedings. Then they don't get milk as easily with bf as with a bottle and get frustrated.

Taylovesbrad

My nighttime routine with him is turning off all noise (tv), doing a good and long feeding, swaddling, and keeping the lights all super low. I also don't talk to much and keep lights low for all feedings. We sleep with a fan on too. My guy has been pretty good at nights though this hole time. I think sometimes babies just sleep well or don't. Good luck!

Oh also we have been breast feeding laying down. This is so much better than any of the other holds. He seems to be alot more comfortable.

Taylovesbrad

Also if you are having to supplement with formula or pumped milk I would save your pumped.milk for nightime. My guy digests it easier so I make sure I have it for evening and overnight.

raynirayne

I'm going through the same thing. We usually go to sleep together around 10pm, but she just won't stay asleep. The next 30 minutes she awake crying again wanting to eat. I usually just let her cry a until it's been an hour since her last feeding and feed her until she's asleep again. Sometimes she stays asleep, other times she doesn't. Just hang in there, we're all with you in this.

uknowmesarahe

the sleep struggle is real