How many hours of sleep did you get with your newborn?

SigmundsGirl

Since I am new to the world of babies, I have no idea what is "normal" about anything. I constantly wonder if I am doing things right and I think the lack of sleep is worse than I even imagined.

We are on day 3 of being home from the hospital and so far I have averaged about 3 hours of sleep a day. Is this "normal" for new moms? If so, when did it get better for you?

I don't expect him to sleep for more than 2 hours straight, but that isn't happening at this point.

Also, we put Evan in the Graco Sweet Peace and he seemed to hate it. He was semi asleep when we put him in it, but since we needed to buckle him in, it woke him and he cried and woke himself up. I wish there was something that would rock him while he was swaddled.

TexasSmith

I'd say at the very beginning (like the first couple of weeks), it was really rough. Maybe like 4 hours of sleep a day? Then as I was able to better predict what her sleeping habits were like, things smoothed out a bit.

Also, Natalie hated the swing until about 6 weeks, then she was addicted. So try again later!

CareBear01

For the first full month, I did not get more than maybe 3 hours max of sleep at a time.  I was BFing, so it was hard for DH to chip in, and at the time, I was scared to skip a feeding, or a pumping for fear my supply would go down, so it was around a month when DH finally took one night feeding, and I slept through 1 let down, so I got maybe 6 hours at one time, but even then it was crappy sleep b/c I was overtired and I slept in the guest room, so wasn't used to the bed. 

Even though I didn't get more than 3 hours at a time in the beginning, I did try to sleep in 2 spurts in a row.  Luckily, for me, DS kind of had a night routine down from the beginning, so I was able to sleep at night.  During the day, it was hard for me to nap when he did, just b/c it was daylight, and I take a long time to actually fall asleep, so it wasn't worth bothering with, just to be woken up a hour later, groggy.

Don't worry - you arne't doing anything wrong!  It is just very exhausting keeping up with the feeding scheudle of a newborn.  It eventually does settle down, though, and it will be a distant memory!  :-)  DS slept a few nights in the swing, I think a night in the car seat, a few nights in my arms - and the majority in a PNP by our bed.  Just do whatever works!  Don't worry about spoiling that baby.  He will be fine.  :-)

ZAngel

For the first 10 weeks DD wouldn't sleep anywhere other than on DH or me.  The television had to be on (along with the lights) and she would fall asleep.  For the first 3 weeks she had her days and nights mixed up.  Luckily DH was still home because we had to take turns sleeping at that point.  Finally at 3 months her sleeping habits just changed over night.  Now she is sleeping through the night in her crib.  You aren't doing anything wrong.  The first few weeks are just really hard.  Hopefully it will get better for you very soon!

Erika&Brian

Try to sleep when they are, don't worry about cooking, keeping things clean, etc. We would go to bed at like 7:30 p.m and wouldn't get out of bed until about9 :00 a.m each day - I probably got at least a good 9 hours of sleep in that period (usually 2-3 hours segments but still enough). I would also take naps with the baby when possible. This phase is really short lived - good luck!!

kreeper611

The first two weeks I probably slept 6-7 total at night. But DS was sleeping 4 hours at a time right away. We were lucky. Try finding ways to get as much sleep as possible. When he got up at 4 to nurse we'd both just fall asleep again on the sofa. It helped because I'd actually sleep while nursing. It does get better!

TexasPaige

I can hardly remember - it's all such a blur. I do know I got a couple of hours here and there during the night between nursing sessions. He slept in our room, and I didn't sleep well because I was aware of every move he made. What made a tremendous difference was that my husband woke up every morning at 5:30 and took him to the living room. Unless he needed to nurse during that time, he didn't disturb me until around 7:30. It was amazing. I felt like I wasn't the one in charge and on alert, so I actually got a couple of hours of sound sleep. That helped me get through the days.

Do try to nap when you can. I'm not kidding that I would "nap" at 9 pm if the opportunity arose. I remember we had a friend over, and my husband was hanging out with the friend and the baby. I took like an hour nap that helped refresh me for the long night ahead. 

The crazy sleep deprivation really will pass. 

tmp-969886500003101

That sounds about right....3-4 hours or so.  I'd usually fall asleep durning the day when Aiden would sleep. He wouldn't sleep unless I held him, so I was forced to sit still.  It was pretty rough, but it doesn't last forever.  Like pp poster said, don't worry about cleaning, laundry etc. It will get done eventually. When he's sleeping....take a break!

KKMMex

I'm sure you're doing just fine but I understand how hard it is in the beginning to get any sleep.  The first six weeks are a killer.  I always think of that newborn period as Mommy boot camp.  Pretty much they nurse around the clock and sleep in between, but unless you've got the breastmilk supply from heaven it's super tough.  I was never blessed with an immediate great supply so it definitely colored my experience.  I can remember feeling like a human pacifier with Sarah and wanting to throw the breastfeeding books across the room because I had no engorgement and never saw my own milk. 

Cajun_gal

At the beginning, I was a walking zombie.  I barely got any sleep so was exhausted, hormonal, and struggling with bfing.  I was a mess!  Let me assure you, it gets sooo much easier.  Sleep when he sleeps.  Take advantage of any help offered.  See if people can bring you food so you and your DH don't have to worry about it.  Don't worry about chores right now.

Soon he should fall into a routine and then you should be able to get 2-4 hours of sleep at a time with almost a full nights worth of sleep total.  It'll just get better after that.  ((hugs))  I know how tired you have to be!

Cajun_gal

Also, a lot of people put their swaddled babies in the swing and just put the straps around them as best as they can.  I never had to do that but read about others doing it all the time. 

TexasHarmony

Sleep when they sleep.  Let them sleep wherever they will sleep - in their car seat, on you, on the changing table - whatever works.  

That is the time I like to refer to as WTH was I thinking having this kid!!!  

It is short lived! 

CallMeKel

Cajun_gal:

At the beginning, I was a walking zombie.  I barely got any sleep so was exhausted, hormonal, and struggling with bfing.  I was a mess!  Let me assure you, it gets sooo much easier.  Sleep when he sleeps.  Take advantage of any help offered.  See if people can bring you food so you and your DH don't have to worry about it.  Don't worry about chores right now.

Soon he should fall into a routine and then you should be able to get 2-4 hours of sleep at a time with almost a full nights worth of sleep total.  It'll just get better after that.  ((hugs))  I know how tired you have to be!

Basically this exactly....it's brutal! But it does eventually get better (for me at about 4-5 wks).

Katieraye09

Oh how I remember those days!  It does get better and I'm sure you're doing just fine!!  3 hours was pretty much it...if I was lucky.  BFing was a lot more demanding at the beginning than I could have ever imagined.  One thing I know helped DS distinguish his days and nights (didn't figure this out until 5 wks) was to make sure at night I fed him in the dark.  Seems logical but I guess it wasn't for a zombie.  I would feed him with the lamp on, kitchen light on, etc. and wonder why the heck he wasn't getting a clue that it was dark out...lol!  I started feeding him with just the tv on and that is when he started sleeping for 4+ hours.  Whether the lights being off really helped that much I'll never know but I like to seem to think it did and will do it again next time.  Also, DS slept in his swing, only buckled as well as I could, for weeks and the transition to the bed wasn't near as hard as I had imagined it would be.  Good luck!  Everything will work out!

SigmundsGirl

Thanks for all of the great advice. I think I will try the swing with him swaddled and I am glad to know that others have had a baby who will only sleep on them. Now maybe Iwon't be affraid to try to sleep when he is on me. I just need to prop myself up well in bed and give it a go.

Thanks for the encouragement! Now, off to sleep while DH tries to to get DS to sleep.

duchessII81

SigmundsGirl:

Thanks for all of the great advice. I think I will try the swing with him swaddled and I am glad to know that others have had a baby who will only sleep on them. Now maybe Iwon't be affraid to try to sleep when he is on me. I just need to prop myself up well in bed and give it a go.

Thanks for the encouragement! Now, off to sleep while DH tries to to get DS to sleep.

Good luck! Landry is a swaddled swing sleeper. She's sleeping through the night in it.

Early on, we discovered that she hated her crib and preferred to sleep on our chests. I'd get really unrestful sleep since it was a scary thing for me to do at night.

And it took me a while to get with the whole "sleep when they do" thing. Great advice, it was just really hard to execute.

rayskit10

i think 90% of babies sleep on their parents chests the 1st few weeks. and some babies just don't like a swing- neither of mine did. i bought one for T and he hated it so i got rid of it and then i was on vacation and M loved a friend's swing so i bought the same one at home but it was just a vacation novelty for him b/c at home he wouldn't use it. so your DS might not like the swing. i only mention that b/c you shouldn't feel like you're doing anythign wrong b/c your baby doesn't like what a lot of other babies like. they are really, truly little people with opinions and preferences from the minute they are born!

i **highly** recommend reading Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Baby NOW and you'll be better off when your DS starts to develop true patterns in a couple months. the No Cry Sleep Solution works sort of on the same principles as well w/o advocating CIO. so either book is a valuable read depending on how you feel about certain issues. 

melrrr

She and I feel asleep many times on my back in bed while she was draped across my chest nursing. I also napped with her on the sofa if someone was around. 

My mom took this picture and it is a favorite:

 

houstonkdw

Both kiddos were in their cribs, pack-n-plays or the baby papsan for naps.  I never had them asleep on me.  They would sleep for 3-4 hours at a time and I would sleep then as well.  I lived in my pjs the first few weeks with Kohen.  Kamryn was so much better.  Probably because I felt as if I knew what I was doing unlike #1.  Hang in there.  It gets so much better.

nvp05

I got maybe 2-3 hour stretches at the beginning. Hang in there, it gets much better. Now I often wonder how I survived on such little sleep back then!

KelleyA

It varied, DD liked to cluster feed starting at 11:00 and go right through until 3-4 in the morning, argh!  It was awful, but passed as all things do.  I would say that I got 2 hours here and there and maybe 4-5 overall each night.  It got a LOT better after her 6 week growth spurt. DD started STTN at 6-7 weeks, but the first few were rough!  Try nursing laying down or if you're bottle feeding prep your bottles before bed so you can do minimal prep and wake yourself up less.

LisaK2b

It all depends on the kids and now having two, I have realized that all kids are different.

With #1, The first 2.5 months was horrible.  She took an hour to eat, and then would wake up an hour later (the 2 hour mark) to eat again.  For my sanity (even though DH had to go to work).  He took all the shifts from 10 until 2:30am, then he slept from 2:30 until 7:30 and then went to work.  So that at least gave each of us at least 4 hours of sleep.  She also had her days and nights mixed up and so during the day time, she would fall asleep ASAP during and after a bottle, but at night time, after the bottle was done, her eyes would be wide open so when we put her down she would just cry!!!!  We also ended up buying a lot more expensive glider chair that was large and soft so if we were holding her to sleep, we could fall asleep while holding her.  She was colicky around 3-4 weeks and so it just got worst.  the first 2 weeks were actually pretty easy because she would just fall asleep while eating and not cry or stare at you.

With #2, a totally different baby.  She went a good 3-4 hours between bottles.  And at night time, she only had to wake up twice (around 1am and then around 5 am).  She also never had her days and nights mixed up and so now she's completely sleeping through the night (from 9pm til 5). 

MY ADVICE:  (I may get flamed and haven't read other post) but right now he's so little and young that I don't think you need to buckle him into anything.  We have buckles on the nap nanny, swing, bouncer, changing table, etc...and we don't use it.  I'm going to start using it soon (at 3 months) because she's showing signs of rolling now.  But prior to 2 months, they just lay there.  The only thing that I buckle her into is her car seat when we're driving, if we're just putting her in her car seat inside the house, I don't buckle her.