Awake Time for Baby

rsideemd

I have seen posts about how long babies should be awake in between feedings. Our little girl will be three weeks old tomorrow and according to the chart, she should be awake around 30-40 minutes until she naps again. This is not the case for mine. She has a period pretty much every day where she's awake for about two to three hours straight. I don't mind her being awake, but it throws off her entire sleep schedule. And it happens at random times. Last night, she was awake until 2 am. She's not fussy during this time, but she wants me with her to play with her. 

Is anyone else experiencing this? She's not hungry during this time and I try everything I know to do to get her to sleep. Nothing works. Oh, and if it makes a difference, she's formula fed and she eats every 3-3 1/2 hours (up to 3 oz.). 

I just don't know what to do about it or how to fix it. 

juliane2004

Here's the guideline I use

Guideline for Awake time for babies
0-4 weeks: 30-45 minutes
4-6 weeks: 40-60 minutes
6-8 weeks: 40-70 minutes
8-12 weeks: 50-80 minutes
3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
4-5 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
5-6 months: 1.5 hours
6-9 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutes 

 

It's not that she'll randomly fall asleep after 40 minutes but rather that after 40 minutes, you should put her in her crib, awake, to fall asleep on her own.

When you say she's awake for 2-3 hours, what do you mean? Do you try to put her down but she won't sleep? Do you keep her up and wait for HER to fall asleep in your arms or wherever?

IncognitoSuperhero

juliane2004:

Here's the guideline I useGuideline for Awake time for babies04 weeks: 3045 minutes46 weeks: 4060 minutes68 weeks: 4070 minutes812 weeks: 5080 minutes34 months: 6090 minutes45 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs56 months: 1.5 hours69 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutesnbsp; nbsp;It's not that she'll randomly fall asleep after 40 minutes but rather that after 40 minutes, you should put her in her crib, awake, to fall asleep on her own.When you say she's awake for 23 hours, what do you mean? Do you try to put her down but she won't sleep? Do you keep her up and wait for HER to fall asleep in your arms or wherever?

What do you suggest if putting LO in crib awake leads to crying? Our DS will lay there for about 15 min awake and then cry and scream.

For OP we usually have to get my son to sleep for naps, sometimes it takes 30 min to an hour and the nap lasts less than an hour. He fights sleep and stays awake but will suddenly hit a wall of exhaustion and just cry and cry. We try to stay ahead of the overtired phase and get him to sleep.

rsideemd

juliane2004:

Here's the guideline I use

Guideline for Awake time for babies
0-4 weeks: 30-45 minutes
4-6 weeks: 40-60 minutes
6-8 weeks: 40-70 minutes
8-12 weeks: 50-80 minutes
3-4 months: 60-90 minutes
4-5 months: 1 hr to 1.5 hrs
5-6 months: 1.5 hours
6-9 months: 2 hours, give or take 15 minutes 

 

It's not that she'll randomly fall asleep after 40 minutes but rather that after 40 minutes, you should put her in her crib, awake, to fall asleep on her own.

When you say she's awake for 2-3 hours, what do you mean? Do you try to put her down but she won't sleep? Do you keep her up and wait for HER to fall asleep in your arms or wherever?

 We try to get her to sleep by rocking her, holding her, putting her in her carseat (she loves it), or her swing. Nothing works for her unless she is absolutely ready to go to sleep. After I've tried everything, I just give in and go get her. I just end up holding her, talking to her, and we play with some of her toys until she wears herself out. 

She's been awake for about two hours since her last feeding now. I put her in her swing and she's in there talking to herself right now. And getting mad, so she'll probably be crying soon. 

I'm one of those mothers that hates to hear her cry. She will scream her head off if I put her in her bassinet or crib before she's ready to go to sleep. And it kills me to know she's upset.

It wouldn't bother me so much, but I can tell how sleepy she is. She yawns a lot, but will not settle down long enough to sleep. I guess I just need to face that I will have to let her cry herself to sleep sometimes.