newborn sleep??

hollace · May 2011

Okay ladies, now I need your help/advice. I had my baby boy Friday, 8lbs 10 oz and 20.5" long. He's beautiful. He also turns into a monster after 10 pm. He'll feed and sleep well during the day and then the witching hour begins and he's either inconsolable or acting like he wants to nurse then doesn't, etc. I've spoken to one friend about this and she said her baby was the same way at night. So Im guessing this is pretty normal? I feel like we had a better time last night, compared to Saturday night, but it was still a trial. I know it's early in his life but if you have any tips to share or thoughts on it I'm more then willing to hear them all. Thanks!!

WinesNot Whines · May 2011

We definitely had a "witching hour" at night. I think it's very common. The first few weeks are very hard, but it will get easier!

mssaint · May 2011

Congratulations on your baby boy!

Most newborns have days and nights confused for awhile - during the days up until being born, they were constantly rocked and lulled by your movements and the noise around you, and you probably remember feeling more kicks at night when he was rocking and rolling in your tummy! It took my DS about 3 weeks to adjust his days and nights, and then he was still up every hour to 1.5 hours to nurse for another 3 weeks.

To help him adjust, keep the lights off or dim at night and talk in hushed tones. Basically, make it boring! And during the day, don't worry about dimming the lights or being quiet - that will get him to know the difference between day and night. I think someone also advised me to get DS outside during the day so the sun could help reset his circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, it was January and blizzarding when we needed to do it, so that didn't help us!

Also, have you read/watched the Happiest Baby on the Block? The 5 S's (swaddling, shushing, side/stomach, swinging and sucking) were lifesavers for us starting pretty early on.

It will all pass and will become a blur - LO is only 4.5 months, and I already can't really remember what it felt like to have a newborn.

Hey Jellisy · May 2011

Ditto the above advice and congratulations on your little boy.

amh_navyblue · May 2011

Congrats on your new baby boy!!!

And ditto all the pps...when DD#1 was a newborn, DH used to refer to her witching hour as the "North Korean Meltdown Hour"...it was bad, but you will get past it! Hang in there!

otoro98 · May 2011

My girl is 12 weeks, but the first few days/weeks are LONG and hard, hard, hard, but hang in there, it really will get better!!! I strongly recommend getting the book someone else mentioned - Dr. Harvey Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block". It is a lifesaver, and luckily, a very quick read! Good luck and Congratulations!

mssaint · May 2011

I was just looking for an old post and found what I posted after our first night at home and it was basically exactly what you wrote! Except I called LO a monster. Even reading it now, I couldn't really remember what it felt like. Nature really does a number on moms' memories - I guess it's the best way to guarantee more babies.

tomandcourt · May 2011

mssaint:
Congratulations on your baby boy!
Most newborns have days and nights confused for awhile - during the days up until being born, they were constantly rocked and lulled by your movements and the noise around you, and you probably remember feeling more kicks at night when he was rocking and rolling in your tummy! It took my DS about 3 weeks to adjust his days and nights, and then he was still up every hour to 1.5 hours to nurse for another 3 weeks.
To help him adjust, keep the lights off or dim at night and talk in hushed tones. Basically, make it boring! And during the day, don't worry about dimming the lights or being quiet - that will get him to know the difference between day and night. I think someone also advised me to get DS outside during the day so the sun could help reset his circadian rhythms. Unfortunately, it was January and blizzarding when we needed to do it, so that didn't help us!
Also, have you read/watched the Happiest Baby on the Block? The 5 S's (swaddling, shushing, side/stomach, swinging and sucking) were lifesavers for us starting pretty early on.
It will all pass and will become a blur - LO is only 4.5 months, and I already can't really remember what it felt like to have a newborn.

This is all great advice. In the early days DH and I would switch off having J sleep on our chests. This is all totally normal, and OK, and in no way an indication of how he will sleep in the future.

It's of absolutely no help to you know but it really does get better. (We need to start an It Gets Better Project - Mom's Edition!)

newborn sleep??

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