Sleep/play questions

hep01 · October 2011

My girls are 5 weeks old...they typically sleep almost all of the time, do I need to try to do things w/ them to keep them up during the day? If so, suggestions?

They are not huge fans of the swing or bouncer & will tolerate laying on the play mat for a very short time. I feel like they live in the FPRNP but that seems to be where they are the happiest.

Also, if anyone has any recommendations to get them to sleep longer than 3 hrs at night I would appreciate that...but I know it is still early.

natb22 · October 2011

5 and 6 weeks is when my girls started to sleep between 3-4 hours straight at a time, so that sounds about right! 8 weeks they started sleeping 5-6 hours at a time, and STTN at 12 weeks..you're getting there!

Do you swaddle? I used MB's until just last week but they loved being swaddled for bed and I'm certain it helped them sleep better.

As far as keeping them up, they will still sleep a lot during the day, I would just continue to do what you are doing until they show more interest in being active/entertained during the day. GL!

violaplayer · October 2011

I see their adjusted age is 2 days old. I really doubt they will go longer than 3 hours for a bit yet. I know it is hard, just hang in there!

I wouldn't worry yet about trying to make them stay up during the day. I would make sure they get lots of light during the day, to help start setting their day/night internal clock but they're peanuts - they need to sleep to grow.

klr210 · October 2011

my girs are 6 wks tomorrow. the past 2 or 3 nights were the first 4 hour stretches at night. wow what a difference, but we haven't switched their routine, I think it's just time/age that they now are able to go longer btwn feedings.

As far as awake time - it's only in 45-60 minute increments. By the time I change a diaper, nurse and cuddle there is only a little time for tummy time, play mat, sitting in the boppy/swing/bouncer before they are wanting to go to sleep again. That's all the longer they want to be awake and I follow thier cues. If I attempt to keep them awake it just makes them overtired and pretty much hell for me.

hep01 · October 2011

natb22:

5 and 6 weeks is when my girls started to sleep between 3-4 hours straight at a time, so that sounds about right! 8 weeks they started sleeping 5-6 hours at a time, and STTN at 12 weeks..you're getting there!

Do you swaddle? I used MB's until just last week but they loved being swaddled for bed and I'm certain it helped them sleep better.

As far as keeping them up, they will still sleep a lot during the day, I would just continue to do what you are doing until they show more interest in being active/entertained during the day. GL!

I may try swaddling again but they hated it! They would fight until they got their arms out & then they would be happy.

NicoleeBonsai · October 2011

my girls are 3 1/2 weeks old now. at 11 days old our pedi said we could try stretching them to 4 hours overnight, and so far we have been able to drop 1 overnight feed and have gotten them to sleep 3 1/2 hour stretches.

during the day though, it's every 3 hours and we've compensated by increasing their bottle intake for the other feedings so they get the same amount of BM/formula.

all they do is sleep in their rock and plays all.day. i feel bad about it, but it's what they do! we can do tummy time for like 5 mins, but then it's a meltdown and we go back to the RNPs.

the only feedings they tend to not sleep between is from the 8 pm feed to the 11 pm feed - they tend to be wide awake during that period.

sounds like you are doing great!

cookiemonster03 · October 2011

Ours are 12 weeks/7 weeks adjusted and just now sleeping 4-6 hrs at night. They're small and I think some is just needing their little bellies to be big enough.

jcath · October 2011

NicoleeBonsai:

all they do is sleep in their rock and plays all.day. i feel bad about it, but it's what they do! we can do tummy time for like 5 mins, but then it's a meltdown and we go back to the RNPs.

This is us too. I love the RNPs and then feel equally guilty they live in them. Audrey will occasionally sleep 4 hours but Edy won't go past 3 and often is 2 and 1/2 and wakes starving. It makes for alot of up and down at night.

hep01 · October 2011

Thanks ladies! I guess my little divas didn't like me talking about them b/c twice last night I got 4 hr stretches out of them. This mommy is NOT complaining!!

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