Does baby sleep better during the day or night?

SMM1986 · May 2014

Zoe seems to sleep really well during the day, 1.5-2 hr stretches and she's out like a light. By night time, though, she sleeps very fussy and lately I have been falling asleep with her in my arms (usually after breastfeeding) just to get some sleep since she'll sleep deeply that way.
During the day the lights are on, It's noisy (especially when the big kids are home from school) and at night I keep it dark and quiet.
I don't know if technically her days and nights are switched since she does sleep at night, any ideas on how to get her to sleep better at night? I think she's too little to try the keep her awake in the day thing.

rainydayluck · May 2014

Are you swaddling at night?

SMM1986 · May 2014

Yes she's swaddled pretty much 24/7.

chillypenguin · May 2014

I'm in pretty much the exact same situation. DD2 sleeps pretty much the entire day, only waking to eat. Her fussy time is from around 9-11 pm and she tends to be more awake at night. DD1 is running around and screaming and being very loud during the day, I can't believe she sleeps through it. I haven't figured out anything to help her switch things around.

amroke · May 2014

It is normal at first for them to have their days and nights switched.

SurprisePartySue · May 2014

My LO is the same. She sleeps really well during the day no matter where she is sleeping. Our awake period of time where she fights sleep or wakes up every hour to an hour and a half is from11-4 but then she will sleep from 4-8/9

sthomas1222 · May 2014

Totally normal. I'd only swaddle at night but that's the only thing I'd change. It took about 4 weeks for DD to get her nights straight. But they sleep so much in a 24 hour period that first month or so it's hard to discern any real pattern for quite a while.

SMM1986 · May 2014

I can't remember this being an issue wIth my other two, But they haven't been babies for a while so maybe I blocked it out.

SweetTea420 · May 2014

Reed definitely sleeps better during the day. l feel bad because DH takes the night shift and deals with most of the fussiness. We keep the lights low at night and open the windows during the day hoping he will get his days and nights straight soon.

SMM1986 · May 2014

Thanks for the input ladies, glad I'm not the only one. I really need to get into a night routine too, we've been sleeping on the couch (baby in her RNP) since we came home.

ksyknelvr73 · May 2014

I remember it being like this with DS for maybe 4-6 weeks, then it got much better. I think it is just temporary(or hopefully!).

SMM1986 · May 2014

Hopefully! I have to go back to work after 6 weeks.

MissLadyTay · May 2014

Yes mine sleeps well except from 11-3 or so in the middle of the night. Normal! Takes a few weeks to get the days and nights straight.

jay3907 · May 2014

They sleep better when it's noisy because when they are in the womb it's always noisy. They hear everything going on, it's never really silent for them because if nothing else they can still hear your heartbeat. Try giving her a bath around the time she starts to get fussy. Use some of that sleepy time lavender lotion afterwards. And do not try to make it completely silent when your trying to get her to sleep. Have the tv on or run the vacuum. I also learned in my pre-natal class that if you swaddle them, then turn them on their side and rock them on your knees if seems to calm them down almost instantly. Also if your blow in their ears making a shushing noise. I know it sounds weird but that's what they hear in the womb. Hope some of this helps.

spinsoffresonance · May 2014

A lot of babies sleep better during the day because all the lights and noises over stimulate them. Our pedi suggested dimming the lights during the day and not letting her sleep more than 2hours at a time. At night, play white noise all night long. You can get a sound machine or just the free "white noise" app on your phone. Worked wonders for DD.

SMM1986 · May 2014

I'll try the white noise tonight. Last night was rough, she basically fussed from 8pm-12:30am, at which point I fed her and she Fell asleep in my arms and I left her there. She sleeps fine in her swing and RNP in the day so I don't know why she fusses so much in them at night.

SurprisePartySue · May 2014

I know this probably isn't a good way to get sleep. But we had NB pics yesterday from 3-7. She was wide awake or fussy almost the entire time. Once we went to bed she did great! She woke up at 12:40 to eat fell back to sleep by 1:30 and slept till 5:30. I might try and keep her awake during that time more often.

SMM1986 · May 2014

We have a ped appointment today so I'm going to see if he has any suggestions. I'm pretty sure my other kids didn't go through this. They would fuss at night but usually once they hit the swing they would sleep.

cbrust · May 2014

@SMM1986‌ just wanted to say I have no advice but I'm in the same boat. LO sleeps like a champ during the day in her RNP then hates the thing at night. The only way I got sleep was if I held her in a recliner chair.
Please post what your pedi says! I'm curious as well.

CMDR513 · May 2014

Mine hates the RNP but loves the PNP. She sleeps during the day but wide awake at 3 AM.

SMM1986 · May 2014

cbrust said:
@SMM1986‌ just wanted to say I have no advice but I'm in the same boat. LO sleeps like a champ during the day in her RNP then hates the thing at night. The only way I got sleep was if I held her in a recliner chair.
Please post what your pedi says! I'm curious as well.

He basically said to stimulate her during the day so she's awake a little longer; talk to her, etc. But he did also say that she kind of makes the rules at this point.
She had a kind of awake day today and is sleeping now, we'll see what tonight brings.

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