Not sleeping at night at all

Re: Not sleeping at night at all

• ElleMF728 member

  May 2015

  8pm is a pretty early bedtime for a 7 week old, I think its a little more typical for bedtime to be about 10pm or 11pm at that age.  It usually shifts to an earlier time around 3 or 4 months old.  

  
  

  Have you tried wearing her during the day? You can probably get some good naps out of her that way and will still have your hands free to do whatever is necessary. 

  
  

  Waking every 3 hours is pretty normal for a 7 week old, DS woke every 2.5 or 3 hours until he was about 4 months old.  How long is her wake window during the day? She sounds overtired which ironically can make it more difficult for babies to sleep.  Do you use a white noise machine? 

  
  

  Here is a great link for information on what is typical for newborn baby sleep.  DH and I got a ton of great information from it. 

  https://www.troublesometots.com/newborn-baby-sleep-survival-guide/
  

  
  

  

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• jeannagrove14 member

  May 2015 edited May 2015

  I've tried the moby wrap when she was newborn. Her 2nd week of life we spent in the hospital with jaundice and she spent 2 days under lights it seems since then she hates being swaddled (I've tried its hit or miss) and she hates the moby wrap.
  
  Her wake times during the day vary. My mom recommended I try rice cereal in her pumped milk which i tried this afternoon and she slept great for 4 hours. From 3:30 pm till 7:30. Our routine is off today bc I wanted her to continue sleeping so we did her night time routine tonight starting at 8:30 bath, lotion, and she nursed for about 10 minutes.
  
  I wanted to try the rice cereal again before bed (I only want to do this right before bed) so I gave her a bottle of breast milk with rice cereal again, burped and kept her up right for about 15 minutes. She vomited it all up and has been up since her last nap which was a cat nap between 8-8:30.
  
  It's no 1 am and she's awake and fussy. These nights of no sleep are getting to me

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• ElleMF728 member

  May 2015

  I would really discourage the rice cereal, she is so, so little her digestive system is not ready for it. Most pediatricians will recommend waiting until 4 months until introducing any kind of solid foods.  

  
  

  7 weeks old is so young! Routines and schedules are so variable at this stage that its great to start good habits but don't worry if you miss something here or there.  I really encourage you to look up the 4th trimester which has some great ideas and tools for helping our newborns adjust to this world.  

  
  

  Keep trying the Moby and the swaddle, a lot of babies will hate something one day and love it the next.  A lot of babies will also protest the swaddle at first but find it very comforting since it mimics the close quarters of the womb (so do white noise machines).  

  
  

  Wake windows at this age should be about an hour give or take a few minutes and too much more will result in an overtired baby that will have trouble falling asleep.  The link I gave you has some great ideas of what is normal for infant sleep and tips to help. 

  
  

  I know its so tough but it will pass eventually.  Right now I have a 20 month old (who started as a crummy sleeper but is now one of the best little sleepers you will meet!) and I'm expecting a second in 3 months.  I'm going into it this time expecting to get almost no sleep in the first 3 months. 

  
  

  Have a sitter come over, do you have any family that can help? Can your partner take over one night a week or take a feeding per night? Keep trying the wraps, swaddles and sleep sacks, they can be lifesavers once you and baby get the hang of them. 

  
  

  
  

  

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• lauraj555 member

  May 2015

  How often and how long is she napping during the day?

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• Sugarplum0217 member

  May 2015

  If she's falling asleep in your arms, wait a bit until she's in a deeper sleep before putting her down. I also highly discourage rice cereal. That's a thing of the past, most peds don't Rec that anymore.
  
  I also agree to look up the 4th trimester. Swaddling, whatever kind your LO likes, it took me at least 8 different swaddles to know my daughter likes to have her hands up so she uses the flying squirrel swaddle at night. Lots of loud white noise also. Remember your LO is still so young and waking to eat/be changed every 3 hours at this point is completely normal. If it's a lot for you, give your h/so a bottle and let someone else take a night feeding and get some rest! Good luck.

   
  Surprise! Baby #2 EDD 7/28/17
  

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• jeannagrove14 member

  May 2015

  Checked out that website link above troublesome tots. What a life saver!!!!
  
  I swaddled her, gave her a pacifier and rocked her and she was out like a light! I quickly learned her tolerance for being awake is about 1 hour 30 minutes give or take then it's time go get serious about putting her to sleep. She went to bed at 11 last night woke up at 2 and 5 am we repeat the whole process and she sleeps in her swing now with the sound of rain. Thank you sooooo much for recommending that site

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• PrimRoseMama member

  May 2015

  jeannagrove14 said:

  my lo will be 7 weeks old Thursday and the past few nights she will not sleep at night at all, usually she'll sleep 8-10 then till 12 and awake till 3 am. After that she wakes every 3 hours to nurse.
  
  Past couple nights she won't sleep at all. I've tried swaddling and I can rock her and she'll go to sleep but the second I put her down she wakes. I've tried putting her down in her swing, crib, and rock and play every time she wakes.
  
  I'm running on very little sleep and it's getting to me. She barely sleeps during the day too even when I try to put her down for a nap.
  
  We have a routine where between 7:30-8 we bathe, lotion, new diaper, pajamas and nurse and then sleep but that doesn't seem to be helping any lately

  White noise?
  
  White noise plus warming a rice sack or water bottle. You put the warmed water bottle in the spot you plan to put baby. Get baby asleep (nursing/rocking/whatever) & put them in the warm spot. That can help.
  
  Sorry, I've been there with children that snap awake the minute you put them down. It's really hard.
  
  Also-- a vibrator clip! My bassinet came with one but you could find one. Helped my daughter sleep.

  
  LFAF Summer 2016 Awards:
  
  
  
  
  

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• Bigboobsmcgee member

  May 2015

  jeannagrove14 said:

  Checked out that website link above troublesome tots. What a life saver!!!! I swaddled her, gave her a pacifier and rocked her and she was out like a light! I quickly learned her tolerance for being awake is about 1 hour 30 minutes give or take then it's time go get serious about putting her to sleep. She went to bed at 11 last night woke up at 2 and 5 am we repeat the whole process and she sleeps in her swing now with the sound of rain. Thank you sooooo much for recommending that site

  
  Good!

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• jeannagrove14 member

  May 2015

  We had a few good nights where she'd wake at 2 and 6. Last night and tonight are a different story. Nothing seems to satisfy her. maybe it's a growth spurt? Idk
  
  We even bought a fisher price papasan cradle swing. She loves it but again nothing will satisfy her tonight or last night

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• Bigboobsmcgee member

  May 2015

  jeannagrove14 said:

  We had a few good nights where she'd wake at 2 and 6. Last night and tonight are a different story. Nothing seems to satisfy her. maybe it's a growth spurt? Idk We even bought a fisher price papasan cradle swing. She loves it but again nothing will satisfy her tonight or last night

  
  Totally normal but shitty. It sucks when every night is different and you can't count on anything! Just keep trying different things. This will pass and yes, it could be a growth spurt.

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