Tips for overtired baby

melstar77 · July 2015

I know there are a few posts out there about baby routines but I need more help! My LO is 4w and never goes to sleep easily. She will eat and then fight sleep for hours until she is exhausted and inconsolable. We have tried to start a routine with feeding, burping, rocking with reading, talking quietly, singing, or quiet then into a swing, bouncer, or rock n play. She fights sleep the whole time. Once she gets wound up and upset we do the 5s, swaddle which she hates, or hair dryer. We also have a white noise machine. I feel like we have tried everything and she ends up stAying awake for 2+ hours every time. Any tips would be great! TIA.

taunyabruton · July 2015

This is why I ended up giving in to using a pacifier and it works like a charm!

virginiaunicorn11 · July 2015

I put my screaming kid into the Moby and do a brisk walk. I have to first make sure he's not wet or hungry, or it won't work. But if it's just that he's overtired, getting him outside has worked every time for me.

Also, I have to catch things before the screaming starts, or consoling takes waaaay longer

uta10 · July 2015

I don't have a great answer for you because I had the same problem, but what I can say is that after the baby hit 6 weeks old the problem seemed to gradually disappear and noemi am able to get two good naps out of her. Sometimes it's a couple catnaps and one long long nap, but it's wayy better than it was at 4 weeks so there is a light at the end of the tunnel for you at least.

uta10 · July 2015

Now I am. Silly autocorrect.

Oh and have you tried taking a walk with the baby in the stroller or a car ride with the baby in the cat seat? That's what I did when we were having a harder time with it.

Marcantonio · July 2015

Pacifier, swaddle and bounce sitting on a yoga ball. The yoga ball has made all the difference! !

paige0704 · July 2015

I use the kitchen fan on high while swaddled and it works every time lol I know it sounds crazy but my girl loves it!!

dancegurl1118 · July 2015

I find the first sign of a tired whine or yawn help to catch it early. If I let it get to crying she's 10x harder to get to sleep.

ksimo6 · July 2015

Try the swaddle sooner. It may help settle her down.

melstar77 · July 2015

Thanks for all the feedback! We tried the car and it only works sometimes. We also used to try to swaddle but she seems to hate it. Now she's a little better and doesn't mind it so much. We will keep trying everything!

mypower610 · July 2015

Try the 5 S's sooner, as soon as you need her to calm down. For mine we start the white noise first, then swaddle. She also likes to be over the shoulder like you're burping her, not sideways.
I would also try the moby wrap, or whatever carrier, and walk.

HayesRN13 · July 2015

Car seat on the dryer while it's running ?

Emilywooddesign · July 2015

Try the " easy swaddle" type of pouches with the Velcro, they are less restrictive but still stop the reflexes of babies arms waking them up. I downloaded this app called sound sleeper and it has a womb sound that really works for my twins.

mlindzz · July 2015

We try to take LO for an evening walk in his stroller each night, that usually puts him out or gets him pretty tired.

When that doesn't work we swaddle, use a pacifier and rock him.

If you are BFIng, perhaps try feeding him while laying down on your side, tummy to tummy. LO loves to fall asleep like that.

I also second others with catching things early when you can. I know LO gets very very upset when he's past tired and just becomes angry.

Also car rides work, but I can't image them being helpful when he's already worked up. But it might be worth a shot! Best of luck mama! It can only get easier.

zxxiv2 · July 2015

Unfortunately I have no great advice, just lending support because I was totally in your shoes today. My LO is also 4 weeks today and she will not sleep either. Other than a few minutes here and there she has been awake and crying on and off since 6 am. The Hubbs and I finally got her down in her rock and play. It sucks the big one but your not alone! Hopefully it will get better! Stay strong momma!

charliepepper · July 2015

The only thing that works for us is skin-to-skin and some comfort nursing. Sucks because then I'm immobile for an hour or so, but at least the screaming stops!

nickse44 · July 2015

We have the same problem! She falls asleep for about 5 mins then wakes up and cries...this lasts almost exactly an hour and 20 mins every night and the 2nd time I nurse her she is out in a deep sleep. The only comfort for me is that she will sleep for 4 hrs after that and nurse at 2 am and then not wake up again til 6 am! Noise machine also helps sometimes!!

virginiaunicorn11 · July 2015

So I am on day 2 of an overtired kid. 4+ hours of staying awake, and mad as hell about it. Today I spent literally four hours trying to rock, walk, Moby wrap and everything else to console my 6.5 week old. Eventually at 8:00 pm I swaddled him and decided I would put him in his bassinet and just let him cry for five minutes before picking him back up. He fell asleep before the first minute was up.

Then 5 minutes later he woke up crying, clearly mad about being swaddled. I freed his arms, and he stopped crying but whined in the bassinet for another 15 minutes before falling deep asleep.

This is exhausting! I have no idea what to do!!

lindsladle15 · July 2015

Yep, it's controversial....but both of my babies (DD1 a year ago and now DD2) were the same way with crying and not wanting to/fighting sleep. It got the worst around 3weeks, until I flipped them over on their bellies to sleep. (You could also try propping them against something on their side.) Worked like a charm and they sleep so much more contentedly and quicker! DD2 only cries for a couple minutes, if at all. I think it's something about the pressure on the belly and feeling more secure.
Just make sure he/she is strong enough to move his/her own head from side to side first.

melstar77 · July 2015

Thanks for the tips! I have lots of new things to try now and hopefully also will get some sleep!

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