Help! Sleeping...or rather NOT sleeping

myfingerhurts · October 2015

I need so much help.

My LO is 8 weeks today and still doesn't sleep more than 3 hours at a time. Occasionally he will go 3.5, but rarely. I'm so sleep deprived I feel like I'm going crazy. And I will definitely start sobbing if one more person tells me their 4 week old already does 6 hour stretches.

He goes down fairly easily at night, but wakes up like clockwork almost exactly 3 hours after we put him down. We've tried every swaddle known to man (we use the moms on call one now, which seems to work best). We have a white noise machine. I've read "healthy sleep habits, happy child." He's on a stable, but baby-led schedule. I put him down for naps during the day when he seems tired (he doesn't sleep terribly long then either). Gaining weight well, tons of wet diapers -- no concern that he isn't eating enough.

Is this normal!? I feel like all I've been reading recently are people saying how their babies are sleep champions and doing long stretches. I just have no idea what else to do. I breastfeed exclusively now, but am even thinking about giving him a bottle of formula at night to see if that helps. I'm willing to try anything short of extinction crying.

Knottie1457011059 · October 2015

I'm having the same problem. He literally wakes up every Two hours all night long. I've tried everything. And he won't sleep in the crib. I'm starting to wonder if I'll ever sleep again

ElleMF728 · October 2015

3 hours is pretty normal at 8 weeks and I definitely wouldn't even consider sleep training until at least 6 months. You can't judge your baby's sleep against anyone else's. First, sleep is always changing a good sleeper at 4 weeks may start waking every hour after their 4 month regression whereas a baby that wakes every 3 hours at 2 months may start STTN at 4 months and never look back.

DS1 was every 2 hours on the dot until he was about 5 months old. I would argue that babies that sleep in long stretches at this age are the unusual ones.

thinkpink101 · October 2015

My 8 week old does about the same. He goes down around 9:30pm, wakes to eat around midnight and then again 3:30. At that point he is usually up for good. Then he only takes 5-10 minute catnaps while being held during the day. I'm getting nothing done. Ped said it was fine as long as he catnaps.

myfingerhurts · October 2015

@ElleMF728 thank you! I think part of me just needs to hear that this is normal. I was lucky enough to have my LO around the same time my SIL and best friend had their babies, and they are both already STTN. I want to do what's best for him, but dear god, I'm just so tired.

@bbudden92 I'm sorry you are going through this too! It's so hard!

ElleMF728 · October 2015

klhelder said:

@ElleMF728 thank you! I think part of me just needs to hear that this is normal. I was lucky enough to have my LO around the same time my SIL and best friend had their babies, and they are both already STTN. I want to do what's best for him, but dear god, I'm just so tired. @bbudden92 I'm sorry you are going through this too! It's so hard!

I definitely sympathize, I've been there! I think DS2 still waking 1 or 2 times a night is NBD because I'm still traumatized from my first. Is it possible for someone else to give a bottle of pumped milk once a night to give you a break? Another thing that I did was dream feed. I'd top DS off right before I went to bed to make sure I got a full 2 hours before he woke.

myfingerhurts · October 2015

@ElleMF728 I tried dream feeding and it didn't really work, but I might try again! Unfortunately, my husband hasn't been super helpful. We talked about him handling a feed a night, but it never happened. We may need to revisit that discussion.

laurapaine2003@yahoo.com · October 2015

I completely sympathize -- seeing all these threads that say their LO is sleeping through the night enrages/baffles me... We EBF and she will wake up every hour to eat, then give me a 2.5 hour chunk here and there. I'd kill for even just 3 straight hours.

meggipi5 · October 2015

DD1 was like that. At about 5 months we night weaned her and at 6 months she started to sleep through the night consistently (she had done so only occasionally prior to then and I wanted to scream anytime someone told me their baby was sleeping through the night). She was a bad napper, too.

We did controlled crying at 6 months and it helped us. And consistency of routines. We also discovered she needed after dinner to be quiet and calm--no TV on, lights dimmed, bath, quiet play with daddy, books, singing, bed.

She's 2 1/2 and still not a great sleeper....and has dropped her nap.

All kids are different. Do what works for you and remember that he will sleep eventually (and so will you).

Kayciejoe56 · October 2015

We are in the same boat here! LO is 6 weeks and while occasionally his first stretch is 3 hours (it was even 4 hours ONCE) we are usually at 2 hour stretches all night long. I just try to look at the plus side, my little guy isn't up for long when he does get up. He eats about 15 min and then goes back down. Although the last week or so, he has had some trouble settling back in, so I have resorted to letting him sleep on me for 1 stretch between feedings to decrease my awake time. I have also been putting lo in bed with me after DH leaves for work, and getting a few good naps, which helps with getting through the day!

It's just important to remember everything at this age is just a phase (and short phases at that! ) Some babies handle different phases better then others. I'm really just trying to go with the flow until 3 months, when there is a general consensus that sleep gets better, and it's acceptable to start a loose idea of sleep training.

monicaP · October 2015

Want to feel better. My LO regularly wakes up on the hour, rock 20 minutes, back down for 20-45, then hungry. Rinse and repeat. Naps are inconsistent. As the third we are usually taking someone somewhere so naps are in the car, stroller, or ergo most of the time. When we are home I try putting her down but she ends up sleeping in someone's arms. She is 8 weeks.

You are not alone.

awells189 · October 2015

Same here! I've gotten a 4 hour stretch once with my 8 week old but that was a fluke, lol. I just keep telling myself this is not permanent and I will sleep again.

ko23003 · October 2015

I know exactly what your feeling. My 8 week old will sleep a 3 hour stretch once during the night if I'm lucky. Otherwise I'm up every 2 hours. My husband is working right now and since I'm on maternity leave I said I would get up at night with LO... big mistake as I haven't had more then a 3 hour stretch of sleep in 8 weeks. I look over at my sleeping (snoring) husband, who when hears the LO cry rolls over and grumbles "do you need anything", and all I want to hit him over the head with a pillow. Can't wait for 'things to get better" as everyone tells me they will!!

CRooney89 · October 2015

My 6 week old is up every 3 hours too. I am SO jealous of the moms that have babies sleeping through the night. I just keep telling myself it has to end soon!!!!!!!

myfingerhurts · October 2015

It's so nice to hear I'm not alone! Although I feel for your tiredness. Solidarity in sleeplessness.

hopeful87-2 · October 2015

My 8 week old just this week started doing one 4 hour stretch, besides that it was every two hours on the dot. I started pumping extra and was going to have DH do a night feed if she had kept that up. Now she does one 4 hour and two 2 hour stretches, I just pray she stays this way atleast I was about to loose it before. I have heard from friends that formula at night helps. Do what you need to do to not go crazy!

Imangan · October 2015

I'm with you too, 3 hour stretches at most I also do the night feeds because im on Mat leave , if I would have known I would be doing 3 per night every night I wouldn't have signed up for this. At least he gets to go to work for a "break" there are no coffee breaks / lunch in my day :-( in about 5 night feeds away from losing my mind from sleep deprivation!

laurapaine2003@yahoo.com · October 2015

You guys... The stars and moon aligned last night and my 6 week old slept 5 straight hours, woke to feed, then slept another 3 straight hours. This is HUGE for us... At one point she was waking every 45 min days on end, I didn't sleep for 3 days straight and seriously thought I might die. Then lately she wanted up every hour on the dot. So for last night to happen made me want to cry tears of joy. My fear is that it was a total fluke - we shall see. But there is hope for us, slowly but surely it WILL get better - not that that thought helps when it's 3am and you haven't slept. But keep pushing on, we can do this.

mmd091909 · October 2015

I'm sorry you are so sleep deprived. I'd say it's pretty normal for a baby to still wake that often. With that said, I do give (and gave my other two) a formula bottle for bed. For the most part that helped get a longer stretch of sleep.

If it makes you feel better my oldest slept through the night starting at 6 weeks. As soon as he hit 4 months that changed. He started waking every 2 hours until 12 months. He didn't sleep through the night again until he was 3. Just because they do it early doesn't mean that will stick.

ReneeJ2011 · October 2015

My 8 week old does 1 4 hour stretch then it's every 2.5-3 hours the rest of the night. The problem is the 4 hour stretch tends to start about 7pm. Also, he got shots yesterday and was up every 1.5-2 hours last night. Good luck you are not alone!

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