Is this normal?

[benne81]

Hi I have a 13 day old baby who is ebf and like an angel in the daytime, feeding well, latching well, gaining weight etc. But in the evening he just won't sleep and constantly wants feeding ( has been like this for the last 4 days). He stays awake from 9.30pm until roughly 3am then will gave a brief sleep before further feeds up until 5.30-6am when he will have a large sleep and can go for 5hrs easily.

Is this normal? Does anyone have any tips of how to cope or what I can do to get more of a daytime rountine - at the end of my tether now really. So bloody tired!

[piprabbit]

Evenings were a nightmare in my house, from the moment DH walked through the door, right through supper time and beyond. It went on for several months, being awake until the small hours rocking and feeding and handing baby back and forth to DH.

Second baby, DH moved into spare room for the duration and the baby and I settled down into our weird night time manoeuvres without worrying about disturbing him.

I think 13 days is still too young to be worrying about establishing a routine. Very young babies don't realise that the day is split into 24 hour chunks with a day and a night, they are operating on a 2-4 hour cycle and for a little while you need to operate on the same short cycle (I think that's one of the really tough things about being a new parent).

Try and follow the baby's lead. Sleep from 6am to 11am if possible. That way you'll be getting a reasonable chunk of sleep each day. Eventually the baby will adjust to our day/night time.

And congratulations on your DS - enjoy him .

[pootlebug]

Yes - very normal in my experience. My eldest was just like this. As piprabbit says, I would sleep when the baby sleeps...if that is 6am to 11am then so be it.

I didn't push a routine....it just seemed mad when I had a baby who screamed all evening unless fed. Over the course of the next few weeks she gradually moved nighttime to be what most people would call 'nighttime' of her own accord. She still fed like a maniac from 6pm - 11pm but that actually had its advantages - it meant she slept really quite well after that for a good period.

If there is any time during the night when he is awake but not feeding, can you hand him to your partner for an hour or two for cuddles whilst you get some sleep? It's trickier if your partner is at work, but maybe the 9.30pm onwards slot for a bit?

[DecapitatedLegoman]

Normal normal normal - doesn't make it less tough though. It's so true - sleep when the baby sleeps. Switch off phones/put a note on your door (get DH to do it on his way to work) and sleep. Everything else can wait. Much sympathy, I can remember it all so clearly.

[allhailtheaubergine]

Normal. Bloody hard work. It won't last forever.

Can you feed lying down so you can doze? That's how we coped.

Congratulations, by the way!