Knockturnal Baby

[user1487823244]

Please help

Our baby is just a week old and is currently using Aptamil Profutura First Milk formula and sleeps and feeds (2-3 hourly) brilliantly throughout the day.

Asoon as night arrives everything goes down hill very rapidly. He's constantly restless, cries and wants feeding every hour, me and my partner cannot get any sleep what so ever on the night. For example, tonight he has been awake since 8pm and is still awake and restless now. His temp is fine, slightly constipated, using infacol, room temp is 20 degrees C.

Please could someone offer some help and advice so that he can sleep at night.

Many thanks

[CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt]

Your baby is still so tiny I'm afraid that's normal.

It does get better though

[TanteRose]

Completely normal - he won't know the difference between day and night for a few weeks. You and your partner should take it in turns to get some sleep.

but don't expect the situation to change much in the next couple of months - babies are exhausting!

many congratulations on the birth of your baby

[user1487823244]

Thank you for the responses. You wouldn't recommend changing the formula?

[Beansonapost]

It's only been a week...

Think about where he was last week.

It's very normal and don't think a formula change will help.

You need to strategise and take turns sleeping... it will be rough for a good while.

[RaeSkywalker]

Sorry, but this is normal I'm afraid. It's worth asking your HV for advice about the constipation though I think,

I found that my DS wasn't always waking from hunger, so we ended up buying buying him a bed nest, which really helped him stay settled for a little longer.

[Bex134]

You won't want to hear this but babies are born nocturnal and gradually become less so over time. My DS is 5 weeks and it does gradually change. It's probably the hardest thing I've ever done was the night time waking. My midwife/HV would say go out in the day but I thought they were crazy as I was that tired.

Unfortunately there's no fix other than time. It doesn't take too long but then you just move to other challenges. It sounds like you are definitely doing a great job. Try not to worry too much. A few ideas... It's easier said than done but try to sleep or rest when he does in the day. Keep day time light and noisy, and night time low stimulus. Go out if you can or goin garden or spend time by bright window.

[RaeSkywalker]

I don't think changing his formula is a good idea, based on whether you've said.

[user1487823244]

Hi all, thank you for replying and offering us some advice. We will keep everything the same and perservere. Hopefully things will improve soon

[blue2014]

I promise you this horrible time of no sleep will go quicker than you think. Took DS 5 weeks and I thought I might die of sleep exhaustion but now, he's only 11 weeks and I've already forgotten how bad it was!

Start to teach your baby night and day anyway (it's a bit early but it can't hurt to start) so sunshine, day light and noise in the day, dark and quiet at night. Apparently going for a pram walk midday can really help (I've never managed this)

Congrats, it does it easier, honestly it does