2 week old baby night sleeping

[MissHoney85]

I have a 2 week old DD who was born at 36+3, so slightly preterm and probably only just 'cooked' now. She took a while to get feeding properly (breastfed) and is still slightly under birthweight, so I'm feeding her on demand and waking her every 3 hours or so for a feed if she doesn't wake naturally.

For the first 10 days or so, she would only sleep on a person. In the last few days she has started to tolerate being put down for naps in the daytime - she managed 3 hours straight yesterday on a Cocoonababy cushion in the living room.

At night is a different story however. She tends to sleep for a couple of hours downstairs with DH from about 8-10, then he brings her up and she cluster feeds until about 1am. I'm told it's normal for them to cluster feed at night, but now I'm not sure if she's actually hungry or just comfort feeding because I'm trying to put her down between each feed and she doesn't like it.

I tend to try putting her on the Cocoonababy until about 2am, then relent and try co-sleeping. She will occasionally sleep for a bit next to me - we managed 50 mins last night which was the most so far. Mostly she objects though.

I know a lack of sleep is to be expected but I'm getting a bit frustrated now and feel like I don't know what I'm doing - I don't know what to stick with and what to try changing.

Some things I have considered are

1. Temperature and clothing - she will sleep on the Cocoonababy happily in the living room where it's warm, but the bedroom is usually 17-18 degrees. She wears a sleepsuit in it and I tuck a blanket over her. When co-sleeping she wears a sleepsuit with a 2.5 tog sleeping bag. Should she be wearing more? I don't want her to overheat though.
   
   
2. Swaddling - we have tried this quite a bit and have lots of different swaddling solutions now! I'm never quite sure though - for one thing, I don't like that she can't use her hands to give feeding cues so is more likely to get worked up when hungry. Also the bags are quite thin so again I don't know how to make her warm enough but not too hot.
   
   
3. Am I just being unrealistic to expect her to sleep at night so soon, especially with her being a little undercooked? I am comparing to friends of ours who had a baby at the same time and seem to have this problem pretty much sorted now.
   
   Sorry this was so long! Any advice much appreciated.

[Metallicalover]

2 week old is very new and they don't know the difference from day and night and your correct with it being normal for babies to cluster feed at night.

You sound as though your doing fab! It is exhausting but things do eventually settle down!
It doesn't feel like it now but it does 😊
Have a look on here re room temperatures and what babies should wear! If they're over 5lb they can wear the gro snugs (I think the name has changed as tommee tippee now owns the gro bags) and you have the option to swaddle or not! My little one didn't like to be swaddled! My little one was born at 37 weeks and was a little hungry thing! Once she went up the centiles she started to settle! Xx

[Paris2019]

My LO is 5 weeks and totally the same as you describe... and I've googled enough by now to know it's normal! He sleeps a couple of hours at a time max and usually shorter unless co-sleeping or napping on me.

Re temperature... my LO kicks off any blankets so at night he's in a long sleeve vest and 2.5 tog sleeping bag in temp of 18 /19 degrees. During the day just a vest and sleepsuit, maybe a cardi too.

It's really hard work but at this age they just want to be close to mama! I'm told it gets better around 7 weeks. I think you just have to keep tweaking things to see what makes a difference (eg white nose etc) but otherwise just accept it's going to be difficult but it is just a phase. My OH usually has LO for a couple of hours straight in the eve and in the morning which is a godsend but even that is not always guaranteed!!

Good luck!

[Pillowcase123]

Totally normal OP and yes, you are a little unreasonable to expect her to sleep through at just 2 weeks old - shes still so tiny! Have you heard about the Fourth Trimester?

It sounds like you're doing all the right stuff so well done and good luck with powering through!

[OhToBeASeahorse]

Sounds like you are doing brilliantly OP.
Don't worry about 'sorying" it. Over the next free months what will work and what wont will change seemingly completely randomly. While you try and crack it they are busy growing. Just take each night as it comes.