Baby won't sleep at night. Exhausted.

[UglyDelicious]

My son is nearly 11 weeks old. He's perfect in every way, other than his eating/sleeping.

He feeds every hour throughout the night (less regularly during the day) and in the day he sleeps a lot, but awake at night as he feeds so much.

He hasn't got tongue tie. I just don't know why he feeds so much at night.

He does have a habit of being miserable and doing a massive poo in the morning and being really content and happy instantly after. Maybe he had wind?

I don't know. I just know that I'm exhausted and tired of being told it's 'not normal' - is it really that abnormal? Anyone experienced similar?

I'm so tired...

At this age they don’t know day from night. Can you sleep in the day?

@FenellaMaxwellsPony I can sometimes but I have school runs to do and DH is at work so can't help me with these at the moment. He's working extra hours to do we can afford my maternity leave as I am on statutory pay.

Oops. Used my other username! Never mind. The above was me...

Are you BF? Can you express lots throughout the day for the evening and give him a dreamfeed just before you put him down???

I've got a 3 week old and I give him a big bottle of formula before bed (offer him 180ml and he'll take anywhere between 100-150, did 180 once) and he goes down without too much of a fight and sleeps for 3-4 hours at a time.

If he fights sleep we have a Ewan the Dreamsheep which helps settle him and we slide a heat pad between the blanket and mattress for the cold nights to warm his crib up.

for you hope you are ok x

Have you tried getting him out and about in the sunlight regularly during the day and more activity? Also wake more regularly for feeds during the day.

Trying starting a gentle routine (obviously this is not strict and changes are as required)

wake him at 7.00am for feed, change, play
8.00am Nap
8.30am feed, change, activity
9.30am Nap
10.00am feed, change, activity
11.30am Nap
12.00pm feed, change, activity
1.30pm Nap
2.30pm Feed, change, activity
4.00pm nap
5.00pm Feed, change, activity
6.00pm Bath, massage, feed
7.00pm Bed (keep it dark until 7am and no changes unless poo, keep feeds short and try a dummy first)

Oh I'd also try giving dream feed at 10pm when you go to bed.

@kaytee87 see that looks like utter madness to me. I think I would go slowly insane if I tried to stick to that!

At this age they don’t know day from night. Can you sleep in the day?

Of course they do.

He's 11 week not 11 days.

@TruckLoadOfSubtleGlitter I hope he does! We've done everything to make sure he does. Lots of noise and light in the day. Quiet and dark at night. Not sure it's working...

You'll go mad with sleep deprivation first.

Basically the whole idea is to make sure baby eats more during the day and has age appropriate naps (not kept awake too long as over tired is worse at night) and more activity during the day will help baby learn night from day.

It's obviously not a strict routine at this age but more focus on activity & feeds during the day and quietness & dark at night will help.

And have you tried a dummy. Could just be comfort sucking at night. Which is obviously completely normal but exhausting for you.

@kaytee87 we have. We've tried 4 different ones. He won't take them. He's still only 10lbs

It's tough but you've got to switch round his sleeping and feeding or you'll go mad. So less sleeping in the day. Keep him awake however you can. Activities, sunlight etc. Lots of feeding in the day. You need to teach him when to feed and sleep. It's will be rough for a day or two but so worth it. We had the same but at 11 days not weeks!