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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

9 week old won't sleep during the day any advice?

11 replies

whizzylala · 27/05/2011 12:07

my DS is 9 weeks, he is able to get himself to sleep at bedtime (7pm) and sleeps then until 10-10.30, solidly, through the night he goes then for about 2-3 hours at a stretch with breastfeeds in between. During the day however he seems unable to sleep for more than about 15 mins at a time. He just doesn't go into a deep sleep at all, you can hear it in his breathing and just see that he is not settling. I am of course happy with the nights but I am getting no chance to catch with sleep or do much in the day. He will sleep if I go for a long walk (wakes as soon as the buggy stops though) and it is half term next week so my older two are not going to up for spending their days walking like I have taken to at the moment!
Any ideas how I can help him to sleep occasionally during the day like he does at night please?
Thanks.

OP posts:

oldmum42 · 27/05/2011 13:35

Sounds fairly like my DS4 (now 7 months), but it's really tough on you, thats for sure. As he's already on the "wakeful" side during the day at 9weeks, he should start to sleep a lot longer at night, and you will (eventually!) catch up on your sleep. My DS4 has 2 short naps in the day time (we live in a rural location and he sleeps during the school run), and sleeps solid from around 10pm till 7am, and started this at about 4months.

Things that tend to put my DS4 (and his brothers when they were small), a run in the car, or the train. Music (loud interesting stuff), the flashing lights of the tv, lots of people talking (like if I was at a cafe with friends), and of course, long walks in the pushchair.

It's so hard getting by on no sleep when you are at the "several feed a night" stage, but it won't last forever, honest!

Octaviapink · 27/05/2011 13:46

Sounds like he needs the movement to go to sleep - I would put him in a sling. DS spent the first four months of his life on my chest, more or less, and nearly all of it asleep! Didn't affect his night sleeping at all.

Original poster

whizzylala · 27/05/2011 14:11

Put him in the sling just after posting and he slept well - trouble is at 9 weeks he is already nearly 14lb so not sure how long I will manage it for plus there is a limit to how much you can do / sleep you can get with him in there. Yes he likes noise and is much better at sleeping when we are out, I even said to a friend the other day I need a "cafe sounds" download! Trouble with him is that as soon as the activitiy / noise or whatever stops he wakes, he seems to need it to stay asleep rather than get to sleep.

OP posts:

sh77 · 27/05/2011 14:12

I agree with movement. Sling gets my ds to sleep within minutes. Also, just bought the babybjorn rocker, which he loves.

monikka · 27/05/2011 17:28

I had the same problem with my daughter (3yo now). She slept well during the night, I breastfed her while sleeping with her in my bed, so wasn't tired in the morning, because I didn't have to wake up "fully" in the middle of the night. Though she didn't want to sleep during the day, I tried many things (the sound of the hoover was irreplaceable), sometimes I succeeded, but most times I didn't. And I'm sure now that she just wanted to be close to me, feel the warmth, the smell and the sound of my body. She somehow managed to feel my frustration as well! I've read somewhere that it often happens to babies with a very sensitive nervous system, they can't process all the information that comes to their brain, it's just too much for them, they're scared so they cry. Try playing loud music, it may help. And be patient :)

Octaviapink · 27/05/2011 19:04

The Amby Nature's Nest works well for us - to be honest I never know how people manage without one!

AngelDog · 27/05/2011 19:33

Sounds normal - the sling worked for us. It improves after about 3 months when they go straight into a deep sleep, whereas up till that point they go into 'active', REM-type sleep for the first 15 mins from which they're easily woken.

AngelDog · 27/05/2011 19:34

Oh, and swaddling - DS wasn't able to stay asleep for more than 10 mins in the day in his cot unswaddled till he was 5.5 months.

nethunsreject · 27/05/2011 19:39

ds2 was like this - came as a big shock after ds1 who ate and slept!

I found it gradually improved and by 7 mths he had 2 decent naps, albeit on me or in the buggy (not in motion! Fab!).

beatofthedrum · 27/05/2011 23:06

At 9 weeks I felt exactly the same with my ds. It has sorted itself and now he's a bit older (20 weeks) napping is not a problem. It improved the day I started putting him down for a nap after being awake 1.5 hours - on the advice from another mumsnetter. Works a treat as he is never overtired. Started this when he was about 12 weeks and still doing it. He has 4 naps a day. Worth a try?

PukeyRag · 28/05/2011 16:58

Agree with the sling option completely! (Am at this moment wearing my 3month DD, who is exactly the same, will not sleep on her own in the day) I recommend the Moby Wrap - Lots of different holds from birth to around 3, and you can nurse while wearing baby in it too. (Go on ebay, mine arrived in 2 days) I also co-sleep which I think is the natural way as baby can feel safe and sleep for as long as they need to and wake up when hungry.

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