Baby not settling between 10 & 2am

[Bumperlicious]

Dd2 is only 9 days old so I know this is probably normal, but she is not settling between 10ish & 2 am. She is wanting to be on the breast but not properly feeding, won't go down so I can get some sleep. Seems to be struggling with gas too.

Any advice so I can get some sleep?

Have you tried infacol? If its a wind related problem then infacol can help.

I think it takes a little while for babies to tell night from day and so being awake for a while at night is quite normal (if frustrating!).

Where is she sleeping bumper? Can you try co-sleeping with her latched on and you dozing?

This is helpful if you haven't already seen it UNICEF

No, have ruled out co-sleeping as I don't sleep! It's more stomach gas/struggling too poo rather than burping wind. Would like to avoid giving her anything if possible.

Hmmm, not sure, you may just have to wait it out then. My dd used to do the early-hours-struggling-to-poo thing too. It stopped, not sure at what age though sorry.

Maybe someone else will suggest something soon...

Have you posted in "Sleep" may not be a bf issue.

Thanks anyway, think it is going to be a wait it out thing.

Could you try massaging her stomach?

Here's my attempt at describing the one we learnt in baby massage classes. It's for relieving wind.

Stroke downwards with a flat hand held horizontally from just under the ribcage, then repeat with legs held up in a 'froggy' position so the tummy is slightly 'squashed up'.

With flat hands on the stomach with fingers pointing upwards (ie towards her head), use your thumbs to stroke from the belly button towards her sides ie horizontally.

Massage in a circle clockwise over the stomach.

Hold the legs up in a 'froggy' position for a few seconds and repeat.

'Walk' your fingers (you can use all of them) across the stomach from her right-left (your left-right) to disperse any gas bubbles which formed through the previous bits of the massage.

Shout if any of that doesn't make sense.

Thanks for that, will try it tonight.

Oh, and I should have added that our massage teacher said to wait an hour after feeding before doing it. That makes it harder with a newborn!

Mine does this a bit, I massage his belly and cycle his legs every nappy change and bath and it seems to help. cuddles and letting him suckle seem to make him more comfortable.

Bringing her into bed with you and feeding lying down will make the cluster feeding less gruelling, even if you don't sleep. Let her suckle unless you are sore, even if she isn't feeding she's increasing your milk supply as well as soothing herself.

She's still not settling though last night it was 4-7am. why is it so bad at night? she sleeps beautifully in the day.

Bumping for a miracle more advice.

:(

Some more random thoughts: none from experience I'm afraid.

I know that when babies start sleeping for longer spells at night, they often do a long stretch at the beginning then wake with increasing frequency till morning. I wonder whether it's related to this, although I'd have thought she's still a bit young yet.

Are you swaddling her?

Could she be getting cold?

Have you tried white noise? Perhaps she sleeps better in the day as there's more background noise around.

IIRC making sure the baby gets at least 20 mins a day of direct sunlight helps day/night organisation - by a bright window is okay although outdoors is better.

Have you been drinking caffeinated drinks or eating lots of chocolate? The AskMoxie blog says that caffeine has a 96 hour life in a baby's system.

Are you eating lots of one type of food late in the day (eg dairy) which you're not eating so much at other times?

Thanks angeldog, still no joy except last night it was 2.30 till 6.30.

She is swaddled, not cold I don't think. The problem appears to be wind/gas/needing to poo. It only seems to be a problem in the middle of the night.

I don't drink caffeine so it's not that.

It's becoming v draining, DH and I are having to take turns holding her (which seems to keep her settle for a bit). Don't have a problem putting her down any other time.

Sorry, bump, I think the most likely explanation for this normal behaviour is your baby wants to be close to you at night, and there is simply no set-your-watch-by-it consistency in exactly when this need becomes strong.

You say in your first post 'Dd2 is only 9 days old so I know this probably normal'....you got it!

Doing all sorts of things to make it change is (I suggest) a lot harder than just accepting this normal need not to be put down to sleep alone, and adjusting sleeping arrangements and expectations about it.

I think it is unlikely it's to do with wind/poo/colic - except that these sensations are less easily ignored by a baby who is not settling well because she is wanting/needing to sleep and settle in close contact with you.

Thanks lenin, i can almost cope with it if it is normal, just worried i am doing something wrong.

dh back at work thurs so won't be able to sleep during the day unless it's one of dd's 2 nursery days.

am trying to go to bed early though, tend to get 2 hours before the 4 hour hell then another 3 when she eventually settles.

dd1 behaving horrifically too which isn't helping.

If its a pooing difficulty I found that bouncy chair/holding baby on your lap so legs are bent position helps get things moving. We still have that issue in our house.