How long can a newborn stay awake??

[TeuchterInTheCity]

Really stupid question as DS is my second but I can't remember - how long can they stay awake for happily? DS is 5 weeks and seems to wake, feed, poo and then get upset - I thnk it must be tiredness as he calms on my chest and falls asleep again, all within about half an.hour. . Is this normal?!

He hates being put down and I have a toddler so he's in the sling a lot but some things are hard to so with the sling on so I'd like to put him down occasionally but he's having none of it. He's fine at night, goes down in his basket fine.

Sorry this is a bit garbled, on my phone and toddler shouting at me!

Not sure what's normal but I wouldn't be worried - I think my DD used to stay awake for up to 3 hours as a newborn but even as a toddler we call her the energiser bunny as she needs so little sleep compared to others! I know it's a pain not being able to put them down - can you tell when DS is in deep sleep - heavy breathing etc, and try putting him down then? Sorry I'm not much help am I!

half an hour awake is within bounds of completely normal IMO, think an hour was longest for my ds when very small. It isn't great for your back doing every task with sling on, especially as they get bigger as you end up craning over the baby and can cause postural problems so would be great to gradually try to encourage sleeping in basket (I know - easier said than done, but a lot can cahnge in a few weeks in a babies life).

Thanks for the reassurance. With DD I didthe Baby Whisperer EASY routine and she was self settling by 4 months, but with this poor mite I haven't had the time or energy to devote to any kind of routine so cue lots of screaming!

awwww - that'll be me soon! I'm pregnant with dc2 and have a sneaky feeling i won't be able to focus half as much on tuning into the new baby as I did with dc1 (now 24mo). So unless said dc2 is a dream I'll be right behind you with this problem!

You have my sympathy - it'll all fall into place eventually I'm sure, (lets hope before you lose your marbles ) but it is only natural your attention and resources is divided.

I remember I got dc1 settling not in my arms by lots of walks in the pram and fresh air. Given the weather has perked up now, can you take toddler to park lots and try to kill two birds with one stone?

If you have a decent sling it shouldn't cause any serious problems re posture unless you already have problems.

You can also do a newborn back carry if you have a fabric wrap. (I know a couple of people who've done it, though I've not tried myself).

45 mins - 1.5 hours would be a normal awake time for a 3 month old, so shorter for a teeny one sounds normal. DS took about 2 hours to get to sleep each time when he was that age but we didn't get a sling till he was 9 weeks. Once we got it, he'd only nap in there but he grew out of that phase by about 14 weeks.

Yes, they can only stay awake for a max of 45 minutes - an hour at first. I think this increases by 6 weeks, or is it 3 months?

Mine were 2hr babies, but had to be chilled out and settling to sleep after 1 1/2hrs.

My ds aged 8 weeks has been awake since 5.30am with a catnap of 1 hour so far and that's it!! He's not upset or bothered, just wide awake! He's always like this. Fed, changed, played with, rocked, in the dark or in the light, in a cot or bouncy chair it makes no difference he just won't sleep. The most he sleeps is 3 hours at night and then an hour or so either side of the 3 hour stretch!!

I'm knackered.

Angel I don't think it is the sling and the baby which causes the problems so much as what you are trying to get done while you have it on. My friend ended up with some serious neck problems, but she was trying to do the washing up and other things-with-hands tasks for which she was having to constantly twist / peer round / crane her neck because she was doing it with baby in the way.

So it isn't so much the sling itself but what you try to do with it on. if baby obstructs the view of your task, you will end up twisting etc to see round it. That is when the problems occur IYSWIM. :)

Agree its what you try to do with the sling on that's the problem, eg bending over to take washing out of the machine and hang up. Still trying to get to grips with the wrap sling.

I think I'm finding the lack of routine hard, would normally go out to the park, meet friends etc but had to stay home today and its driving me demented! Tomorrow is another day...!

30 mins - normal awake time. Dd was like that (she's 8 months). You forget just how sleepy they get!

She also lived in her sling for the first 12 weeks or so. I cooked with her in it and unloaded washing etc - had to adjust my position for that ie getting down on knees instead of bending over.

It was easier that way and I got out of the house every day that way (I also had a 2.10 year old).

Our routine revolved around DS and now DD naps and eats when he does (except for a morning nap which she also has). It's easier that way. There were times when she needed naps so we'd go for a walk and she'd sleep in the sling. As she got older she slept in her pushchair.

I'm not phased about self settling etc but she's able to do it if she's happy and fed. Otherwise a quick cuddle and she sleeps. Rarely have nap battles that I did with DS (in hindsight I was so obsessed with his sleep signals etc I got quite stressed whereas with DD I missed them a lot hence the sling and getting out!).