7 week old, need advice

[laura2323]

My DD is 7 weeks old and has her day and nights mixed up. She sleeps brilliantly during the day but is awake every 2 hours at night. I don't like waking up a sleeping baby so am trying to keep her awake during the day. But she has no interest in anything! (if that's at all possible at her age) She screams if not being held. Whether it's play mat/bouncer/lying on lap she just falls asleep! I've even tried BabyTV as a last resort. For the night time I've tried bouncer and Moses basket. I've even tried warming them up with hot water bottle thinking the cold would wake her! I've had no sleep for 8weeks (was in hospital for a week before I had her). I stay downstairs with her as OH works 14hr shifts and don't want to disturb him. When he is home he does more than his fair share.

I would appreciate any advice! If it helps She has started to hold her head up and smiles. She is also ff, she has 5oz bottles every 3/4 hrs.

Tia x

Can you get outside with her? I was very worried about this day/night time thing and went out every single day with him as a newborn - in the sling or buggy. She may well fall asleep but I think the fresh air and actual photons of light might help?

That sounds quite normal, she is still very young. My 9 month old has never slept more than 2 hours in a row but most babies start sleeping more at night by 3-4 months. Its hard but babies wake up, some more than others but it wont be forever.

Perfectly normal - she may well wake up every two hours at night for the next eight months. Don't try and keep her awake during the day, it's counterproductive. At this age sleep begets sleep. She may be reverse-cycling to come degree but just getting outside into daylight (awake or asleep) will help with that.

ZuleikaD is spot on - sleep really does beget sleep (i really only figured this out a few weeks ago... - mine is 15 weeks). But trying a walk each day is good, we were also told by the hospital to keep curtains open during the day, and closed at bed time (was lighter then) and lights down to help distinguish between the two. I don't know if this helps but just a thought. I pushed her crib to the window and opened the curtains. I also clattered about during the day and just got on with stuff, like hoovering etc.

Mine is also FF. I used to offer a bit more milk in the evening run up (i viewed this as between 6-10 roughly), a bit more frequently than 4 hours (like 2 1/2 - 3 and she would have what she wanted from the bottle and leave what she didn't want, sometimes refuse entirely, I would certainly not force it in her - maybe at 5.30-6.00, then 8.30-9.00, then 11.30-12.00) and a dream feed at roughly 11.30/12.00 and eventually we cracked it. Once we did that, we started pulling back bed time by 30 mins each week. Now its 8.00 pm with last bottle at 8.45.

I also implemented a bedtime routine, with bath at 7.00pm, massage with oil, low lighting, me talking in a soft voice, cherry stone teddy on tummy to ease any pain in tum (she has it every night now and associates it with bed, and strokes his ear to get off to sleep). It did take a bit of time - but I am on my own a lot with her, I guess like you with husband working away or long hours, and i found having the bedtime routine really helped me personally to cope a bit better.