am I missing something!?

[Hopex3]

probably been done a thousand times but sleep related. I have a 7 and a half week old daughter, gaining weight just fine but she is a terrible sleeper. was okay initially, had 2/3 hour naps regularly but now we go to bed at 1am and up again by 3. on a good night might get another hour or so but that's it, from 6/7 onwards we are awake no matter what I do, as soon as put down the stirring starts immediately. I see posts of people who only have to get up once and multiple friends have recently put up how their baby has gone 8pm to 5am. just wondering what on earth am I doing wrong :S

from the tired mum currently surviving on 2 hours sleep (feeling a lil sorry for myself as not very well either)

My 5 week old only sleeps 2 hours at a time at night and is hard to put down so you have my sympathies. I think we are just unlucky. I keep telling myself it's not forever

Let them stir a bit. Sleep cycles are roughly 40 minutes at this age. And they need to learn to connect them. We too stir and move in our sleep as adults as we connect sleep cycles. Keep your intervention to the minimum unless there is crying. I would usually just put my hand in the co sleeper cot and leave it on him till he fell asleep.

How is day time sleep? Have they got day and night confused?

Our routine was roughly (boys are 8 and 3 and we have adapted it as they got older)

• after 6:30 pm whenever the last feed was, give it 30 minutes, then a nice warm massage. Warm bath for a few minutes. Dim lights, bring back and change. Feed in the dark, same story every night and put down for sleep. (One of mine fed to sleep, one needed patting). From then to say roughly 6 am all feeds in the dark with almost no interaction. All nappy changes in minimal light and only pooey nappies changed. The aim is to create good bed time associations.

(Now they have a glass of milk, bath, story for one while the other reads, then DS2 falls asleep while I read to DS1, lights off).

• by 8 weeks or so both of mine might wake regularly for feeds but would fall asleep after. So their circadian rhythm was sorted.
• next all day time naps (often on me) in bright light and downstairs.

The reason they sleep better on us and for longer is that when their sleep cycles break, being cuddled helps to reconnect the cycle. Over time you want them to be able to do this without needing to be held.

day time sleep depends - sometimes we get a 3 hour nap but they are mostly little cat naps. I have tried putting her down at 9pm with a bath at 8.30 but she cries within 20 minutes. I think I'm gonna have to do trial and error. I think it doesnt help that I feed her first then change her nappy during the night. thinking I should do this other way round as she gets more sleepy after eating. I have been doing it this way round so we dont wake up my partner as she of course cries the whole nappy change cos she wants a feed but my partner is going to have to deal with it really - it's not good looking after a baby when you're this exhausted either. thanks for advice and it's good to know babies sleeping through 9 hours at this age isnt the norm was beginning to think I was doing something seriously wrong x

You only need to change her nappy in the night if she has done a poo.

I very rarely had to change my dds nappy, she's wake up, i'd feed her then straight back to sleep in bed.

I second with stirring, don't respond instantly, they have to learn how to connect sleep cycles

I only change my 7 week old once during the night unless she's pooped. I would definitely change first. You're waking her up again once she's fed. I'm a cosleeper though so don't lose too much sleep

I thought the nappy change after was causing the issues. I felt bad at not changing her nappy every time but have just seen NHS advise only change if pooey so suppose it's actually worse for my daughter to keep interrupting her sleep x

Definitely don’t change her nappy during the night and definitely not after a feed. That will make things really tricky as they tend to just feed to sleep at that age.

With both of mine by that age, I tended to just get us all bathed, then feed to sleep either in our room or in front of the tv downstairs, and then after we’d just all go to bed. They would wake 3 ish times a night, but feed and back to sleep. Waking at 6/7 is normal.

that makes sense. I will give it a go tonight and see how I get on ie. not changing nappy unless need to and not after a feed x

How did you get on with not changing nappy?

I have no advice - my first was a crap sleeper and my second has been good so far. I haven't done anything different, it's just luck of the draw I think. Try not to compare yourself to friends with babies who (allegedly) sleep all night, you'll drive yourself crazy!

night before last was pretty good but last night was just awful - up every hourish or so but I have noticed that coincides with her not feeding properly so its almost like she will want to snack if you see what I mean. exhausting as I'm breastfeeding so cant get any help either :'( atleast shes super cute to make me feel a bit better haha and I guess I will just for now have to go with it!

Hi. My daughter was restless ALL NIGHT LONG! It may not be applicable to you but my daughter had silent reflux, meaning she was uncomfortable all the time. Just thought would mention it x