Newborn awake for hours at a time

[CSectionStress]

I had my first baby 10 days ago - first few days he was quite sleepy but in the last few days he's been awake for hours. At the moment he’s been awake for 3 hours and still isn’t remotely sleepy.

has anyone had a baby like this ? Does it get easier ? I’ve fed him, changed him, burped him but he just stays awake !

Op is he crying, in pain or just uncomfortable??: problem is he can't say yet what is actually wrong, its a game of guesswork. I used to say they threw the instructions manual away when my son was small, he's now 19 Lol

I think it is Les common but all babies are different and after a sleepy start he might just be adjusting to awake and sleep periods.

Is he contented? If so leave him to it for a bit or maybe get a mobile over his cot that he can watch. Catch up on a bit of sleep in the same room if you need to.

If he needs to be held all the time, could you try a sling?

Sorry should have said he’s not crying he’s just wide awake

*less common ( auto correct!)

If he isn't crying then he isn't unhappy. It's fine to take some time to nap yourself or go for a shower or whatever!

Is he upset? What do you mean by 'get easier'? Trying to establish if he's in pain with wind or anything like that.

@Pandasnacks im just finding it really hard being awake for such long periods at night. I don’t think he’s in pain or uncomfortable as he isn’t crying. Just lots of feeding, nappy changed and then lying in his crib

My DD did 10.5hrs awake and feeding (BF) one night. It nearly broke me. She had day and night back to front for the first 6 weeks and she went on to have quite low sleep needs.
Some of them are very alert and did not get the sleeping memo.

I gave up worrying about nap schedules and all that, she slept when she slept (and so did I). I did have to feed her every 3hrs anyway as she was small and slightly jaundiced, but she was often awake anyway.

She didn’t cry very much, but she wouldn’t be put down and just didn’t sleep much (but no distress like allergy/reflux/colic babies have).

Well eventually they stay awake for 12h+ at a time and follow you from room to room creating mess ..

3 hours is a long time for a newborn to be awake, but if content then just get on with whatever you would have been doing, watch tv, have food, go for a shower etc.

In the first few weeks you need to try and get out in the sunlight as much as possible so their daytime/nighttime clocks kick in.

But ultimately they will break you with sleep deprivation until about 4 years in my experience.

I can't remember specifics but my first would stay awake for hours and have me worried sick, I remember the same concerns in the first 2 weeks. It never did him any harm but he always always slept considerably less than recommended, right up to teen years. It's just the way he is. Try to let baby just chill out and you do likewise!

If you need to sleep, you don't have to stay awake just because he is. During the day, you can spend some time singing to him, talking to him, reading him a story ( it is never too early) and he will gain a lot from hearing your voice and seeing your facial expressions, but even then it is ok to leave him while you shower etc. At night it is fine to go to sleep while he is still awake as long as he is in the same room as you.

He doesn't know day and night yet, he will get it but these early weeks are so so hard. My sons 15 months now and it seems a distant memory in some ways but the visceral exhaustion is something else. If he's not upset and is safe in the crib I'd just go to sleep if I were you. Easier said than done though I know :)

Yes it is completely normal. It’s likely that when you were pregnant baby was most active when you lay down as they have more room to move about. It takes time for newborns to get used to the idea of day and night. Do try to keep daytime light, noisy etc and night time quiet and dark but it will take time. Also when they sleep in the day, you sleep or at least rest, the newborn phase goes by quick and you just have to survive it.