Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

Getting an 8 week old to sleep

15 replies

Muser · 09/04/2011 08:59

My daughter will be 8 weeks old next week. Current bedtime routine is dark room, feed to sleepy, put in Moses basket, sleep. She'll normally go to sleep around 11pm. Then will sleep until 4/5am, feed, sleep until 7ish.

I'm wondering if I need to find a way to settle her at night other than feeding. Right now I'm the only one who can make her sleep. Even if her dad gives her a bottle of expressed milk she still needs the boob to finish, although she'll have come off the bottle seeming full.

She's pretty bad at sleeping during the day. Sus sometimes sleeps for half an hour/45 mins at 9ish, but then that's it. The sling works if I walk her in it. The pram did work but lately she just stares at me as I push her around for hours. She cluster feeds in the evenings so no napping there.

I do not want to leave her to cry, but I would like alternative ways to settle her. The last two nights she hasn't really settled again after her first waking (3am the other night, 5am today). She hasn't been crying, just grunting really loudly and whimpering. I need more sleep!

Sorry if this has been really rambling, typing one handed on my phone while wishing I was asleep!

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

doblet · 09/04/2011 11:32

My 10 week old is exactly the same.

Sorry, that is no help to you whatsoever!

DuelingFanjo · 09/04/2011 11:41

my ds liked being rocked or swayed in my arms, he now likes being sung to (15 weeks) and rocked.

CountBapula · 09/04/2011 11:55

Around that age we used to swaddle DS tightly and rock/jiggle him in front of a detuned radio. The combination of keeping his arms nice and snug and the white noise seemed to really settle him.

Original poster

Muser · 09/04/2011 17:36

I've never had great success with rocking, she just screams louder. And then I get flustered that I can't soothe my own baby! We were using a swaddle pod but it got far too hard to feed her in it as she got bigger. And I was a bit worried that it was making it harder for her to sleep during the day when she wasn't swaddled.

Sometimes laying her on her tummy and patting her back works, but not always. Is it likely to improve as she gets older? Maybe at the moment she needs to feed to sleep to ensure she can go for those 5 hours?

OP posts:

CountBapula · 09/04/2011 18:20

Do try the white noise. It really worked for us. And shushing quite loudly past the ear while patting firmly and rhythmically on the back. We used to swaddle DS in a cot-sized cellular blanket, and then in a Halo sleepsack thing with little velcro wings. (Mind you, he is still swaddled for naps, and we only stopped swaddling at night a couple of days ago, and he is six months old ).

Original poster

Muser · 09/04/2011 18:49

I do use white noise at night, but always in conjunction with feeding. I'll give it a try in the daytime with some patting.

OP posts:

Original poster

Muser · 10/04/2011 07:06

Well when she kept startling herself awake last night I took your advice and got the swaddle pod out again. She slept from sometime around midnight until 6.50am. I am sticking with the swaddle. Will try it for daytime naps as well.

OP posts:

Original poster

Muser · 10/04/2011 09:37

She went back to sleep again. Twice. Babies are weird.

OP posts:

cocoachannel · 11/04/2011 09:41

Just crashing to say hi to Muser. Can't believe your DD is 8 weeks already. Been chatting with Elbie on the other site re. sleeping. We both have 5.30am wakers who don't resettle. A. also has trouble daytime napping now so gets herself overtired..! So frustrating- if I was put in a lovely cosy seat, pram or basket I'd be straight to sleep- well, I'd be asleep if you lay me on freezing cold concrete these days, I'm so tired!!

Original poster

Muser · 13/04/2011 10:15

Hi cocoa, I've joined in on the other place. Nice to know I'm not the only one with a non napping baby.

Daytime naps still a struggle here. I'm coming to the conclusion that she feeds instead of sleeping.

OP posts:

sabenamendi · 13/04/2011 23:33

I have been sitting here reading all the comments and I think at this age (my daughter is 9weeks) they are all predominantly the same. she falls asleep at about 11pm but not quite. I have tried not carrying her too much in the day as not to get her too used to my arms but keep her by my side and have chats and play. she has her fav teddy that I slept with to get her to sleep with as it had my scent on it and that really works. honestly, the best thing to do is to let them settle on their own. it is really hard at first to see them cry but it subsides and they get used to it apparently. this is my first week of getting her into a routine, she hates sleeping in the day but I am trying for atleast one nap in the afternoon which lasts max 1hr so far. my sister is a childminder and the best mum I have met and she advises that it takes only one week to get them into a routine if you are strict, do not change it whatsoever! you will kick yourself if you are halfway through the week and you give up. this will not only help them as they will be a happier baby but you, because you will be getting sufficient sleep, even if you have to wake for one feed which I did last night, it will be a pleasure and not a dosey one.

Good Luck!

zayla · 14/04/2011 06:10

Do you have a blackout blind? It's about that age that they start to see further I think and can get more easily distracted. It may not be a magic solution but worth a try if you don't have one already.

GotArt · 14/04/2011 06:23

DD always had bath and then feed and then bed. Thats how she slept, so that's what I did. You're lucky you get till 4-5 am without another feed. DD was up at 2am till at least 10 months for a feed. Just be wary about the letting them cry method. There is a difference between learning to self sooth and a child that is freaked out about being left alone. Your DH not being able to settle your DD is likely more to do with just her wanting that mommy time too. She is only 8 weeks. DD is 2.4 and still wakes occasionally in the night from a dream, or the blankets have fallen off, or she's hot...

Original poster

Muser · 14/04/2011 07:06

Thanks everyone. I've decided I'm not bothered by the fact I have to feed her to sleep. She's very young, I'm sure as she's older it'll change.

It's the daytime naps that concern me more as she gets cranky when she doesn't sleep. But I'm working on those. She slept really well in her sling yesterday so I shall try that and see if it continues.

I am not at all interested in letting her cry it out. It may work for some people but it's not for me. I think not holding your baby so they don't get used to it sounds terribly sad. They're small and vulnerable, they need to feel safe. And cuddling my baby is the best thing about having a baby. I'd happily carry her around in the sling all day at this point if that's what she wants.

OP posts:

GotArt · 14/04/2011 17:15

DD lived in her sling... kept her happy and more importantly, me, which filters back to her.

Flip

Swipe left for the next trending thread