Newborn up all night -asleep during the day - please help!

[Napsalot]

Hi there,

My 7 week old DS has consistently been up during the night since he was born (he was 5 weeks early so still quite little). Two nights this week he didn't sleep more than 5 minutes at a time all night. He is breastfed every 2.5-3 hours. We started topping him up with special formula to ease colic during the night to no avail (suggested by doctor). Often he is wriggling in pain at night due to gas but sometimes he is just wide awake staring around.

He is so peaceful during the day and sleeps no problem. I try to feed him and then keep him awake during the day for a period before he sleeps. There is also noise etc as we have a 2 year old as well so keep things as normal as possible during the day and quiet at night.

DH is a great help and is up half the night to let me sleep. We are feeling a bit desperate and very sleep deprived -any ideas to switch this pattern of sleeping are appreciated!

He is only very little. Keep night time boring, quiet and dark. Daytime noisy and full of attention. Do this consistently and eventually he should start to switch his sleeping habits. When he's asleep during the day you sleep as well!

Just seen you have a 2yr old so daytime sleeping not going to be that easy. It will take time for his body clock to change but it will happen. When he's awake during the day play with him lots, don't play at night.

Thanks Cupcake. I keep hanging onto the thought that it won't last forever even though it feels like it might!

Was thinking of getting DH to help with trying to keep him alert during the day this weekend by feeding/changing/playing with him every hour and being militant about it.

Part of me is ok just riding it out but dealing with a toddler during the day and DH needing to function at work thinks we need to try something to change it around.

Thanks for your thoughts!

Do you think he may be reverse cycling naps?

There are some things you can do to help, try going to bed early, know its a pain but it does help and when you get up, make yourself a cuppa and take him outside. The sunlight will help him realise, eventually, that it is daytime and help him sleep at night.

Are you still topping up? If you want to continue Bfing it might be worth discussing it with a BFC, have you got the helpline numbers?

There are some links on fusssy babies on askdrsears which I thought you might like too.

You have my sympathy though, DS was a terrible sleeper and pretty much how you describe but at least he was my first.

Thanks Jilted -I think the reverse cycling sounds right -only thing is I do feed more during the day (sometimes every 2 hours) to get him as full as possible.

I will try taking him into the sunlight in the morning -good tip thanks!

I am going to continue breastfeeding -happy to give him formula if it will make the colic better but will only use it as a top up (DH gives him that bottle so I can sleep).

DS1 wasnt a good sleeper but at 6 months we turned a corner and he has been a great sleeper ever since. Hope things get better with Ds2!

I'm just going to second the getting him out in the fresh air and sunlight during the day time. It can be so easy for a whole day to go by in a blur with a newborn, and going out may seem a hassle but I read somewhere that getting out in sunlight helps their circadian rhythm regulate to distinguish between day and night. He just doesn't know the difference yet.

Good luck!

Thank you Folicacid -will be giving this a try tomorrow - the days are definitely a blur at the moment -but this is worth a shot!

Naps while it's still light in the evening I'd get him out late afternoon too.

naps sorry to keep posting but keep thinking of new things to try! Have you tried the technique?

Thanks Jilted -I actually have that book so will dig it out to see if there are some other ideas to try. I used it for DS1 but didn't think to look to see if it had tips for newborns.

Appreciate your suggestions -thank you!

Just wish I'd had half of this information with bloody DC1! .

None of my 3 babies ever went for anywhere near 2 hours during the day at that age. Lucky if I got 40 mins. All were excellent sleepers at night though (well with around two feeds).

Can you try and feed more frequently during the day? I would feed and basically plan what I was going to do with my 20mins off, dash round and achieve it, then feed again. During the feeds I woukd have plans too I.e read to dd or do Internet shop etc.

I second what everyone has said about daylight. EVen with a two year old you will hopefully be able to put him up in the crib in your room, out of the way, but still keep curtains open and as others have said don't cut down noise.

And not starving him of sleep in the day even when trying to turn things around... as an overtired baby usually sleeps poorly at night.

For colic good massaging moves are:

1. clockwise - important - circling of your fingers around naval, with lightening of touch over the bladder - pushes air through the gut
2. pushing his knees up into his tummy about 10 times a cycle
3. pushing knees up while rocking legs side to side and keeping torso as still as possible
4. pulling up his legs gently by holding round the ankles while scooping with the flat of your hand into his gut under the naval (pushes air down) - again 10 reps is good

Thanks Starlight -I could try doing feeds every two hours consistently through the day (at the moment it is every 2-3 hours -I do a feed around the 2 hour mark to work around my toddlers nap and bedtime schedule sometimes). I wake him for feeds during the day so he doesn't go too long between feeds.

Thanks for the massage tips EugenesAxe -as my wide awake infant stares at me I am giving them a go (it is 4am where we live).

And a good reminder about not getting him overtired -it's a fine balance isn't it!

Just wanted to give an update -sitting outside in the fresh air and sunlight seemed to help -we have had much better sleep at night this week. Thanks for all the suggestions!

So glad things are getting a little better for you [smle]