Sleepless nights with Newborn, When does it get better?!

[asampras]

My baby is 3 weeks old and wakes every hour and a half, sometimes half an hour for a (breast)feed. Is there a time, say at 6 weeks, when it gets better and they miraculously start to sleep for longer periods?....looking for a light at the end of the tunnel!

Yes, very soon, sweetheart, very soon.

6 weeks is a funny time when they seem to feed constantly - more like 8 weeks for settling down.

How many feeds is the baby taking in the day? I am no expert but my BF woman (who is fantastic) says if they don't have much in the day they will play catch up at night.

Ds dropped a night feed at around 6 weeks so I started getting more sleep. It does get better.

I think part of it is their stomachs are so teeny that they just can't take very much at one go and obviously that changes as they grow.

Hang on in there - it's not forever, it just feels like it

Colditz - I think you're right, maybe more like 7/8 weeks.

6 weeks was Christmas and I definitely wasn't sleeping much then but after New Year I suddenly got 4 hours in a row and it felt like 12!

put the moses basket next to your sofa. feed feed feed all day, then when he stops feeding, put him in the basket and immediately lie down and go to sleep. Don't get up - go to the loo before you feed him, not after, and have a pack up of nice sandwiches in the fridge to grab quickly.

That way, you will get more sleep, and if you put him on the boob as soon as he looks at you, he should get more milk to encourage him through the night

She feeds quite well in the day, only for about 6-10 mins at a time every 2 hours or so. Doesn't seem like much but she's put on 12 ounces in 1 week. If she could drop the 03:30am feed i would be estatic!

you are doing so really well - keep going - it gets better wihtout you really realising.

Take up ANYONE on a favour and follow colditz advice.

Well done sugar - take care.

asampras - how are you doing sweets?

The Social Baby by Lynne Murray and Liz Andrews

very good book. uses photos to show how to read the body language of baby when they are hungry, tired, relaxed, playful, etc.

It teaches you for example, how to avoid overstimulating them by misreading their body language and to put them to sleep instead. it is a fascinating book. and best of all v. little reading for your already mushy brain.

DS defo started to go longer between feeds by 6 weeks (after the 6 week growth spurt was out the way).

Maybe the constant feeding during the growth spurt increases your supply so much, that this then enables them to go longer between feeds?

Oh, and make sure you are eating enough, and try and keep baby awake whilst feeding (talking to her/him, tickles under the chin and palm of the hand, unwrapping them so they are a bit cooler). The more milk they take and the better quality it is, the longer they'll go between feeds.