Back to front baby?

[JES12]

My little one is nearly 5 weeks old. For 3 weeks he was incredible at sleeping, so much so that as new parents we thought this parenting lark was easy 😩. In the last week my little ones sleeping pattern has became totally back to front. He sleeps all day in a deep sleep and then comes alive at night.

Trying to keep him awake in the day is near impossible as he just goes back to sleep. We have introduced a bedtime routine (as much as we can with such a young baby) but nothing seems to work. I have ruled everything out, wind, colic etc and genuinely just think he is wide awake. He will cry but I feel it’s because he doesn’t know what he wants.

I am awake from 12am - 4/5am most days now, does anyone have any advice how to break the cycle? Or is it something we just need to sit out?

Thank you in advance xx

I don't think I have any advice other than it will get better as they slowly start to figure out night & day, and to keep with the routines and lots of light/noise in the day and quiet/dark at night. Not helpful I know and hoping someone else can suggest something tangible.

But I feel your pain

Yes definitely be strict with quiet and dark bedtime, my DD is only 5 weeks but we have honestly noticed that she has such a better night if we are strict with it.

Also, at night, if you haven’t already, try literally anything to get him to sleep (ie walking in the sling, co sleeping) as then he might be able to be more awake in the day and restore his old sleeping pattern. Sorry if this is all obvious and you’ve already tried it :) but we ha da similar few days last week and it worked for us x

The best advice I read on here was not to talk to baby at night - obviously cuddle, feed, change etc but just without talking. Or if the baby does need the reassurance of your voice, just do a low hum rather than anything too loud. Then in the day narrate what you're doing even if baby doesn't seem remotely interested. Don't tiptoe around during daytime naps either. Good luck!

Honestly, I would really try to lower expectations as everything hit me with a bang. There are growth spurts and sleep regressions, teething, weaning, all sorts of things that can cause nighttime disturbance. Rest when you can and ride it out, it all goes so quickly in reality xx

Thanks for the replies all. Glad I’m not alone. We tried everything again last night and he was wide awake again until 5am! I think this is going to be a long game 😩😩

When you say he was wide awake until 5, what is he doing in that time? Feeding? Dozing on you? Sometimes newborns can be hard to put down so parents can think they’re ‘not sleepinng’ but really they just want to sleep on you. It’s not unusual for them to sleep in short bursts at this age though. Every 24 hours is just a series of naps really x

Thanks for the Qs. Essentially he is awake. I know it sounds crazy but he will feed, fall asleep on me, I leave him to go into a deep sleep until I put him back in his bed once he reaches this point he goes into his bed... 2 minutes later, wide awake and talking to himself (which is fine) after ten minutes he is crying (not a hungry cry). I leave him to see if he settles but if not and he is distressed I pick him up, rock him etc, I observe him while I’m rocking and he is just looking around at everything (I try to keep the room as dark as possible but need a little light so I can see). Repeat, Repeat, Repeat until 4/5am.

Any advice is appreciated x

As I thought it’s because you’re putting him down. It’s a hard newborn phase but it’s really normal. My little one slept on me for the first 4 months! You could try swaddling and a dummy, or look into safe cosleeping. I recommend the latter x

Phew!!! I’m so glad it’s normal. I’m assuming it’s just a phase they grow out of? We have a dummy but was a tad nervous about swaddling / co sleeping. I guess that teaches me to read google. Thanks for taking the time to comment xx

Lots of places to find information about safe cosleeping and yes it’s a phase :) x

Quick Q - why will he sleep on his own during the day? He sleeps like a log in his Moses during the day.

Sometimes they’re just like that, mine was much harder to put down at night. For the first two weeks she would only sleep upright in my or my husbands chest! Have a look at the 4th trimester on google x