I can’t sleep when baby sleeps

[CathyandHeathcliff]

I know I should be sleeping when baby sleeps but I’m finding it really hard to do this.
He’s awake most of the night. I think he’s got colic. We’ve started using infacol today, so we’ll wait and see how and if that works.

I know I should be sleeping during the daytime when he sleeps (he naps lots during the day) and I should probably get as much sleep as I can. I find it really difficult to sleep during the day and always have done. I thought I’d be so tired that I’d fall asleep anyway, but don’t seem to be able to. This sleep deprivation is really affecting me and making me feel ill.

Anyone else in this position ? The Midwife keeps telling me I need to sleep when baby sleeps...I just can’t.

I was like this. Couldn't sleep during the day and felt awful with the sleep deprivation. Luckily it didn't last too long and DS started sleeping decent stretches in the night at 8-10 weeks. How old is your baby?

Also DS is formula fed so DH would do 1/2 nights at weekends so I could get sleep (or he'd take over at 6/7am and I'd sleep for a few hours.

I love it when people say oh just sleep when baby sleeps. Fat chance! Not everybody can nap during the day!

Couldn't ever do it either. And lying there at night waiting for them to wake up. It does get better. Maybe rest, even if you can't sleep

I was the same it will pass and you'll both be fine 💐

He’s 12 days, so still really little.

I’m breastfeeding, but I do express a bottle & OH gives it to him around 3/4am.
I still find myself wide awake waiting for them to come back to bed? as I know they will be so I can’t relax.

I could never really sleep when my two were napping. I think it was made worse by the pressure to go to sleep, if that makes sense. If you can't sleep, then just relax. The odd times I did fall asleep were when I was propped up on the sofa with loads of comfy cushions watching tv.

I can’t either (baby is sixth months), initially at least She didn’t really sleep long enough for me to fall asleep. I can’t fall back to sleep after the night feed for a long time either which is annoying.

My only advice is to lay down and read or something when the baby sleeps, I find a rest is helpful anyway.

Congratulations on your new baby.

Try listening to a mindfulness for sleep video on YouTube. That can get me to nap through the day after a bad night with baby. I lie in bed with headphones in and listen to it.

I never could with mine either, I'd plan to but could never actually relax enough to do it. I did, however, used to listen to audio books with my eyes closed. Not quite as restful as sleeping but it did help. It does get better. You will sleep again.

Me neither although the "sleep well" app did help when DH had baby and I could go to bed for an hour without feeling responsible

It gets easier - or at least that's my experience. The first few weeks are horrific for sleep deprivation. I find roughly about week 6 it gets a tiny little better and a bit better from there.

In hindsight I said to DH I wish I'd got a mattress on the living room floor and slept on it with the baby lying near me and dh on rolling watch (DS wouldn't nap if he wasn't on me - not dh just me)

I feel for you, speaking as someone who could have fallen asleep on a clothes line at any time of day or night when my baby was small. Half asleep the rest of the time :-).

No suggestions but I hope things improve.

Don’t start off trying to sleep. Just go to bed and lie down and totally rest. Don’t do chores, don’t watch TV, just give your body a break.
Get used to doing that and learning to switch off.
Sleep may or may not come but getting some rest helps.

I couldn't either so I just use to lay down and rest instead, sometimes found if I put homes under the hammer or any other not particularly interesting day time tv program on I'd fall asleep without trying to.