After some newborn advice

[Pippinsqueak]

Hi, I gave birth 8 days ago with my first and I’m worried about sleep for her. After four horrendous first nights, things are slightly getting better but I need some advice or reassurance that I am doing the right thing.

At the moment she sleeps for two hours then wakes up for a feed, does this a couple of times then it’s every hour she’s awake. This goes on from about mid night to 8 am. She sleeps well during the day now but absolutely hates being put down in her crib on her back at night.

My set up is I have a next to be crib, soft blanket on the bottom, two of my husbands T-shirt’s rolled up beside her, I play white noise etc to settle and I am just about to purchase a proper swaddling blanket as she keeps wiggling out of the Muslin ones we do.

Is this normal for a newborn to be this awake at night or is there anything I need to do/stop doing. I’m getting exhausted and I don’t want it to affect breastfeeding her as I wasn’t in top form last night.

Many thanks

Laura

Hello! Congratulations on the new baby! Sadly this is normal at first, they seem to sleep loads during the day then feed all night. Should settle down a bit when your milk supply is established plus you can help her learn the difference between night and day by making daytime bright and noisy and nighttime dark and quiet. Don't change nappy at night unless you really have to.

It’s completely normal! Babies don’t know the difference between day and night at this age, and often have trouble settling. It is hard and I hate to crack out the old cliche but try and catch up on a bit of sleep during the day if you can.

Congratulations on your new arrival!

Have you tried adjusting the crib so that it's on a slope if she doesn't like being flat on her back? I'm not sure (but could be wrong) if it's a good idea to have rolled up tshirts in her crib. I thought you weren't meant to have anything in there in just the material goes over her face. I put the tshirt I was wearing that day under my baby in the first few weeks.

If you know she has a clean nappy and has just been fed, maybe try patting her tummy instead of lifting and cuddling every time. I did lots of cuddling during the day and night (my husband said I was creating a monster by doing so as she'd never settle herself but she does!)

Try and nap during the day when she does. They are only little for such a short time so be reassured that this won't last forever!

Congratulations

As PP said, she could suffocate on the t shirts - empty cot at all times.

The waking up is normal. It does pass. Ours got much better at around 4 months. Pretty much everyone else's was much earlier than that though - about 8-12 weeks (but then there's went back to every two hours at four months!)

Hang in there! Sleep when the baby sleeps.

Theirs not there's

Yes take the blanket and t shirts out of the crib for safety, a Next2me only needs the sheet on the mattress.

Hopefully your swaddle works. DD slept in grosnugs which is like a newborn sleeping bag that swaddles them, is hip safe and can’t cover her face.

Also what time is she going to bed? Newborns can go to bed at the same time as their parents rather than having an early bed time like an older child.

Absolutely normal, especially at first as they seem to arrive earthside completely nocturnal. It actually gets worse when your milk comes in as their instinct is to feed almost constantly which increases your supply. My youngest pulled a couple of all-nighters (up until 4am) in those first two or three weeks.

Settle in with a huge bottle of water, an even more huge box of snacks and get in bed with baby and Netflix. You're doing brilliantly, keep at it.

Thanks guys the blanket on the bottom is the sheet sorry I should have clarified that. The rolled up t shirts were advised by the midwife as it smells different to my milk and would stop her rolling around but il see how she does with just the grow/swaddle bag bag tonight, I’m looking forward to this.

I knew she would wake loads at night but no one really prepares you or tells you or the reasons why they do. I try and nap during the day but I find I’m wide awake she’s asleep and vice versa lol

Thanks for the reassurance, she’s amazing and I treasure every moment. Just want her to settle for her sake not mine.

I remember feeling so tired during the night, thinking I was the only person awake in the world! You'll get there. Just respond to her needs and you'll both settle into a routine.

Yep even though my husband is being an absolute star those hours in the morning are the loneliest ever

@Pippinsqueak Just remember there are thousands of mothers doing the same thing you are in the wee small hours. I'm not breastfeeding any more but am usually up at least once with my two year old!

She should still be inside you. She wants to be held and cuddled and hear your heartbeat. Not put down on her own on her back. Google the fourth trimester for more info.

Completely normal. Look into safe bedsharing.

As others have said its completely normal. I co-slept for the first 2 weeks to make it more bearable and gradually transitioned him into the next2me crib. I also slept with the next2me sheet under me before putting it into the crib so it smelt of me.

With my second, I discovered a book called Happiest Baby on the Block and it was brilliant on advising how to calm him - tight swaddling was definitely the key amongst other things, miracle blanket is fantastic for swaddling super tight and escape-proof.