Please tell me DDs sleep will sort itself out when she hits the magic 12 weeks......

[knickerelasticjones]

Hi there - only posted a few times on MN before and never on this topic but I'm feeling a bit desperate....

DD2 is nearly 11 weeks old and her sleep is totally chaotic. She has no pattern at all for either her naps or her night sleeping.

Today she has only napped for 30 mins since 7am, yesterday she slept for four hours in the morning. Sometimes she goes to sleep for the night at 8pm, other times she is awake until midnight and beyond.

And her night time sleep is dreadsful - she is in bed with DH and I and is bf so I can honestly say I loose count most nights of the number of times she wakes up cos I am so groggy I just try to give her a bit of boob in the hopes that will get me a bit of sleep. But often between 2am ish and 7 (when DD1 gets up) I get no real sleep just quick naps in between sorting out DD2.

And yet she has slept right through on two occassions so she is clearly capable of doing it.

DD1 was sleeping through from 6 weeks (through sheer dumb luck, nothing we did!) so I have no previous experience of this and no idea what to do.

Will she suddenly sort herself out at 12 weeks as I keep being told?

Any advice much appreciated lovely MNers!!!

the only thing I can ask is how patterned are your days?
I've found dd (10wks) is only as predictable as I am, so if we stay up late / lie in / go away / do a long drive / drag her round tesco unexpectedly etc we have no idea what she'll do

but she does ok at night (3am and 6am) so am no help there

A good long walk outside in the afternoon is supposed to help set their body clocks apparently...

Thanks for the replies.

I know you're right MrsBadger - I'm sure part of the problem is that DD2 has to fit round DD1s days so if she's having a nap and we have to go out to gym class then she is put in her car seat and off we go.

But we have had a pretty clear evening routine (from 5pm onwards) since DD2 was about a week old cos it fits in with DD1s routine. So she gets a feed at 5ish, a bath at 6.30, another feed and then.... who knows??

I know its not the end of the world and babies change so I'm not THAT worried. I just wish I knew what I could do to help her get a bit more settled.

and we could all get a bit more sleep.....

Blimey, your DD and my DS coukd be twins
Mine's only 6 weeks though, but I'm also hanging out for the mystical 12 week date! My DD1 also slept through really early (8 weeks) so it's a bit of a shock when the 2nd one doesn't follow suit, isn't it?

Its a massive shock tinkjon!

Just trying to deal with DD2 having screaming fit as she's been asleep for all of 20 mins then woke up yelling.

aaaargh!!!

Hi

No magic cure at 12 weeks for me I'm afraid. DD2 seems to be going backwards, naps in day gone to pot and sleeping less in the night than 2 weeks ago (she'll be 15 wks tomorrow). Seems to be one step forward, two steps back. And like you I think it is to do with DD2 being dictated by DD1 nursery runs and activities. We also have a similarly bedtime routine.

Hopefully it will get better for you soon.