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Active sleep all night - is she getting enough rest?

3 replies

Ready2020 · 26/09/2021 11:44

I have a 7 week old DD who is EBF. I'm pretty much going by her lead for both feeding and sleeping, in that if she shows sleepy signs then I'll try get her to nap.

She has been bad at day time naps recently but we seem to be getting into a sort of pattern of up at 6.30/7am then sleep in pram out for a walk. This nap can either last just the time we're out or if I time it right I can settle her after the 50 ish minute sleep cycle and she carries on sleeping. Today she's been down since 8.30am with some wakeful moments between.

She then naps in afternoon from around 2 pm, generally on me or rocked by OH or back in pram.

This is where it can get fuzzy for her with the afternoon nap deciding when she goes down for the night.

She can fight sleep in the evening a bit but tends to sleep soundly from any time between 6pm to 11pm or roughly for 5 hours up to 1am. Sometimes with a feed other times not depending when she goes down.

I get a nap when she goes down in the evening then OH brings her up around midnight to 1am for the night. He's in spare room.

I feed her then hold her then put her in snuz pod. From then until she gets up she is in a very active sleep. Arm's flapping, wriggling around, grunts, squeaks etc.

I thought the snuz pod might need to be inclined a bit (it's a 2 so not got the incline on it) so I put a towel under the mattress that creates an incline. That helped a bit I think. She has slept fine in a deep sleep in the snuz pod so I don't think that's the problem. Plus we aren't buying anything else for her as we bought a cot for her nursery for when she's able to go in. Judge us if to you must but I'm not a co sleeper and I intend to get her in her own room when safe to do so. Plus I think snuz pods are not suitable as soon as they learn to roll over....

Anyway I accept active sleep as part of being a new born but despite the closed eyes this seems excessive activity. Is she still getting a restful sleep? Should I be doing anything during this time (apart from not sleeping!!) to settle her?

As far as I know its not wind or reflux. She's not an overly windy baby plus only spits up milk a couple times a day. I've got an over supply of milk so sometimes it can be too much for her.

I just feel that for my sake I can settle her more so I can get a better sleep and for her sake I must be able to settle her better? She often is still yawning when waking up at 6.30 7 ish.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
FATEdestiny · 26/09/2021 20:59

Excessive movement suggests she's not in a deep level of sleep.

A swaddle can help calm this sort of movement to help baby relax more deeply.

Ready2020 · 28/09/2021 09:44

Yeah but she never took to a swaddle unfortunately.

OP posts:
SundayTwizzle · 28/09/2021 22:34

When did you last try the swaddling? My DD is 6 weeks and we tried swaddling her when we brought her home from hospital and she hated it so we stopped. However we then started having the same issue as you so just tried it again this weekend and we have had a fantastic few nights. We have a tommee tippee one x

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