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Original poster

Newborn routine

5 replies

susana23447473 · 15/02/2023 19:36

Newborn is 4 weeks old in two days and noticed he's been fighting sleep lately (past two days) I feel like he's overstimulated and don't know why he's up for hours only to nap like an hour
Usually his routine is waking up every 3/4 hours to feed , change etc and wake up every 1-2 hours to feed or change during the day

Was wondering if he is meant to be up for hours during the day or am I right in thinking he's overstimulated and should be sleeping? It's really been stressing me out hell he babbling to himself during the day or staring at the wall

I've tried white noise and he'll be calm but not fall asleep , tried contact napping but that gives him 30/40 mins max
Tried swaddling but he hates it
Black out room during the day (I leave them open for an hour or so he can differentiate between night and day and seems to help a little I think? as soon as I lay him down he's straining and grunting and and hands all over the place.
I know he's tired but I don't know what to do? First time mum here help me out lol

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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BHRK · 15/02/2023 19:43

Ok, mum of 3 here. First advice is to try and not worry. In my experience babies this age don’t nap during the day unless you are cuddling them. So stick your feet up, watch TV and cuddle and feed. Don’t worry about how much sleep he’s getting in total, just go with it. He will nap at night and occasionally during the day at this age, they are just round the clock nappers rather than sleepers in a routine.
let him also nap in the pushchair when you’re out and about.
none of my kids reliably slept during the day in a cot until they were at least 8 months old.
just try not to stress. Even if you did nothing, his sleep would just improve on its own. It will get better and easier

mondaytosunday · 15/02/2023 19:55

I had my babies on a routine from first day home. They definitely had a bed time routine and I stuck to it. They slept in their own rooms (it was not a recommendation at the time that they be in with parents for six months). Then fed when I went to bed, up again around 2 or 3, then around 6am my son was up fir the day, my daughter closer to 7. I think they had one nap in the morning and one early afternoon- I woke them if it went on too long. They were definitely awake for several hours in the day.
It takes a while for the routine to really sink in, but by a couple months it was pretty set for my son, my daughter took longer as she had reflux, but the turning point was three months.
We went out most days and they often napped at some point in the pushchair. If at home I had a travel cot downstairs.

Catsonskis · 15/02/2023 20:10

Google wake windows, I’ve found them scarily accurate for my two. At 4 weeks they should only be awake for like an hour and sleep 16-20 hours a day or something. And it’s increeeeedinly unlikely they’ll sleep anywhere other than on you, pram or sling at this point!

BecuaseIWantItThatWay · 15/02/2023 20:14

I recommend the Nanny Louenna App to everyone. It has everything you could think of and need covered for newborns. I have used it since my daughter was a newborn and it has never failed me. Routines for all the ages and stages is a BIG favourite of mine. Good luck OP 💐

Oopswediditagain2023 · 15/02/2023 20:55

BHRK · 15/02/2023 19:43

Ok, mum of 3 here. First advice is to try and not worry. In my experience babies this age don’t nap during the day unless you are cuddling them. So stick your feet up, watch TV and cuddle and feed. Don’t worry about how much sleep he’s getting in total, just go with it. He will nap at night and occasionally during the day at this age, they are just round the clock nappers rather than sleepers in a routine.
let him also nap in the pushchair when you’re out and about.
none of my kids reliably slept during the day in a cot until they were at least 8 months old.
just try not to stress. Even if you did nothing, his sleep would just improve on its own. It will get better and easier

This ^^ but also look at wake windows
I can also recommend Sarah Norris' book (and Facebook group) the baby detective. She's absolutely fantastic and puts things very simply and allows you to look at things in a different way

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