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DD won’t sleep after night feeds

3 replies

bells2810 · 03/03/2023 02:03

My 1 week old DD has no problem feeding or sleeping through the day, she feeds approx every 2/3 hours and once she’s had a bottle, she falls asleep pretty much straight away. Her eyes are usually closing before she’s even finished her bottle. If not she will cuddle for a while and then just fall asleep.

For some reason, at night she just will not settle after a feed. Once DP and I have gone to bed and put her in her Moses basket next to our bed, she just won’t have it. We always wait until she is already asleep before we put her in the basket at night (during the day we can put her in it when she’s still awake but drowsy and she’ll drift off no problem). But once she’s woken up for her first bottle of the night, she acts like she’s never been fed, she thrashes around and won’t settle no matter what we do.

We obviously make sure she’s winded, that she’s got a clean or fresh nappy. She doesn’t really cry but will do a bit of a wail. It seems to me like she’s almost frustrated, just from her body language and the thrashing her arms and kicking her legs, but I can’t figure out what could be causing it. She can be up for a few hours through the night with this and I’ve been told that newborns shouldn’t be awake for more than 60-90 minutes at a time, last night she was up from just before midnight until past 4am.

If anyone has any ideas or tips I’d be very grateful, I feel like I’m doing something wrong/missing something and feel awful for my poor little one, I just want to make sure she is eating and sleeping well for these first few weeks.

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
bells2810 · 03/03/2023 02:07

Just to add, I’m a FTM and I’m far too anxious to co-sleep. I know there are guidelines for doing it safely etc but I have a friend who works in healthcare who told me some horror stories throughout my pregnancy that have scared me stiff out of co sleeping or letting DD sleep on my/DP’s chest, even though she naps that way during the day when we are awake. She also sleeps really well in her pram but I know she’s not meant to be in there for long periods. I’m just struggling to know what to do for the best, I just want her to be safe and happy.

OP posts:
HannahSpanna · 03/03/2023 02:13

Might be worth trying a sleeping bag! My LO has one and night that keeps her arms tucked in, helps them feel secure and stops her throwing her arms around and waking herself up. There’s lots on Vinted for £5 at the moment!

hourpoot · 03/03/2023 05:10

Congratulations on your DD Flowers

The first 8-12 weeks are totally unpredictable and a rollercoaster with sleep, what you are describing does not sound abnormal for a 1 week old. I think you need to realign your expectations and accept that this is probably normal for your baby, and will settle with time (but this might be weeks-months, not days!) and go with the flow!

Check out the Lullaby Trust for cosleeping- make sure you're not compounding SIDS (which would tragically happen wherever the baby was sleeping) with deaths caused by co-sleeping if following the guidance properly (which is rare). If you still don't want to cosleep that's totally fine of course.

A lot of people have more success with a side sleeper cot than a Moses basket too.

Last but not least... 'this too shall pass' Smile

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