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night sleep, day sleep in 6 week old... please help

12 replies

Unbuffy · 12/02/2009 11:08

My 6 week old DD has just started not going down at night. We've had the same routine since she was about 2 or 3 weeks - bath, feed, cuddle, bed but she's decided this is dull! She cries for hours and needs masses of cuddles and food (bf) to settle.

BUT

She seems to be a bit easier if she sleeps less during the day - wakeful days mean more sleep at night and she's all round happier and more cheerful (and so am I )!

So here are my questions: About how much should she be sleeping during the day? When? Should I wake her up in the day time so she sleeps better at night? If so, HOW???!!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
TheProvincialLady · 12/02/2009 12:24

She is very unlikely to have any clue about your bedtime routine, but at 6 weeks she is most likely going through a growth spurt and needs all that extra feeding. Exhausting isn't it!

TBH I am a bit sceptical of guidelines about how much babies of a young age 'need' because they are all so different and it changes constantly anyway. I don't find it helpful to wake my DS up (8 weeks) and as you say, it can be a challenge anyway. If I succeed then he only screams anyway. I know it's not what you want to hear but at this age I would just go with what she asks for/you think she needs, and be assured she will sort herself out in the not too distant future.

Unbuffy · 12/02/2009 14:23

WOndered if babies in growth spurts need more sleep perhaps? She's been asleep all morning (and the second half of the night too (yay!)) only waking to feed and sleep again. Ideas?

(pause for feed and big sickies here...)

Anyway, is complaining now and may stay awake for a little bit... will come back later praps...

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TheProvincialLady · 12/02/2009 15:30

Apparently they do - DS2 (8 weeks) seems to follow that pattern but DS1 never did. In fact he hadn't read the book at all and hardly ever slept!

thomasina1 · 12/02/2009 20:23

Unbuffy, we had the same experience with our LO - she slept brilliantly in the evenings, we thought we had it all sorted, then at about 6 wks it all changed. I am now continuing with bedtime routine but she will only sleep for about 30-60 mins then we have an evening of awakeness/general grizzling. She is now 12 wks. I am kind of going with it and just hoping it will improve as she gets older!

As for the daytime naps thing, I have read different things for this age - Gina seems to recommend 3-3.5 hours total, Baby Whisperer 4.5 and No Cry Sleep Solution 4-6 hrs. Oh yes I have become obsessive on this topic!

Anyway, baby has just woken now so must dash!

TheProvincialLady · 12/02/2009 20:35

Thomasina that just goes to show what a load of old guff it is. DS2 sleeps ALL day, is awake for a couple of hours in the evening and then sleeps ALL night until 7.30 (not in one stretch!) - he is 8 weeks. Some babies are sleepier than other. DS1 was a totally different baby.

Unbuffy · 12/02/2009 20:51

Currently struggling with ratty DD. She's very awake after napping all day... bah, humbug. DH working nights tonight- wonder if they've got into the same pattern (Joke)

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lowrib · 12/02/2009 22:10

Here's what I do with my 7 week old. When he wants to sleep I let him sleep. When he wakes up I pick him up. Except at night when I'm asleep - then I only pick him up if he cries for food. That's it.

I cannot tell you how long he sleeps for as I DO NOT COUNT!

He does not have a bedtime as HE IS ONLY 7 WEEKS OLD!

He is one of the most contented babies I know, and has settled into a routine naturally without any major effort from us. If he deviates from this I DO NOT WORRY ABOUT IT!

I am ready for the flaming but I really do think Gina, the Baby Whisperer et al can go jump, and that it is totally ridiculous to worry whether such a young baby is sleeping 4.5 or 4 hours or whatever in the day.

We live in a society which is obsessed with time, but babies pre-date clocks many many millenia!!!

Stop clock watching! Just stop! Accept that you need to change YOUR routine while the baby is so young but this stage won't last forever.

e.g.

  • you will be awake funny hours
  • you may need to sleep at funny times to preserve your sanity
  • other people will need to accept that you may be bad at time keeping for a while
  • if anyone wants dinner on the table at a certain time, they probably need to make it themselves

but this is OK as you have a very young child to look after.

Stop worrying and enjoy your baby! (As much as sleep deprivation will allow, that is!)

Trust your baby to tell you what they want. It's all instinct at this stage - they are programmed for survival, and haven't read Gina bloody Ford .

Unbuffy · 13/02/2009 11:41

Thank you lowrib, will take on board. I have read Gina and am not keen - felt bossed and patronised but i know people do swear by her. but oh God dd just pulled an all-nighter and it's miserable. i'm just not a night person! And my house is a mess and my mother is coming tomorrow - this is not a good thing btw as she knows everything and i'm always wrong... mostly ignore but it's more tiring than a 6wo!! (end of rant)

anyway... we don't have a daytime routine, just for 1 hour in the evening - day/night transition. but does anybody have any ideas how i can return her routine to a more 'usual' daytime/nightime awake/sleep pattern? she seems to have flipped herself...

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lowrib · 13/02/2009 14:00

Hiya Unbuffy, sorry the mention of Gina Ford & the Baby Whisperer made me see red! Some of my mum friends have been trying to follow these methods and are stressing about their LOs not being in a routine yet, and it seems to me it's the method which is the problem, not them or their LOs, and it's causing them unnecessary stress IMO.

However probably not very useful to you, sorry

I do still think people don't cut new mums enough slack - and new mums especially don't cut themselves enough slack! In an ideal world you wouldn't care what your mum thinks about the house, you would be catching up with your sleep in the daytime rather than getting ready for her visit, she would turn up, tidy for you and remember to tell you what a great job you are doing! But back to reality ...

Some babies like the sound of white noise, you can buy CDs but actually the sound of the hairdryer can do the trick. You can leave it propped up somewhere safe in the room. Have you tried this?

My instinct would be to get my LO up as much as possible in the day, wakened by being picked up at the first signs of stirring. Where does she sleep in the day? Is she in the room with you?

Also, is it possible she's crying for a reason other than being over tired e.g. wind?

I'm sure you're doing this anyway, but when she wakes up at night, keep it distinct from daytime e.g. lights down, quiet, no stimulation, just feeding, cuddles and back to bed. I find my baby sleeps much longer on the odd occasion we co-sleep, this could help if you're comfortable with the idea of co-sleeping? (Have a look at the threads on co-sleeping on MNET if you're interested).

That's the limit of my limited knowledge I'm afraid! (Although I would like to point out I have more experience than certain authors who don't actually have children!!) I hope someone else comes along with some good advice soon, and hope you manage to get some sleep soon, sleep deprivation is no fun!

TheProvincialLady · 13/02/2009 14:12

lowrib is right - those books are the cause of so much stress for new mums. Ask yourself - do you eat/sleep/work at the same times every single day and are those times the same every other person your age? No? Well surprise! Hogg, Ford et al, babies are different too!

DS1 did the same day/night swap you describe and it was really hard. I sympathise. One thing that seemed to help was making sure that we went for a walk in the fresh air in the afternoon. But it was really just time and DS getting a bit older that did the trick.

This bit is difficult and feels like it goes on forever, and that you need to be DOING things to your baby to MAKE them sleep. But it passes so quickly and most of the doing stuff is just keeping you occupied while they just do what they were going to do anyway

TettyLouBar · 15/02/2009 12:16

Hi there, havne't read all the posts, but I remember having a hard time trying to understand WHY DD used to have a really good routine for a few weeks and then suddenly everything would go completely pear shaped and mess up. This happened time after time, then one day I was on Mumsnet and a kind MNer recommended an amazing book which explains why these sleep disturbances happen at certain weeks during the first year and a half.
Have a look at this book, its fab and it will reassure you why your suddnely good sleeper decides she doesn't want to nap at all or doesn't sleep/settle

Look at this

Good luck

TettyLouBar · 15/02/2009 12:18

p.s.

we also found that DD sleeps better if she naps well during the day

apparently "sleep breeds sleep" so I'm told.

Worked for us, when DD didn't nap well and was overtired, it would have a huge impact on the night ahead too.

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