Newborn sleeping too long?

[Rachiesparrow]

My dd is now a week old. She has trouble settling on get back, so we sometimes put her on her side. She seems far more comfortable this way bit I'm a bit worried as she sleeps for 3 - 5 hrs like this. It seems far too long to me.

I know there's no rule book for babies. Am I bring silly?should I just be grateful that she sleeps at all?

Advice please!

Here in NZ they say babies should not be awake for more than 1 to 1 1/4 hours till they are about 4 months old. Which can mean feed and straight back to sleep! How often is she feeding? If she is putting on weight I wouldn't worry.

She's feeding every 2 hours From the end of the last feed. Some feeds last 1.5 hrs, some half an hour. She was very unsettled last night across 2 feeds... Much screeching, didn't sleep for 4 hrs or so, then she slept 5 hrs straight last night with no feed in between. Ice just fed her 30 mins) and she's asleep again. There's no rhyme or reason to it! Don't know if she's putting in weight, but midwife seems happy...

Newborns sleep 16-18 hours in 24 hours and in my experience the more they sleep, the better and happier they are! My DS3 is 7 weeks today and he still sleeps about 17 hours in 24 on a good day. I worry if he sleeps for less as if he does he is very cranky by the evening.

PS having a longer sleep during the night is perfectly normal - that 4 hour / 5 hour stretch will become her 'night-time' eventually when she won't need a feed and it'll gradually stretch to a longer period. My DS3's longer stretch is 8.30pm-4am now (gradually moved on from 12.30pm over the weeks).

Newborns do sleep an awful lot - if you're lucky! I was a bit worried about my ds2 (8 weeks) as all he does is sleep.

Also, it's great that your dd can vary her sleeping position from her back to her side - it means there'll be less pressure on her head at any particular point for a long time.

There is a theory that babies really should stay in the womb for another three months - of course they can't because of their size - because of the all development they do whilst sleeping in the first few weeks.

Here in Spain they advise you to put the baby to sleep on their side so that any sick or phlegm will easily fall out and not choke the baby. So I presume that sleeping on the side is not harmful.

I'd say be grateful that your baby sleeps like that, as long as she is peeing/pooing/feeding well.

Sounds like she is feeding really well. My DD used to do the really long feeds too but sometime she was just using me like a dummy. You'll soon know if she is swallowing or just sucking. But she is so tiny I'd just stick with it for now.

And congratulations! Hope you are enjoying her.

Tjank you everyone! I feel massively reassured. I am enjoying her, although am convinced she has digested much of my right nipple. Excruciating.

ideally she needs to be feeding at LEAST every 4 hours,

if you're measuring time between feeds it needs to be from the beginning of each feed.

the problem is that a sleepy baby may not get enough milk (newborns ought to breastfeed between 8-12 times a day or more). if she isn't getting enough milk she will get sleepier and thus sleep longer, thus take less milk, thus get sleepoier...... it's a vicious circle.

so yes, i would be waking her prob after 3 hours for a feed

ahhh and if you have nipple pain then that would indicate a poor latch, and possibly (though not definitely) a poor transfer of milk leading to the sleeping lots???

my honest opinion? i would call one of the bf helplines, or, even better see if you can see a breastfeeding counsellor in person to sort your latch and get advice on how often to feed

It takes about three weeks for feeding to settle down. If it ever does! But I mean, for it to stop being crazy!

Mine slept mostly on his side, too. Swaddled. He much preferred it, although he's on his back now (since being maybe six weeks).

As for the sleep - make the most of it. If she's healthy, happy, and gaining weight, then you are doing everything right.