Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

Top tips for a newborn?

17 replies

CinnabarRed · 28/04/2010 19:53

DS2 is 12 days old. Do you have any top tips for a newborn?

My gut feeling is that he's much too young to worry about bad habits developing and it's all about getting through as best we can for the time being - and if that means feeding/rocking to sleep then so be it.

But DS1 was a horrible sleeper and I wondered whether there's anything I should be doing with DS2 to stop problems developing in the future? Stirring him very gently when he's finished a feed, for example?

Thanks in advance....

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Elasticwoman · 28/04/2010 20:13

You're right about habits. They are newborn for a short time and then as they grow the sleep requirement changes. You do NOT have to start the way you mean to carry on.

In my experience everything about a newborn revolves around feeding. Get that right and everything else falls into place.

Original poster

CinnabarRed · 29/04/2010 00:51

Thanks Elasticwoman. So the follow on question: when should I start to introduce good habits (i.e. when are sleep requirements sufficiently static to allow very gentle training)?

OP posts:

BertieBotts · 29/04/2010 00:59

Top tip for a newborn? Co-sleep Actually, a co-sleeper (3-sided) cot saved my/DS's life I think in the first year.

DS has now gone into his own bed, in his own room, happily at 18 months, and slept through from 11-7 on about the third night he spent there. Probably would have been earlier, but I left his Dad when he was 13 months so he has been a bit unsettled.

Valpollicella · 29/04/2010 01:04

Have you tried swaddling?

At this point, 12 days, you have to remember where's he's been for a loooong time before these 12 days

His circadian rhythms won't be devloped for another 8/12 weeks at least. There really won't be any point in trying to establish any kind of routine this early one, as hard as it may be.

As you have and older DC, would you consider a sling, so that you could wear DS2 all the time? (or at least when DS1 is awake)

That way DS2 gets all the comfort he needs while you can go about getting on with stuff

Are you BF or FF? If BF you can get some excellent slings that you can BF on the go on (if play with DS1, clean, etc all while DS2 can snack away ) And if FF, then consider buying some cartons of pre pepared formula so you can to immediate feeds if needed, and a sling

IMoveTheStars · 29/04/2010 01:09

TOP TIP: If he's crying, feed (or at leat offer)

perfectly normal at this age to want to feed constantly.

Valpollicella · 29/04/2010 01:12

Top top tip Jareth. No one told me this and then I ad my mum insisting that he should go 3.5 hrs between feeds at 5 do

I kinda followed what she said

No wonder he screamed all the time

IMoveTheStars · 29/04/2010 01:21

can I say again?

IF IT'S CRYING, FEED HIM/HER!!

seriously! if there is ONE thing you stick on your fridge..let that be it. It will save your sanity, trust me!!!!!

Original poster

CinnabarRed · 29/04/2010 05:14

Ha! Thanks to all. Good to know I'm not missing some golden window of opportunity to "imprint" good habits on DS2.

I think you're so right about feeding. He'll happily cluster feed and then sleep for 3 solid hours during the day. Wish he'd sleep as long at night - he o ly feeds for 15 mins at a time, drops off and then wakes for more after 1-1.5 hours....

OP posts:

Elasticwoman · 29/04/2010 08:46

You could try to keep him awake for a whole feed. Contact a breastfeeding counsellor (google NCT, Breastfeeding Network, La Leche League or other breastfeeding organisation to find a local telephone number) and get your positioning checked. I mean the position of your baby at the breast. If the attachment isn't quite right, it could impede the flow of milk.

tinks27 · 29/04/2010 09:03

do not rock to sleep. aghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. had to undo this one. and it took a bit of work

Milsy · 29/04/2010 13:11

Take a look at this for top tips for a newborn

I like the tip on feeding! Definitely the best one. lol!

Original poster

CinnabarRed · 29/04/2010 15:16

Do you think it's worth waking DS2 after, say, 2 hours of daytime nap for more feeding? I wonder whether 3 hours is too long (he generally does a 3 hour nap and then 2 hours of cluster-feeding throughout the day) and therefore might:

Restrict his daytime calorie intake
Reduce my milk supply so he doesn't get enough when he wakes hourly to feed in the night.

I also wondered whether I should strip him down at night to encourage him to feed longer? Have been reluctant to do so because it disturbs DP, but perhaps needs must....

OP posts:

Original poster

CinnabarRed · 29/04/2010 15:19

I think his latch is OK (plenty of wet/dirty nappies, weight gain, no problems for me) but my town has dedicated BF support available so will take him along to the next clinic.

OP posts:

Lucy85 · 29/04/2010 15:28

When he cries, feed him, but wait for him to cry before you feed him.

Do breast and bottle, it fills them up.

Swaddle.

Eat chocoloate hobnobs and drink tea.

AngelDog · 29/04/2010 16:47

Not all babies are able to get themselves to sleep / get drowsy, especially after 3 weeks / 6 weeks / 12 weeks (depends on your baby). Start soothing him to sleep no more than an hour or so after he wakes up (it's 1.5 hours for DS age 15 weeks - try less than a hour for a newborn).

Aim to put him down drowsy but awake sometimes but no need to wake him up from feeds before putting him down.

Offer a feed if he cries, but crying is a late sign of hunger - see When do I feed baby

Read Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth (I ordered a copy from my local library). It's not very well-organised but will teach you about sleep & how to prevent sleep problems. Skip straight to the 'Sleep strategies' sction of chapter 2.

Swaddling is good.

Don't wake a sleeping baby unless for good medical reasons. They need to develop the ability to stay asleep, and you don't want to mess with that. 3 hours nap is fine at that age - DS would frequently sleep 4 hours (once 5 hours) in the day at that age, and it didn't stop him getting the hang of day & night really quickly.

It's never too early in the day to start on the chocolate.

AngelDog · 29/04/2010 16:53

It may be possible to encourage good habits from about 8 weeks (if not colicky) or about 4 months (if colicky). See here for the best times to try gentle sleep training & na discussion of the different methods.

The 4 month sleep regression/growth spurt may mess up any sleep training you've managed to do before then.

Original poster

CinnabarRed · 29/04/2010 18:50

Angeldog - please could you expand on the soothe-to-sleep-within-1-hour point?

DS2, once awake during the day, is wide awake for at least a couple of hours. Even feeding doesn't send him to sleep within that period, particularly after winding. He generally wants 3 feeds in quick succession during his awake time, falling asleep after the last feed. But even after the last feed he needs to be put into his Moses basket very slowly and gently or else he wakes up after a couple of minutes (no matter how deeply asleep he seemed to be while in my arms).

How do I soothe him to sleep? And should I keep trying to put him down drowsy? I'm slightly reluctant to try rocking him to sleep because so many people seem to think it's storing up trouble for the future.

Any advice appreciated!

OP posts:

Flip