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MNHQ

Tell Fairy Non Bio about your experience of sleep with a new baby - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

208 replies

JustineBMumsnet · 01/12/2016 13:19

As part of our new partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced our first ever Mumsnet Babies Podcast. There are ten episodes in the series and so far we’ve released five. Episode two is about sleep, and you can listen to it here . Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to the podcast whenever you can, and then discuss your experiences of sleep with a baby.

An unbroken night of slumber is the holy grail of parenthood - but it’s often difficult to actually achieve. Fairy Non Bio would like to hear about your experience of sleep with a new baby. Did your baby miraculously sleep through from 3 months? Or was your experience much more of a struggle? Do you have expert tips on getting your child to sleep for that precious extra half an hour, or perhaps on how to cope through bleary-eyed days when you feel like you didn’t sleep at all?

Whatever your experience, share it with Fairy Non Bio by posting on the thread below.

Everyone who posts on the thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

If you want to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store and add a review!

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

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Tell Fairy Non Bio about your experience of sleep with a new baby - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED
OP posts:
MerlinsBeard87 · 08/12/2016 21:56

I was clueless when I brought Ds home from hospital and the first night at home was the hardest of my life. I felt like he screamed all night and dreaded what my neighbours would say. I did a lot of frantic googling on "how to get baby to sleep" and tried many things. I do think all babies are different, and some are good sleepers and some bad, but I like to think some of my methods may have influenced my Ds because he settled quickly into a good routine. I used a white noise app and kept nighttimes dark and calm, which helped him sort out his nocturnal habits. I'm glad I perservered with putting him down on his own in his moses basket even when the temptation was there to pull him into bed with me. He was only waking once for a feed from about 12 weeks, and then slept through 7-7 from 11 months. I am scared to have another baby in case it's harder next time. I still remember those early days and they make me shudder!

bridge16 · 08/12/2016 21:56

I have recently had my 3rd baby is is 3 months old. For the last two weeks he has been sleeping through the night which may not last but for now we are enjoying it!! I think the things i have found is that routine is key. Bath, pjs and milk at the same time every night has helped him fall into a good bedtime pattern and fit in with the other children.

Muddywellies10 · 08/12/2016 22:13

My first baby had reflux which meant that sleep was hugely disrupted until he was a year old. He only started sleeping well at two and a half. Second baby completely different and a much better sleeper but still not a miracle sleeping through baby at 6 weeks old!

BruthasTortoise · 08/12/2016 22:38

All of my boys have had different sleeping patterns - the eldest slept through consistently from about 8 weeks, the youngest from about 8 months and the middle one? Well, I'm still waiting!

As newborns though they were all consistent three times a night feeders - looking back at it now I've no idea how I managed!

GoodyGoodyGumdrops · 08/12/2016 22:44

Sleeping babies really do exist. I had some. And I would wake them from their sleep to feed them. Oh smugness! I paid. How I paid. My last born Did. Not. Sleep. Not unless I was plugged into him, or walking him in the buggy (no stopping, no shopping and certainly no Costa) or driving.

MrsDramaQueen · 08/12/2016 22:55

I think when a new baby is born, it takes a little while to get into a routine. When my two where baby's they were lactose intolerant so there sleep patterns were not regular. My husband and I got into a routine where we took it in turns to get up so that we each got some rest. And I would nap in the day when the baby was asleep too.

Amez2012 · 09/12/2016 00:06

It's like you are waiting to be woken up. Even when you are sleeping you dont really sleep!!!

raspberryblush23 · 09/12/2016 00:24

I was lucky with DS. He slept 7-7 from about 8 weeks old, He had a few setbacks in his sleep and we did controlled crying but he's always needed his sleep and will go to bed when tired.

DD however, has never been a great sleeper, never went down early no matter how hard we try. Now at 15 months we pretty much co sleep: she screams when put in the cot so much she's almost sick. Some nights (tonight)she never settles ,even in our bed and it's impacting our quality of life. I think there must be some genetic component as I was the exact same as DD Grin.

foxessocks · 09/12/2016 03:07

My babies have been average sleepers I would say! Dd has consistently slept through since age 1 and ds is 3 months and at the moment only up once a night. I know that will change though with growth spurts and teething!

Summerdays2014 · 09/12/2016 06:40

I have found that sleep (like everything else) changes on an almost weekly basis... So we have good times where he sleeps through, bad times where he is awake every hour and in between times!

SillyMoomin · 09/12/2016 07:08

Sleep? Sad

She sleeps for a bit. Then wakes up. Then smiles so you can't be angry Grin

Then repeats and has repeated so far for 5 months!

earthmoon · 09/12/2016 07:15

First son came with his own routine. As long as you adhered to his schedule everything was well. Then my last son was born and sleep became something of the past. He has reflux and only sleeps either on me or next to me. The only way someone else can put him to sleep is to take him on a car ride for minimum 15min. He will then sleep for the longest interval possible, which is on average three bliss full hours.

Gracalex · 09/12/2016 09:56

The only thing that gets me by is repeating to myself throughout the day is 'it won't last forever' my ds didnt sleep through till he was 5 months was up every two hrs until that point and my dd is 3months and refuses to sleep anywhere but on me or my partner. Repeat after me ' it won't last forever!'

pinkunicornsarefluffy · 09/12/2016 12:06

In the first weeks, DC slept like a log between feeds, but woke up every 2 hours demanding food. Then as she grew, each extra ounce she had gave an extra hour of sleep.

There is nothing you can do about it, except remind yourself that it doesn't last forever, it is just a stage. Some people seem to expect babies to sleep through the night from day 1 and get a surprise when they don't.

I did all the night feeds during the week, then my partner did them at the weekend, which helped a bit.

UpOnDown · 09/12/2016 15:06

Sleep, what sleep?

littleme96 · 09/12/2016 16:41

Mine didn't sleep through the night until they were 11 months old. I slept when they did during the day to help me get through!

White noise worked really well with my second baby and helped him drop off a lot quicker.

StillNoFuckingEyeDeer · 09/12/2016 19:55

I've never been much of a sleeper myself - I've always been an early riser and never sleep in. DH is an insomniac, but struggles with mornings. Our children have not inherited great sleep genes.

DD1 was a nightmare. She never napped and woke frequently at night. She eventually started sleeping through the night at around the age of 4, but continued waking early (around 5am). She now sleeps 8/8:30-6/6:30.

DD2 napped reasonably well as a baby and was a better sleeper at night, but at 3 she still wakes 2-3 times a night and is up for the day any time from 5, although occasionally she'll sleep until 7am.

DS is 6 months old and still wakes 3-4 times a night. He has only slept for longer than 3 hours a couple of times.

So, I don't have any tips

tooneedyme · 09/12/2016 20:08

We have an 18 month old who sleeps through most nights now but in the beginning it was awful. She has a dairy allergy and was in alot of pain in the earl days. She rarely slept and I mean not at all, ever!!

purplepandas · 09/12/2016 20:11

No tips other than it does one day get better. well mostly. I am being called again now!

Ohwoolballs · 09/12/2016 20:25

Sleep for the first few days with our son was taking it in turns to get a few hours with him on our chest. He has always been a cuddler.
I still have to climb in his cot with him at nearly nine months!

Boomerangs · 09/12/2016 21:10

My 20 month old still wakes frequently in the night but if I want her in bed before 7.30 I need to make any naps in the day extremely short - often easier than done. I have just got used to constantly being tired and anything past 7.30am Is considered a lie in!

throwingpebbles · 09/12/2016 21:35

My babies were both terrible sleepers (linked to their multiple allergies I suspect). I found that stage very hard and ended up in such an exhausted state after dd that my mum had to come and look after her for a few days so I could just catch up on sleep.
The only way I could get any sleep was by co-sleeping. I have fond memories of the lovely warm cuddles and have blanked the memories of being kicked in the head

laidbackmummy13 · 09/12/2016 21:37

Sleep? I'm confused...I seem to vaguely remember the meaning of the word but not entirely sure??
Sleep here is "for the weak".
My 3yr old has slept through the night ONCE! and that was the day she was born...ever since she has fought it and even when she does EVENTUALLY sleep it's never for long. Then add a 1yr old to mix and I think one brain cell dies every day due to sleep deprivation...
But anyways...sleep...ahh sleep...I miss thee.

Strawclutching · 10/12/2016 04:27

Just go into it knowing in the baby stage sleep is luck of the draw. Some people get sleepers, some don't. Don't beat yourself up that you're doing anything wrong.

I've always followed a strict routine. Worked for one baby but not for the other (but overall helped me).

Also just sleep when you need to. 9 months in to the second baby bedtime for me is now 730-8pm. (And she's the better sleeper!) It won't be like this forever.

MakeTeaNotWar · 10/12/2016 08:13

Lack of sleep was singularly the worst thing about having tiny babies. They both woke for feeds every 2 hours - right up until DD was 8 months and DS about 13 months (at which point I had gone back to work). We did no sleep training but things did get better once they moved out of our room at about 8 months and now they're pretty good and generally sleep 8pm - 7am