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Ask the expert: The fourth trimester, feeding, sleep and unsettled babies - £100 voucher to be won

27 replies

MaddyMumsnet · 30/03/2026 15:43

The early weeks with a newborn - often called the “fourth trimester” - can be a time of huge adjustment. From frequent feeding and unpredictable sleep to crying and unsettled behaviour, it’s completely normal to have lots of questions as you get to know your baby.

We’ve invited Clare O’Brien, midwife and pediatric sleep consultant, to answer your questions about navigating life with a newborn, including feeding, sleep, routines and understanding unsettled babies.
You might want to ask:

  • Why is my newborn so unsettled - and how can I soothe them?
  • How can I tell if my baby is feeding enough?
  • What’s normal when it comes to newborn sleep?
  • When (and how) should I start thinking about routines?

Clare will be posting answers throughout April. Share your question by 13/04/2026 for your chance to win a £100 VEX voucher (T&Cs apply).

About Clare:
‘Clare is a registered midwife with over 12 years experience, including 5 years as aReproductive health and childbirth research lead. She has additional training in newborn behavior, bonding, reflux, allergies and sleep, and sits on various advisory boards of professional and consumer facing publications. She is the founder of ‘The Motherhood Midwife’, which supports new parents with feeding, sleep, routines and unsettled babies, and is a BioGaia ambassador.’

Ask the expert: The fourth trimester, feeding, sleep and unsettled babies - £100 voucher to be won
ExpertClare · 28/04/2026 11:34

chickenpotnoodle · 01/04/2026 13:34

During the ‘fourth trimester’, how can I gently start shaping a sleep routine without disrupting my newborn’s natural feeding and sleep patterns?

Hi @Chickenpotnoodle, Great question! From around 8-12 weeks, your baby will start producing their own melatonin (the sleep hormone) and their circadian rythems start to form. What we want to do is start to support this biological development. You can start by 'bookending' your night and day with a regular bed time and get up time to help build that circadian rhythm. I have a 4th trimester guide that talks through the 5 steps to set up good sleep foundations in the 4th trimester if you would like further support on this. Just visit my website www.themotherhoodmidwife.co.uk

Experts' posts:
ExpertClare · 28/04/2026 11:42

LadyLapsang · 01/04/2026 18:52

Why do hospitals discharge newborns with severe tongue tie without offering treatment so infants struggle to feed and mothers are left worried and exhausted, sometimes needing to pay to see a consultant privately because their baby is losing so much weight.

Hi @LadyLapsang . I'm so sorry to hear about your experience. Unfortunately there is a bit of a postcode lottery when it comes to feeding teams and tongue tie services. Very few midwives are tongue tie trained and therefore it is often not picked up before you leave hospital. Then getting a referral to the feeding team after discharge depends on your hospital policy. Its definitely worth writing in a complaint through your hospitals PALS team to try and lobby your local NHS trust to change this.

Experts' posts:
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