My Newborn Is Awake All Night

My son did this for about three weeks. I just made sure that we had lights and the TV or radio on, and the blinds open during the day, and tried to make him play a little after feedings. Then, at night, keep all the lights very dim, and the noise to a minimum for a while. She'll get the picture pretty quick!

Please DO NOT follow the advice to follow Baby Wise. It could wreak havoc on your milk supply (since you are breastfeeding).

My daughter was the same way for the first few weeks. Don't let her sleep more than 3 hours during the day (I would wake my daughter up to eat/change diaper...she could go back to sleep if she wants after that). Keep regular noises/lights etc around during the day. At night, keep things quiet and dark/dim. Don't interact as much with her during that time (feed, change diaper, etc, but don't be overly stimulating). She will get the picture and change her habits. By 6 weeks my daughter started switching and was sleeping great! She now sleeps about 12 hours a night (waking up 3 times or so to eat but drifting right back to sleep).

To keep a healthy breastfeeding relationship with her, though, don't try to force a schedule on her (especially so early). She will fall into a pattern soon enough! :)

Congrats Mommy! My daughter went through a similar situation. I had to find other places for her to sleep like the car seat, which she slept in for at least a couple weeks when we brought her home from the hospital. I would try and hold off on all the naps during the day, it seemed to help in our situation. There were so many people that stopped by, it kind of helped things :) It shouldn't take long to get her on a schedule. It took my daughter about a good month to wake up twice a night! Good Luck! This is a great website to get advice!

Baby Wise is another really good book on developing a schedule for your baby. --it helps in understanding how to approach your baby in general as well.

My daughter is only 2 months old and she was very much the same. I think it's pretty common that babies get night and day mixed up. My daughter would be up from 11 pm to about 4 am. I really didnt do much to change things around figuring that babies need to sleep when they need to sleep and just waited for her habits to change. After a few weeks she figured it out and she now sleeps from about 11 pm to 5-6 am. I notice that it changes from time to time anyways. I think it's just something that babies go through. Sleep when baby sleeps and you will have the energy to stay up with her when she needs to be awake. Right now she's in charge of how your days and nights are going to be.

Pick up a book by Kim West, the "Sleep Lady". Not sure if this is the book referred to earlier, but it gives great tips and advice on how to start out a baby with good sleep habits. I'd say every baby goes through this, remember, she's still so new to all this! You do need to nap when she does, so make sure you do that. And get help over when you can and take advantage of it and rest. Good luck! We've all been there!

My son had his days and nights mixed up. Nip it in the bud early. I kept him awake as much as I could during the day but that doesn't mean not let them sleep at all during the day. Here what worked for me. i would keep my son stimulated but talking to him and laying him on the floor on a blanket not bundled up and cuddley. When he did fall asleep I woke him up after a few hours and played with him changed him and other stimulus. Than when it was bedtime I created a rutine of food bath than I would wrap him in a blanket and we would rock till he was almost out than in the bassinet he would go. Most nights he slept 5 hours or more once he got used to the rutine. Good luck.

my little girl was very similar. She would be wide awake at night so I would shorten her naps during the day (and keep the room bright) and then keep the room dark at night when I fed her with no play time. It eventually reversed her night and day clock. For more tips, you can go onto babycenter.com for more info...it's a good website for new moms! Congratulations on your new bundle of joy!

I agree with the healthy sleep habits, happy child book. This is what I followed for my now 9-month old son. Keeping your baby awake during the day could make things worse, as she could become sleep deprived. I agree with the previous poster about light. It takes a while for babies to get their night-day rhythm down - make sure it's bright in your house (especially where she is) during the day, and dark at night.

Congratulations!

That's normal. You're going to be pretty tired for awhile, but she'll start to figure it out eventually. At about 6 weeks they start sleeping more.

I second the recommendation to read the book by Kim West. It has transformed my 8 month old's sleeping. She used to be a great sleeper and then suddenly stopped. The "sleep lady's" advice worked right away. I suggest you stay away from BabyWise. If you read reviews of it, you can see how unhealthy of an approach it is.

Kim West, the "Sleep Lady". Not

Hi,
I had this happen all the time with my little. My pediatrician told me to feed him more often during the day, so he can sleep more at night. She also told me to try to keep them up longer periods of time during the day, but playing with them, baths and so.
Also, it is very important that whenever they sleep, you need to sleep as well. (This was the hardest part, because I never could sleep when my baby was sleeping, and I was tired everyday (and night).

Thanks God, my baby began to sleep during the night (all night long) when he was 3-4 weeks old. What I did (besides try to play with him all day) was that between 8-9pm, I gave him a good bath (so he got hungry and tired), and then feed him. After that, I just cuddle him and he felt sleep every night.

I Hope it helps!

I understand your struggle but it is pretty common for newborns to have day and nights mixed up. In any 24 hour period babies have one long time when they are awake and fussy and one long period where they will sleep. The trick is to make the sleep time is at night and the awake fussy time right before that time. For starters, don't let her sleep for over 2 hours at a time during the day. Between her early evening feeding and bedtime, try to get her to say awake as much as possible and feed her more frequently. At one week of age the most you can hope for is 3-4 hours between feedings at night. If you are comfortable with co-sleeping, take her to bed with you but make sure your bed is a safe place for her. (Do not do this if you smoke or have been using drugs or alcohol). Babies often will adjust to your sleep cycle if they are next to you and can nurse at will and you will get more rest if you don't have to get up everytime she is hungry. Good luck and enjoy your newborn

Don't expect too much of her so soon. Babies have no concept of time. And, since most new borns need to be fed every three to four hours she's not going to understand the difference between night and day for several months.

However, you can help her to gradually understand by establishing a routine - particularly at night. A warm bath, turning the lights down low, eliminating noise, quietly talking or singing to her will help her to gradually understand wake/play time and sleep/quiet time.

I would recommend reading "What to Expect the First Year", which you can follow along month by month as your baby developes. There's also a web site based on the book series, www.whattoexpect.com

Best wishes.

My daughter was the same way. We eventually began to cosleep. It really worked for us. I would snuggle her and I would sleep until she woke up to nurse again. Once she was about 5 or 6 weeks we started putting her in her cradle in our room to start sleep and then brought her to bed with us when she woke up for a feeding. She is now almost five months and sleeps through the night in her crib in her own room. We also discovered that she is a belly sleeper when she is alone.

Pick up health sleep happy child and read it cover to cover--it is the bible for sleep.

Hi,
I had this happen all the time when my little ones were newborns. You kind of have to help them readjust thier sleeping pattern. Try to keep them up longer periods of time during the day, but playing with them, giving them baths, play with toys, ect. When they do nap, make sure that you are napping as well! That way you will be more recharged to battle the sleepless night.
They will grow outta it, hang in there!

i could never keep mine awake all day... their little bodies need to rest and they dont fall asleep because they are board but becuase they need the rest.. so dont over do it. as far as night shes looking for the comfort. i had the same problem with mine but i couldnt bear to leave them so i acutally would fall asleep with them. i ofcourse corrected it when they got older but i wouldnt worry when they are so little. just my opinion though.

one important thing to remember hilary is that everybaby is different. and different things work for each baby. you just have to find it and go with it. Just don't let your poor little one cry her self to sleep or anything like that. Babies don't know any better at that age. Good luck and i hope you find something that works

Congratulations on the arrival of your daughter! How exciting!

My son had his days and nights mixed up when he was a newborn and since he was born 10 days before Christmas, that holiday was a huge blur that year! :) I really don't think you can change a newborn's sleep habits so do your best to sleep when she does during the day, as hard as that may be. During the first 4-5 weeks I fed my son on demand and tried to figure out a pattern when he needed to be fed. When my son was about 5 weeks old I started cluster feeding him in the evening to try and get his days and nights corrected since he was still taking his huge naps during the day and needed to be fed every 3 hours at night. During the day I would feed him every 3 hours based on learning what his schedule was the first 5 weeks and I would wake him up if he was napping after 3 hours. I would start cluster feeding at 6pm - so his feedings were 6, 8, 10, and his last feeding at midnight. By 6 weeks he was sleeping from 12-6am and by 8 weeks, 12-8am. It may not work for every child, but for my two it did. They're big sleepers anyway and some kids just aren't.

You know your daughter best (regardless of what anyone might tell you) and when it's right, you'll know what may work or not. Parenting is really trial and error anyway, with everything, so just sit back and enjoy every minute with your baby. They grow and change so fast!

All the best!

S.

Hello Hilary, Well congratulations first, My daughter Michaela wanted to be up parting all night also when she was first born. And I know how difficult it is, I always tried to feed her alot during the day like other moms have said and just make sure that she stays wrapped up nice and tight. Does she sleep in the bassinet during the day at all? If she is used to sleeping on you or in a different place this may also be part of the problem. I had to ween my daughter from sleeping on me when she was just brand new because I found she would not sleep anytime I put her down anywhere. They are brand new to the world and smart to the smell and comfort of your body heat and know the difference. I dont know maybe that could be part of the problem. Have you tried letting her sleep in her carseat and maybe she might stay sleeing for longer periods. Anyway good luck let me know if you need any help A.
Always remember sleep when she does otherwise you will run yourself into the ground and you will get sick if you dont rest when she is. Also try giving her a bath with some lavender before bed

I have a 4 year old and a 4 month old. I would advice you to keep it loud in the daytime. Don't turn off the tv and run the vacuum things like that and come night time turn everything off. I know it seems like this is never going to end, but it will. I did not do that with my oldest and boy the bedtime struggles lasted 3 1/2 years. I did do that with my baby and she sleeps all night and has been for a few months. Enjoy your little one because it gets better.

Don't try to keep her awake during the day yet. You just sleep when she does and over time, she'll figure it out. What she wants is to be held, burped (a lot) and to know she's not forgotten about. What you can do is swing her or cary her in a sling, or just wait. When babies get bigger, they sleep longer.

It's pretty normal for a newborn to have her days and nights switched. When I mentioned it to my doctor, she told me that it can sometimes take a month or two for her system to straighten out. She suggested I try keeping my daughter awake a little longer each time during the day to help her adjust a little quicker. Also, when you nurse her at night, do so in a quiet, dark room and avoid eye contact. This will help her to realize that it's time to sleep, not to be awake. Hope that helps!

I have to say that I have 2 children, one was a sleeper (through the night at 2 months) and one who, at the age of 2 1/2, is still not a reliable sleeper. But regarless of which you have, they do get on a schedule on their own. Just enjoy every second of your baby, before you can blink this time will be over.

Also, please, please, please DO NOT use the babywise method. It has been linked to "failure to thrive" and poor weight gain. If you want more information why not to use it, please read this article:

http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/9108.html

Congradulations, I'm sure you'll do wonderfully!