Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

DD is going to be 7 weeks on Friday. Right now, she doesn't sleep much during the day, which is fine. She takes small cat naps most of the day 20 mins or so each time. Then she falls asleep at about 9-9:30pm and sleeps until 12:30-1am. I give her a bottle 4-5oz and she'll go back down until 4 or 4:30. Then she's up! I feed her again and try rocking, walking around, just holding her, etc. I usually end up taking her into bed with me bc I am exhausted. Sometimes she'll fall asleep and sometimes not.
I'm going back to work on June 1st, so I would like to have her go to bed closer to 11 and sleep until 6ish. Even if she wakes up at some point in between, that would be okay, as long as she wasn't up for good at 4am. I can't fall asleep at 9, usually I'm up until midnight or so. (obviously I'm still up at 12:45am tonight!) I can not function on 4 hours every night I've tried, it's not happening. Do I just have to get used to it? Wait it out? Or is there something I can do to get her to change these habits? She is so cranky by 9, that it's a chore to get her asleep, but she eventually does fall asleep.
I am just worried about totally crashing once I start working again!
any advice?

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

I dont know if this works for every baby but it worked with ours (and still does--DS is 7mo). We got one of those light/music machines. While DS always wakes in the middle of the night, he has always put himself back to sleep because he figured out how to turn the light/music on and it would soothe him back. Our ritual is to put him in the crib, turn the machine on, turn the mobile on and then turn on his seahorse light and music thing to. A combination of them all seems to do the trick and then when he wakes up in the middle of the night he manages to turn at least one of them on.

P.S. and the only reason I'm up at 4:40 a.m is because my cat jumped on my head, not my son

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

I don't know. I feel like you are so lucky. When DD was that age, she kept me up til 3-4 am and would sleep til about 9 am. And then nap throughout the day.

I don't think you can change a 7 week olds sleeping habits. It's just too soon. I think you have a good thing going. And soon DD will start to sleep longer and thru the night.

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

I'm not sure that you can She is really tiny....

You could try to reinforce that daytime is daytime by leaving the blinds open, tv or radio on and then having quiet time at night, but that is generally if the baby has days and nights confused which it doesn't sound like your DC does....

I agree with Lisa though, that schedule is pretty ok...

ETA-Not to be Debbie Downer, but I'd try to change YOUR own shedule....maybe don't fall asleep at 9, but 10? 11?

My DS woke everynight til he was one, and I was home alone with him AND working...

Message edited 5/20/2010 8:13:07 AM.

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

I was able to move my DS' bedtime up earlier before I went back to work but, I wouldn't have beena ble to push it back later (he was going down between 11-1 and getting up around 11am (with a bottle around 7ish).

I would try going to bed early. I haven't been up much past 10pm since DS was born.

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

Yes you can. You definitely want your LO to be one YOUR schedule.

Mysteriously my DD started STTN at 4wks. Her last feeding is at 11pm and then I rock her to sleep, swaddle her, turn on the radio for white noise, and she's down for the night. If you don't swaddle, try it. Try the white noise. It really works for DD and in turn, myself.

I read that sleep begets sleep so maybe try to push longer naps during the day. My DD is up for usually an hour (sometimes longer) after each feeding then falls asleep. Perhaps she is just a sleepy baby but it has definitely helped me get lots done.

GL and HTH!

Re: Can i change my newborn's sleeping habits?

Honestly, best bet might be to get on her schedule or rotate with DH. I know she has GI issues-is this new or do her meds need to be adjusted so she is comfortable?