Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

My DS is 6 wks old and his sleep schedule is crazy - if we are lucky we get one three or four hour stretch of sleep in between feedings at night. Other wise - he is getting these stretches during the day. When he sleeps during the day there is no waking him. So DH and I take shifts during the night and we are always up during most of our shift.

So I just got off with a friend who told me there must be something wrong - maybe DS is not eating enough she said - he should be sleeping at night...Is she right? Is something wrong?

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

I remember around 6 weeks was when DD finally got her days/nights figured out a little better... Up until then she slept most of the day and occassionally at night...
Do whatever you can to try to wake him during the day for feedings and keep him up for a little while...
Take off his clothes, cold washcloth on his head, dance, sing, toys, whatever you can!

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

OMG, totally normal. DD was at her worst between 5 & 7 weeks or so & then it was like a switch went off at 8 wks & she started sleeping for 6 hours stretches. Totally normal, don't stress, you're almost out of the storm!

Swaddling them & the miracle blanket do work wonders though!

Message edited 10/12/2007 1:39:48 PM.

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

I think at around 6 weeks, it got a little better...dd was breastfed and we supplemented with formula, at 6 weeks she was up every 3-4 hours to eat

those were the days

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

I think it's totally normal. My DD was actually going through a growth spurt at 6 weeks, so it was a tough time for all of us. My DH and I did shifts also. It will get better. Try to give DC an extra ounce if you can before going to sleep.

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

Posted by itsbabytime

My DS is 6 wks old and his sleep schedule is crazy - if we are lucky we get one three or four hour stretch of sleep in between feedings at night. Other wise - he is getting these stretches during the day. When he sleeps during the day there is no waking him. So DH and I take shifts during the night and we are always up during most of our shift.

So I just got off with a friend who told me there must be something wrong - maybe DS is not eating enough she said - he should be sleeping at night...Is she right? Is something wrong?

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

My DS is 5 weeks. He is pretty consistent with going to sleep around 10:30 and waking every 3 hrs to eat. We've gotten a few nights recently of a 4 hr stretch from the time the feeding starts to the time he wakes up next. He also sleeps most of the morning (9am ish to 3pm ish) and has been up lately between 3pm and 10pm or 11pm.

eta: he wants to eat A LOT between 7pm and 10pm, I BF and he totally empties me (so it feels!)...sometimes I give him 2oz of formula before bed to fill him up.

Message edited 10/12/2007 4:21:51 PM.

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

no none! She is only a week and half so I am not expecting much. Like the other posters said she is sleeping beauty during the day ...at night she has hiccups, poppy diapers, gas, etc.

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

I didn't get more than 3 hours straight for the first 4 months. Now DS is sleeping 10-12 hours but I pump so, I haven't gotten more than 6 hours straight sleep in the year 2007!

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

Sounds to me like you need to get advice from a different "friend". It is ridiculous to say a 6 week old "should" be sleeping through the night.

As long as you are keeping his nighttime feedings dark and quiet, and daytime feedings bright and noisy, there isn't much else you can do. He has to figure out the rest on his own at this point!

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

My DD is 3weeks today, and during the day she naps and wakes about every hour to 3 hours to feed.. we dont really have a schedule. Then at night when she isnt gassy, like last night she woke up around 1am and 4am and then woke up at like 6:30 for another.

I feel i get enough sleep, but there are times when she wont fall right back to sleep and crys so those nights im exhausted.

Re: Moms of newborns - are you getting sleep at night?

DD is 3 weeks old. It seems she does her best sleeping during the day. She will go 3-4 hours between feedings and nap most of that time. At night she still eats every 3-4 hours but seems more awake and alert. I keep it dark and quiet, but I really don't get more than 2-2.5 hours sleep at a time.