Exhausted!

[hels]

Does anyone know how to turn a baby's sleep pattern around?
Jasper, who is almost 6 weeks can sleep though out the day no problem but during the night he's awake most of the time. I do wake to feed him during the day every 3 hours and I make sure he has a good feed. We have a evening routine where he has a bath at 6.30 and feed at 7. He's then put to bed and woken for a last feed at 10.30pm. But he wakes at 12.30, 2.30, 3.30, 4.30 at which point he's so wide awake I get up and play with him. You've guessed it, by 7am he's dead to the world - arghhhh!
I'm getting t the point where I can't take much more (and I don't think my partner can take much more of me!) I need more sleep!
I look forward to hearing from you.
Thank you,
Hels xx

[xkwzit]

Hiya Hels
Is not that unusual for babies to be confused between night and day. Previously, in utero, he'd be rocked to sleep while you bustled around all day and then be awake when you were resting (or not - if he was very active:D ) at night.

I do think you are doing the right thing by waking him for feeds during the day. Do you leave the curtains open in his room during the day so that it is light? (I read that somewhere). Some babies "nights" actually start between 6 - 7 pm and you just can't easily change that. I tried with DD1, but I could never wake her for a 9 - 10 pm feed. She would sleep from 6 pm to 2 am, eight hours, just not the right 8 hours:rolleyes: .

Are you feeding him at 2 am when he wakes, or trying to settle without a feed? He would still need a feed at this age. DD1 would go back to sleep easily after her 2am feed and then sleep through till 6-7am. This pattern didn't change until she dropped her night feed at around 6 - 7 months.

Does any of that help?:confused:

Cheers

[hels]

Hi xkwzit,
That does help, thank you. I keep the blinds closed just because it gets so hot in the house, maybe we need to have a light on, although it's not that dark in there. :confused:
I always give him a top up each time he wakes at night in hope that he sleeps for longer but with no joy - yet!
I've heard that things get easier when they hit 6 weeks, I've got big hopes!
Thank you,
Hels x

[xkwzit]

Hiya Hels
No worries, I think your idea of a light on would work just as well as blinds open, you just want to make it different to night time.

One thing that I can say looking back, is that I know this tiny baby stage seems FOREVER when you are living through it, but in 6 weeks time, you'll look back and wonder where your tiny baby went. All of this endless feeding, burping, trying to get some sleep will seem like no time at all.:D

I also tried not to get too stressed about "bad" habits, like a few nights of more frequent waking or feeding changes. Babies really change so quick at this age, they've no chance to develop any "bad" habits, its much more likely to be a very temporary phase.

Cheers (and here's to some more sleep for you :) )

[reAllytee]

This is one of the hard parts thats for sure !
Life definately takes on a whole new meaning with a baby !
xkwzit has give you some great advice.
I found another good thing was to make sure bubs had sun during the day this was being done to help with his mild jaundice & i found this helped him "wake". I wasnt putting him in glaring sun just somewhere that had some light coming through a window & i always had him go to sleep in his rocker or with me with the sun also so then of a nite he was kept in the dark it got to the stage he got cranky over the nite light so that had to go LOL !
But it still took me probably a good 10-12wks to get him there little by little & this is the best really as they will fight a big change. Just slowly change things so he works it out himself.
I nearly cried the nite i realised bubs was going to sleep through the 8hrs from 10pm to 6am.
Try not to stress too much about it he will get it eventually the best thing for now is to work your routine so to speak around him as its better for you to sleep through the day while he does than trying to make it through the nite with no sleep ! When i realised this was the best way of doing things it made me much more relaxed as even if its only a 1hr power nap through the day it works wonders !
Good luck

[Tea Lady]

I've heard ppl say it helps to put them to sleep in the main area of the house in the day - music on etc and then in thier room at night. I'd also think sunlight would be good - maybe you could go for a walk? I used to feed in front of the TV at night, but eventually I realised it was making DD stay awake (I think) so I started feeding in her room and she settled more easily.

Also, you don't need to change their nappy at every night feed (esp if using disposables) - I wouldn't change him unless he's pooed because it wakes them right up. Hope that's some help. It will get better!!