baby sleeping

[chris99]

my baby son is just over a month old.  and during the night he does not sleep. me and my partner have tried everything but nothing seems to work. it would be very helpful if someone can help so that me and my partner can have 3-4 hours of sleep before his next feed in the night. thanks

[mrs.pudding]

This will sort itself out.  Your baby is very tiny and is still settling to life on the outside.  If he sleeps during the day then you should take the opportunity to get some shut-eye yourself.  Let the housework go hang for a bit.  You are much more important.  If you can catch up a bit on your sleep in the day then perhaps you will feel more able to cope on your own with him at night while your partner sleeps. I know that this is the most exhausting time and that you feel constantly shattered but it truly does get better!  But don't put added pressure on yourself with cooking and cleaning etc.  Keep those occupations to a bare but healthy minimum.  There will be plenty of time for them later.

[justineo]

I agree with mrs pudding.  Your whole life routine changes and the middle of the day can seem like the middle of the night.  Can you get anybody to help out a bit with the housework or shopping etc.  I used to try and sleep when my baby slept.  Where does your baby sleep and how do you feed him?

[Adi's mom]

Chris, i can totally completely understand what you are going through. My son just would not sleep, be it day or night. He used to cry a lot as well. My suggestions are as follows:

1. Take turns in handling th baby at night
2. Let the last feed, say arounf 9pm, be a bottle feed, if full, he may sleep for some time.
3. sing to him, have very soft music in the room, it may soothe him. I used to sing a lot to my son
4. put him on a rocking craddle, he may sleep better in it, and maybe even longer

And as everyone says, it will pass. First 3 months are toughest.

[spudqueen]

Hi chris99, it's such a wonderful time, and yet such a hard time isn't it? My eldest son wouldn't sleep at night, but when I thought about it he did have the right routine, it just wasn't fitting in with our world! he would go to sleep about 4am, wake about 8am for a feed, then sleep till noon. I found myself adjusting to HIS routine and sleeping when he did, and then starting my day at midday! I'm not even quite sure HOW it happened, but when he was about 3 months old he settled into a more 'normal' routine, and would actually go to sleep when we did!

Make sure YOU sleep when he does, sod the housework (all I concentrated on was the washing, cooking and washing up!). It WILL all sort its self out, and most importantly of all, ENJOY the time you spend with your son, no matter what time of day or night, holding your tiny baby is something you will always remember and cherish, there's no other experience like it.

[boobesque]

is there any music you played alot in pregnancy? i used to play songs my little one would recognise and he used to relax instantly and sleep soundly

[SASHAGREEN]

wow i thought it was only like that in the movies. both my kids slept through the night. my daughter is 3 months old and she sleeps from 10pm to 6 am. but anyway try keeping him awake during the day. he's just mixing up his days and nights. also rite before your ready for bed, wake him up and give him a bottle. that should give you a couple extra hours! good luck!

[Kass]

hi Chris,

have you tried a dummy?

[Sausagegirl]

You don't say if your little boy sleeps during the day and if so, how long for.

If my 6-week-old daughter sleeps for more than three hours any time after 3pm, we wake her up. And it works. It means that come bedtime (ours!) she will have a feed, become sleepy and happily drift off to the land of nod.

Sh'es 6 weeks old now and for the last four nights has slept for between five and seven hours.

[smee.tracey]

I accidentally tuned the radio to classic fm one night and it worked! After that I did it every night, very quietly until he fell asleep. Funnily enough a classical CD didn't work. I don't listen to much classical stuff so I've no idea why this was the answer. When he got a little older I found that the rotating globe disco lights worked well. They only cost about a fiver and got him off at nights until he was 2. If all else fails a good heavy hardback book usually does the trick. One knock and he'll be out!!!!!!!!!