Don't you hate it when the newborn sleepy period ends??
Why do I make babies that don't like sleep??
DD2 has been perfect so far. Goes to sleep easily and sleeps for 2+ hrs at a time. That is until the last week. Now she still goes to sleep easily for her first morning nap and actually self settles most of the time! Unbelievable compared to DD who took 2 yrs to do that so I'm not expecting it to last much longer. She will sleep for around 2 1/2 hrs. Then wake up and be happy for about 1.5 hrs when I see she is tired and try to get her back to sleep. She's harder to get to sleep for the next sleep but I finally do and then she will wake up after 15-30mins and I can't get her back to sleep. I eventually give up and try later and the same thing happens. So she's awake for the rest of the day only having 1 sleep in the morning. WTF?? This is not enough sleep for a 1 month old!!
I know she is tired. She gets cranky and only wants to be held. But she won't stay asleep!! And poo to trying to get her to sleep in her basinette instead of my arms because then she will sleep longer. Whatever. I can get her to sleep in her basinette but it makes no difference, she still wakes up!!
I could put her in the hug-a-bub but I'm too scared. I did this with DD1 and the result was that she would ONLY sleep in the HAB with me bouncing on the fitball for the first 6 months of her life. I couldn't even stop bouncing after she was asleep, had to constantly keep moving So I'm scared of having that situation again. I can't do that when I also have DD1 here to look after and spend time with.
I've been trying to start good sleep habits from the start but looks like that's not going to end up making a difference So what am I doing wrong?
Wish it wasn't so hot atm so at least I could take her for a walk in the pram to get her to sleep.
Big hugs , you are doing a brilliant job and your bub is doing what most babies do when they reach around 5-6 weeks old and really wake up!
I thought I'd suggest that an hour and a half wake time might be too much atm? My babies could only cope with 45 mins or so of wake time at that age. If they are over-tired they are much harder to get to sleep (doesn't make sense does it?!). I'd watch her at about 45 mins and see if she shows any tired signs (yawning, jerky movements, etc). At the very first sign, wrap her straight up and put her to bed.
Another thing worth trying is a baby hammock, it was a life saver for me with my DS1 and DD! It snuggles them in and when they move it rocks a little which helps them stay asleep.
Oh, I should also add that as the day goes on it's harder and harder to get them to sleep. They tire out very quickly as the day gets later and tend to either be harder to get to sleep or harder to get to stay asleep. I loved my sling for the 5pm nap with DD!
Thanks Trish. I thought about 45mins too, I remember that's what DD1 was like at this age. She had 4 naps a day! But she was also doing the 45min nap thing, equally frustrating, lol. But she just doesn't seem tired earlier. But it could be that I'm just more busy so I'm missing the early tired signs. I will be on the look out today! Thanks.
She woke up at 8am this morning but was still tired. Had a feed and I put her down in bed and she went straight to sleep. So a good start to the day, will see what the afternoon holds. Thank god for the weekend tomorrow!
Four naps a day sounds about right at this age . Oh how I hate those 40-45 minute, one sleep cycle sleeps! All my kids did it.
I was able to get through it with DS1 by bouncing him in his hammock as he stirred and he would go back to sleep.
With DS2 I would sneak into his room a couple of minutes before 40 mins was up and as soon as he stirred (he would sigh and move his head), I would pat his tummy and he would fall back to sleep (it used to work for at least one of his naps each day).
With DD (who is of course bub #3) I just gave up and went with it LOL! I didn't have time to stress out about it and try and resettle her. Funnily enough it was much more relaxing when I finally just gave up on it all .
Can you put her in the hug a bub and then just go for a walk and not think about getting her to sleep? If you don't feel tense against her, maybe she'll just nod off?
Oh hun, you poor thing Have you got a bouncer? DS lived in the bouncer for the first three months or so of his life... I could sit and still interact with DD while I bounced... But she did watch a lot of TV!
It's so tough. It'll get better, but you know that it might take a while before it gets better!!!
Hang in there gorgeous, you are doing great. Can you try the HAB but just go about your day? So that she doesnt start to rely on the bouncing movement but just the being close to you and general day to day movements? That might help as opposed to the bouncing...
I used to leave ds1 with dh and put ds2 in the hab and go for a walk down our dirt road and back up it. Usually by the time I got back he was asleep and it got me out into the fresh air. It's so frustrating hun
I put her in the HAB for a bit a while ago and DD1 and I were dancing lol and she fell asleep. When she was snoring I took her out and wrapped her up and put her in bed. She didn't wake up but then woke up 5 mins later So eventually got her back to sleep and she woke up 30mins later so I fed her in bed like at night time and put her back in bed and we'll see what happens now. It's so frustrating.
Swing or bouncer doesn't work either. Even tried a dummy, nope.
I'm scared if I use the HAB too much she'll only be able to sleep in there. And I know how frustrating that was, to never have my own space. But I'm not sure if maybe it's the lesser of two evils, lol. At least with that DD1 slept and wasn't whinging and tired all day. But then I think that effected DD1's night time sleep aswell because she still wanted to be held. Don't want to do anything to muck up DD2's night sleep atm, it's going ok. But if that goes to **** too then I give up! pmsl.
I just try to remember when I get frustrated that you know what, some people would give anything to be doing this.
OP- DD1 has been watching a lot of TV too I feel bad. When I was feeding DD2 in bed before she comes in and goes 'Mummy, I missed you so much. You miss me?' LOL. Yes! I do miss her!
Ok, she's crying again, off I go ...
Last edited by Heaven; March 27th, 2011 at 11:37 AM.
Thanks Sterla. I just don't get it. It's not even like she doesn't want to be put down like DD1 did. No matter if she falls asleep in my arms or in her bed or if I put her down or not she still keeps waking up after 5 mins!!!!
Thanks boomba. I am meeting another friend for lunch tomorrow now though, eek! But tues week still?
Well, she woke after 30 mins and she was trying to get her arms out of her wrap and I was sick of rewrapping her so I just took her arms out. She went straight to sleep and has been asleep for 3 hrs now. Hmm... so next time I will try not wrapping her arms in again and see if that's the problem.
Oh heaven mine did that too! There I was thinking I have to wrap her to stop her from startling herself only to find that as soon as I took her arms out she slept better. Hope it solves the issue for you.
What is the deal?????
Unbelievable compared to DD who took 2 yrs to do that so I'm not expecting it to last much longer. She will sleep for around 2 1/2 hrs. Then wake up and be happy for about 1.5 hrs when I see she is tired and try to get her back to sleep. She's harder to get to sleep for the next sleep but I finally do and then she will wake up after 15-30mins and I can't get her back to sleep. I eventually give up and try later and the same thing happens. So she's awake for the rest of the day only having 1 sleep in the morning. WTF?? This is not enough sleep for a 1 month old!! 
So I'm scared of having that situation again. I can't do that when I also have DD1 here to look after and spend time with.
So what am I doing wrong?
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, you are doing a brilliant job and your bub is doing what most babies do when they reach around 5-6 weeks old and really wake up!
. Oh how I hate those 40-45 minute, one sleep cycle sleeps! All my kids did it. 
. 
I am so over it. She is just getting harder and harder to get to sleep. She has been awake since 6.30am and I can not get her to sleep.
I feel bad. When I was feeding DD2 in bed before she comes in and goes 'Mummy, I missed you so much. You miss me?' LOL. Yes! I do miss her!
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