How long does your baby stay awake/alert?

[myvspace]

Our little Lea is a little bit more than 3 weeks old now. It's been a big difference compared to when we took her home from the hospital. Then, she would sleep through anything and for more than 3 hours at a time if we let her. But of course, we would wake her up at the 3 hour mark to feed. She wouldn't be awake for very long either. I easily nursed her to sleep. These days, we're lucky if she'll sleep for more than an hour and a half and she'll stay awake for 2 hours or more. I'm afraid she's getting overtired, but it's so hard to put her down to sleep. You gotta rock her for a good hour before she's really asleep and she doesn't fall asleep while nursing anymore unless it's night time.

So how's your baby doing? How old are they? How long do they sleep at a time? How long do they stay awake/alert?

Also, Lea doesn't like sleeping on her back. She either likes to sleep on her side or on her tummy. Of course, I'm always near her to check every 15 seconds if she's breathing. This makes it hard to put her down in her swing or her pack-n-play's newborn napper. Anyone else's baby does not like to sleep her his/her back?

[leigh09]

what helped me a LOT in putting my babies down to sleep is swaddling them tightly - there is good advice on how to do this in "happiest baby on the block" by dr. karp. i don't put my ds (current newborn in the house) exactly on his back, i roll a receiving blanket up so he is sort of tilted on his side. he sleeps better that way. my dd (now 2) also loved to sleep on her tummy and would have nothing of sleeping on her back. now that she's a toddler, go figure, she sleeps on her back every night.

[gumby74]

Originally Posted by leigh09

what helped me a LOT in putting my babies down to sleep is swaddling them tightly - there is good advice on how to do this in "happiest baby on the block" by dr. karp. i don't put my ds (current newborn in the house) exactly on his back, i roll a receiving blanket up so he is sort of tilted on his side. he sleeps better that way. my dd (now 2) also loved to sleep on her tummy and would have nothing of sleeping on her back. now that she's a toddler, go figure, she sleeps on her back every night.

This is exactly what I do and it seems to help!

[Aufilia]

DS is just over 3 weeks and also pretty tough to get down during much of the day. If you put him down to sleep he usually sleeps less than an hour from when he fell asleep. At night he's easier to get down and will sleep as long as 5 hours in his first block (the downside being that if *I* want 5 hours, I have to go to sleep at 8pm!).

Swaddling helps but doesn't guarantee much. He'll sleep with his hands free if he's being held while napping (which my DD would NOT do; he is much friendlier with his hands than she was).

DS hates to sleep flat and he also likes sleeping on his side. I bought an inclined Snuggle Nest, which also does sleep positioning... so I can lay him down inclined and on his side without worrying about him going anywhere.

[Friendlee]

My baby also prefers to sleep on her stomach. Will sleep much longer if on her stomach...but I can't sleep if she's on her stomach so that's not much help when it's the middle of the night. The Happiest Baby on the Block techniques work very well and I use the rolled up receiving blanket too to sort of tilt her because when she's flat on her back she flails her arms and legs like she is just out there in the world with no boundaries which I think feels really unsafe and scary to her.

She is much more awake now - an LC I talked with said that once they are on the trend of gaining an ounce a day, they are much more alert. Our baby didn't gain for three weeks and once she finally started gaining, she was wide eyed and drinking in her environment for many hours at a time. Her most awake period is 11:00pm to 1:30 am every single night!

She usually sleeps from 1:30 am to 5:30 am. Those swaddlebe blankets with velcro are awesome!

[KringyBingy]

All three of my children like to sleep on their sides. I don't worry about them rolling onto their tummy because their arm generally gets in their way and they end up on their back.

Try to enjoy holding your babe. I generally wear my baby in the sling most of the day. I love the infant stage where I get to just hold the baby while they sleep. This is the only time I allow myself to slow down!!

Kristy

[myvspace]

Thanks for the responses. I just bought a Zolowear ring sling and DD is just getting used to it now. She hates being in a cradle hold in it, and sometimes she likes tummy-to-tummy, sometimes she just doesn't want to be in it because it restricts her legs.

As for using a rolled up receiving blanket to kind of tilt her, tried it last night, but DD just rolled to her side every time I tried to position her in that way. DD doesn't like being swaddled much. And if she does let herself get swaddled, she wants her arms out.

I love holding my baby. I love seeing her peacefully sleeping in my arms, or smiling back at me. But I'd also love being able to use both hands for eating breakfast and lunch. DH went back to work last week, so it's just me and her all day until he comes home. It's hard to last all day with her if I'm not getting enough nutrition for myself.

If what the previous poster said is correct about gaining an ounce a day and being more alert, then I guess that's what's happening with DD. I guess I'm just still adjusting to daily life with the new babe.

[jaylily]

I haven't really kept track but the easiest time to pay attention is at night when you want to sleep, of course! lol! She was up for 3 hours last night, at least, from about 9-midnight. She's a fairly good sleeper once she's asleep though and nurses a few times but goes right back to sleep. We co-sleep though. Also, neither of my babies really liked sleeping on their backs. They would sleep facing me and me facing them; we were all more comfortable that way.

[joyakshi]

we have to swaddle, put her in a baby carrier and bounce on the yoga ball for hours. makes it hard to type. back & legs hurt. getting a swing tomorrow!

[Kmama2]

Originally Posted by myvspace

So how's your baby doing? How old are they? How long do they sleep at a time? How long do they stay awake/alert?

Also, Lea doesn't like sleeping on her back. She either likes to sleep on her side or on her tummy. Of course, I'm always near her to check every 15 seconds if she's breathing. This makes it hard to put her down in her swing or her pack-n-play's newborn napper. Anyone else's baby does not like to sleep her his/her back?

Ds sleeps on his stomach. He is almost never on his back. He hates it. He has reflux and spits up so much and he literally chokes on it if he is on his back. He hates side sleeping too so belly sleeping it is. I worried for a bit but he lifts his head and shoulders really well so I don't really worry about it any more. He usually takes a 1-2 hour nap in the am and afternoon and evening. He hardly stays awake longer than 1-2 hours and if he does its because he is screaming and being colicky.. and then he gets really over tired. He is 5 weeks. He prefers to sleep in my arms but once he is in a deep sleep he goes on our bed or in the crib. We have the crib side car arrangement thingie

[Norasmomma]

Lots of newborns(and older babies) won't sleep unless held, DD was like that and so is DS-this is why I have all my different carriers. Personally I am really digging my Moby wrap for DS, he WILL NOT cradle hold, but tummy-to chest works great. He doesn't like swaddling, but being all cozy and warm in the wrap makes him a happy boy.

Also I have a 3 y/old and she messes with him when he's napping, so it's also a necessity in that way.

He doesn't sleep on his back either-his sister didn't either, both are side sleepers or laid on my chest.