Daytime = good Nighttime = bad (sleeping)

[busymama77]

My 12 day old newborn is a pretty good daytime sleeper. Sleeps for an hour or two sometimes 3 hours at a time, nurses and then dozes back to sleep. Since he's been home, it's been a chore getting him to sleep at night. I nurse him, he dozes off, I lay him in his bed, and then he starts to fuss. Once I pick him up, he's wide awake. Is he napping too much during the day? Is that even possible? And why is he so much more hungry at night? During the day, he'll nurse for 15 to 30 mins total and be fulfilled. At night, it's 30mins or so and then he's still hunting around, head bobbing at the breast for more milk and my nipples are completely sore once he's done... almost raw.

We're treading on new ground right now as DS#1 was an excellent sleeper in all hours of the day. Now as far as the nighttime feedings went for him, we had to eventually supplement each nursing session with 2 ounces of formula and that seemed to fill him up and he slept for much longer stretches. We've tried that with this little guy, too and it doesn't seem to be helping much although when he does eventually fall asleep, he's down for 2 to 3 hours at a time.

We have a 2 wk visit on Wednesday which I'll be bombarding his ped with questions!!

[Abraisme]

Sounds totally normal to me. If you want him to sleep more at night the best way it to make it VERY BRIGHT during the day and PITCH BLACK at night (I mean so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face). No lights at at night, no stimulation at night, act like night-time is for sleeping only! The light will help regular his sleep schedule and he should naturally start sleeping more at night. It's really normal for a baby to have day and night confused for a while, but it almost always gets better within the first few weeks.

Also, I have friends that wake up, turn lights on and play with their babies in the middle of the night. NEVER do this, it's silly and creates bad habits.

[hakeber]

A lot of newborns spend the first month on a reverse cycle to you. Remember that they were sleeping most of the day and awake and "eating" most of the night for about nine months and now all of a sudden you want them up and a about all day and sleeping all night. It takes some babies longer than others to reverse the cycle.

I do not think a 12 day old can sleep too much in the day or the night. I don't think they can sleep too much, full stop. They are growing at an incredible rate and learning and seeing so much...It's exhausting just THINKING about all that change and growth!

I think the guideline is to try and let the baby sleep after every 90 minutes of awakeness or so, I never really timed it, as both mine have been good sleepers so far. But in fact, a lot of studies I have read show that the MORE a baby sleeps, especially if that sleep is in a carrier or on your person, the BETTER they sleep at night. That is definitely true of my kids.

I don't see how supplementing formula will help right now to do anything but deplete your supply thereby making him even more voracious at the boob as he tries to suck out the good stuff. Besides, formula can actually make a baby restless and feel icky, so the less fake milk the better! I would steer clear of all formula supplementation if you can until at least six months old unless your doctor specifically tells you he needs it. He's only 12 days old, give him a chance.

I know this is exhausting but he may be fine in a week or two if you just stay calm and know this is totally normal.

[hakeber]

YES to Abraisme and also: NOW is the time to start swaddling and white noise! His senses should be fully charged now, and his arms flailing like mad...A good super tight double swaddle at night before bed, white noise, rocking nursing, BLACK darkness and He should start to reverse that wacky sleep schedule.

Should...ha ha ha...babies...that are so badly behaved. They never do what they should!

[busymama77]

Originally Posted by Abraisme

Sounds totally normal to me. If you want him to sleep more at night the best way it to make it VERY BRIGHT during the day and PITCH BLACK at night (I mean so dark that you can't see your hand in front of your face). No lights at at night, no stimulation at night, act like night-time is for sleeping only! The light will help regular his sleep schedule and he should naturally start sleeping more at night. It's really normal for a baby to have day and night confused for a while, but it almost always gets better within the first few weeks.

Also, I have friends that wake up, turn lights on and play with their babies in the middle of the night. NEVER do this, it's silly and creates bad habits.

Our house gets a ton of light and so does his room. His blinds are open right now and there is a ton of light pouring in - even when it's cloudy!! A night, he's got a nightlight and we turn on a soft lamp to change his diaper as needed. That's the only light stimulation he gets at nighttime. We also have the TV on and of course, I have a 4 yo DS who is not quiet by any means but that doesn't really seem to affect the younger DS. I could run the vaccum and he doesn't budge or dry my hair with him in a sling - he doesn't move a muscle. It's the inital laying down at night routine that has him all mixed up - doesn't do it during the day.

As far as sleeping in a carrier or on us, we thought that was the problem to begin with - that he hadn't slept much in his own bed and therefore didnt' like it. He naps there off and on during the day, sometimes on me, sometimes in the carrier - should we keep it more consistent or keep mixing it up like we've been trying?

Yeah, I don't think the formula is helping at all, really. And I don't think him 'searching' around after being nursed is really a sign of him still being hungry, it's moreso that he's awake and is looking for something to do.

[Boot]

My little 4 week old is a bit like this but I think it's because she's gassy at night from lying flat. Have you tried burping him really well at night (in the middle of the feed a couple of times and at the end) and also having him sleep on an incline, either on you or on a raised mattress? Other than that, I'm sure time will sort this out soon. gl

[hakeber]

Originally Posted by busymama77

... I could run the vaccum and he doesn't budge or dry my hair with him in a sling - he doesn't move a muscle. It's the inital laying down at night routine that has him all mixed up - doesn't do it during the day.

Those are both white noise...I had a hairdryer on the cool setting on high every night of ds's infancy, up to about 14 months. That is what made him still. Even when he woke up, he just lay there peacefully fussing a bit to be heard, but not at all upset...White noise cures all! (just being hyperbolic...it cures a lot but not all)

As far as sleeping in a carrier or on us, we thought that was the problem to begin with - that he hadn't slept much in his own bed and therefore didnt' like it. He naps there off and on during the day, sometimes on me, sometimes in the carrier - should we keep it more consistent or keep mixing it up like we've been trying?

Yeah. Mix it up, do what works!

Yeah, I don't think the formula is helping at all, really. And I don't think him 'searching' around after being nursed is really a sign of him still being hungry, it's moreso that he's awake and is looking for something to do.

Or comfort nursing?