Why will my baby sleep all day but not sleep at night

[Soph&Bump]

Well, as the title says really, Lola (who is 2 weeks old) will sleep all day and doesn't mind what she sleeps in...a moses basket, pram, car seat...whatever she's in. However, at night she will not sleep unless she's on me or OH. She settles early/late evening but it's from about 1am that she wakes for a feed and then won't go back down. She lasts about 4 minutes in moses basket after that. I've tried warming it so the temperature change isn't a shock. I've tried continuing to cuddle her in her the moses basket for first minute or so. I've also tried the shhh-pat method from The Baby Whisperer.But nothing works. She just wants to sleep on me. I just dont get why she doesn't have to do this in the day.

Before she came along, I had the misguided idea that I could get her on a routine and I'd be able to reverse any day/night confusion but a routine is impossible. In the day, she can go ages without wanting to feed. If I try and rouse her and encourage one, she's having none of it. She just sleeps and shows no sign of wanting to suckle.

The midwives kind of laughed it off and said lots of babies do this but surely there's something I can do.......

Sx

 

[DaisyBee]

HA! I could have wrote this myself! So will be interested in advice from others as well! At least we know we arent alone in the middle of the night! My daughter (born dec 2) is the exact same.

 

[lisac25]

first of all good choice of name lol, my Lo is also Lola, cant offer any advice really but your Lo is still VERY little and doesnt know the difference between night and day yet, she willl gradually become more alert during the day and therefore want to sleep more at night, my LO always wanted a cuddle in the night aswell but we were just persistant with laying her back down in her crib, we would have a cuddle then lie her down, was hard work for a while but she gradually got the hint, sorry i cant be much help, i'm sure someone will be along with some better advice soon x

 

[mum2b2009]

In the same boat hun. my hv said try and keep lo more awake in the day(how?) leaving feeds no longer then 3 hours apart! xx

 

[Soph&Bump]

In the same boat hun. my hv said try and keep lo more awake in the day(how?) leaving feeds no longer then 3 hours apart! xx

I've really tried this but she's such a sleepy head in the day and I just can't get her to feed when she's tired or not hungry yet. It's not for want of trying.

I haven't been very persistent in putting her back in her crib/moses basket but generally give in. Maybe I should try putting her back in more times. I try a few times and then I give in for my own sanity and need for sleep generally.

It's nice to know I'm not the only one going through this..

x

 

[abigail_71]

We've got this problem, Evan is kicking his legs about and smiling in the wee small hours and sleeping for hours at a time in the day. Its easier said than done keeping him awake in the day - he's a baby!! I am hoping that it will right itself as he becomes more aware of his surroundings.

 

[Maffie]

My baby was exactly the same but the last few nights he's been much better at night and ive not done anything different. I think they are just young and it takes them time to get used to things.

 

[MrsSixx]

I would really persevere with the trying to wake and feed during the day as everything I have read and been told by my MW suggests it's not good to let newborns go too long between feeds (no more than 3/4 hours when very young). This ultimately leads to dehydration and just makes LO more sleepy and passive. Also, LO won't always be that good at demanding food when she's hungry just yet.

I made this mistake on day 3 - let her sleep too long. Next day she had urate crystals and jaundice

I tend to find stripping her down and lying her on a cold changing mat wakes her up. I also keep her in her wet/dirty nappy while I feed her...then when she nods off mid feed put her back on the changing mat again and change her nappy. That usually rouses her again and I can put her back on the breast.

It's tough I agree, especially when you are exhausted!

 

[staycutee]

i was about to start a thread myself with this exact question! i try and keep him awake during the day but its impossible, what can yuou do to keep a newborn awake, thers only so long you can talk to them! argggh

 

[Soph&Bump]

i was about to start a thread myself with this exact question! i try and keep him awake during the day but its impossible, what can yuou do to keep a newborn awake, thers only so long you can talk to them! argggh

I'm glad it's not just me. I try and speak to her, change her and do other things but her eyes just roll and she goes to sleep. Not at night, though.

I'm sure in the Baby Whisperer, she seems to think they should have quite a lot of activity time even at this early stage. I'm starting to see that a lot of what I've read just isn't realistic at this stage.

Hopefully as they get a bit older they will naturally stay awake a bit longer. I just still don't get why they sleep in the day not night and why she doesn't mind what she sleeps in during the day.

My OH just suggested it could be the buzz and noise of the day is more reassuring, whereas the night is suddenly very quiet...??? Who knows?

 

[staycutee]

God i have the baby whisperer book as well. well i didnt buy it, it was free with a pregnancy magazine. but yeah she said you should try and have "activity time" for around 45 mins between feed and sleep but once you have changed them and talked to them as we are doing, theres nothing left. i dotn like the book or the routine, i really wanna try something else.

it does help though to know we arent the only ones xx