How do I get my 2 month old to fall sleep at night?

Question

He'll fall asleep and then wake back up. It takes 2 hrs. Once he's alsleep, he only wakes up for his feedings. During the day, he does the same thing but a little bit longer. I think its the heat (I'm in SoCal). Its driving my husband insane and I'm starting to get really tired. I need help!

Answer 1

I have a two month old and we followed this advice for the past month and he's sleeping through the night now (6 hours - hardly sleeping through the night in my book, but that's what they consider "sleeping through the night")

At night:

-Develop a bedtime ritual. If a bath calms the baby down, give him/her a bath before bed.

-Designate a bedtime. Even if the baby is awake after bedtime, don't leave the bedroom with the baby and if he/she wakes up, just put her back to sleep.

-Change the baby into "pjs". Even if it's just a different outfit, designate some as pjs, so baby starts to associate those outfits with bed.

-Keep the lights low.

-Do not engage the baby. Do not make too much eye contact. Do not talk to the baby. Make it all business when you feed the baby.

However, during the day, do the exact opposite. Keep the room bright, talk and engage and play with your baby. Don't be overly quiet during naps. This way the baby gets to know that daytime is the fun time and nighttime is for sleeping.

Swaddling also helps a bunch.

All this can be done without letting the baby "cry it out".

Answer 2

I hate to tell you, but it sounds perfectly normal. My son (now 6) was bigger than average, and he actually needed to eat every 1 1/2 hours during the day (breastfeeding). At night, we developed a routine. A little wash-up, I fed him and rocked him, put him in the bed when he was asleep (I admit, this was against advice, I was told to put him in bed and let him fall asleep on his own. It is hard when you are tired). But he woke up 2 to 3 hours later to eat. Don't worry, the frequency will pass as he gets older and can eat more at one feeding. Try a pacifier, it works with some (my son loved it, my daughter wanted nothing to do with it). A good web-site for child advice is the Dr. Sears site: "askdrsears.com" Good luck. If you are at home with your baby, try taking naps when he is napping. I know it seems more important to get things done when he's sleeping, but you'll feel better and enjoy your baby more. Show your husband the advice you find so he won't feel like it's only your child that does this. It gets easier and you'll look back on this period and remember the good things.

P.S. talk to your doctor, especially about feeding. The American Pediatric Association recommends generally no solid food before 6 months. But this should be discussed because your child may have different needs depending on size, etc.

Answer 3

It probably has more to do with him being a newborn than the heat even though that doesn't help. When my boys were babies we lived in Phoenix and so we know about the heat. We set up a routine we would give the boys a nice long tepid bath and then a massage with baby oil that really seemed to calm them. After their bedtime feeding one of us would rock them to sleep and then off to their bed. Pretty soon they learn that when all this happens it is time to go to sleep and also is a wonderful time to do some bonding for Daddy, my husband really enjoyed this time with the boys even if it took a little while for him to get the knack.

Please remember that even things as simple as this are an opportunity to make a memory. Good Luck and Congratulations on your precious little boy.

Answer 4

It will be hard for a while, my daughter is 8 monthes old and some nights she will wake up 1-3 times a night Your husband needs to get over the irritation it took both of you to make the baby, my husband got booted to the curb because he let having kids get to him, so both of you need to be patient, if all else fells sleep with your baby on your chest, in a stable position on th e couch. It works , and when you feel that the baby is good and a sleep slowly put him/her into the crib, if the baby wakes up again gently pat it on the back or stomach it may take a little while but it helps,it may also be use to noise so play a radio on low. With soothing music.

Answer 5

We tried everything with our son as well. Talk to your pediatrician and see if you can start weening him off regular feedings at night. Initially it will be ,well, hell. The child is being taught to wake up by our feeding, positive reinforcement, and our attention. Feed later in the evening and don't let him take long naps in the afternoon. In essence, wear the little guy out, feed him to satisfaction and don't run in every time he wakes up at night. Start by not feeding him every two hours but every three and increase the time between nightly feedings slowly. Remember I said it would be hell at first. If it works you will thank me. We did this with our boy and after one week we actually had several hours of undisturbed sleep. Now he sleeps through the night. Good luck. Oh yes, make the most of the time you get. You need rest as well. Take it when you can get it! I wish you well....

Answer 6

It has been hot out here so I hear you. And I can tell you from experience that the irregular sleeping schedule will unfortunately continue for the first three months of your baby's life. But the good news is you are on the home stretch, so don't give up!

Try and commit to put the baby down at the same time each evening, which seems to help the baby figure out a schedule. Over time, he/she will sleep longer and longer at night.

Also, don't tiptoe around the baby's room while the baby sleeps. Get him/her accustomed to sleeping through noise.

Answer 7

You may want to add rice cereal to his formula so that he'll sleep longer. You might want to ask his doctor.

Are you feeding him six or eight ounces of formula? I know that formula is more filling, and that it gives you more time between feedings than breast milk.

Babies sometimes get their days and nights mixed up, too. Before it's time for bed at night, keep the baby up for longer than you normally would, and feed the baby very well before he goes down at night. Make sure all of the lights are out when the baby goes to bed. All of that will help the baby sleep better.

Try formula, if you haven't already. If you have, ask your pediatrician if rice formula's okay for a two month old (I started mine at four months, but I have a friend who started her baby out on cereal at two).

I hope this helps you sleep better.

Answer 8

its possible that he wasn't tired when you put him to sleep. if i put MY 2 month old to sleep before she's ready, shes up again in 30 or 40 minutes. try keeping him up for 3 or 4 hours before bed. I usually make sure my Anna is awake by 7 or 7:30 (sometimes even earlier) and she doesn't go to bed until 10 or so... but usually sleeps until 5ish. Hope you get some sleep soon!

PS I have heat here too, im in SC, yesterday the heat index at 5 pm was 99 degrees!

Answer 9

Split the night shift up with your husband (if you're breastfeeding, pump for the night). That way each of you can get a larger chunk of sleep. And I hate to say it, but that sounds pretty standard for two-month-old. Your life will get radically easier at three or four months, again at six months. The best you can do is hang in there, ASK FOR HELP, and trust your baby and yourself.

You'll be okay.

Answer 10

Your husband needs to understand that is all about being a baby...my husband use to get so mad when ours would do this...and I would tell him that its being a baby. Try to keep him up longer during the day...Try also to feed him cereal at night time right before bed and see if that works.....