Hod do I get my two week old baby to sleep during the night?

Question

I have a two week old baby girl she sleeps all day and is up all night. Since the two weeks she has been home I have probably slept for maybe two hours a night. Please help. Dad is no help becuase he works at night.

Answer 1

That is normal having her nights and days mixed up. You need to try and keep her/him up as much as possible during the day to get her on the right track.

Answer 2

You have to teach them the difference between day and night. If you dont you will end up with this problem. I have a ten week old and I have taught him since the day we got home from the hospital. First, naps during the day the room needs to have some light. I do shut the blinds but that is it. I also dont try to have his older brother quiet or anyone else in the house. The baby has got use to noise. Then every night we do a routine with him. We give the baby a bath and then a bottle right after in his room... it is dark with a night light on. Then he learns night and day. It works awesome. You are just going to have to start getting in a routine. Plus I got him to sleep for like five hours straight through the night with that method. I would try it! If you have any other questions feel free to email me.

Answer 3

My secret was to give the baby a bath in the evening before putting it to bed. Another trick that really works. I put baby cereal in the milk formula.The baby gets fed this with a bottle with big holes. The baby doesn't get hungry during the night and can sleep x7hrs straight. Sometimes, it all depends on the baby. My first one kept waking up every 2 hours. And the second onte slept right thru. Consequently, she's a lot taller. I used to put that baby on its stomach to avoid colic. But now the proponents of sids prevention, advised against that kind of positioning. But a way to prevent it. As colic could be the number 1 problem for infants. I use a abdominal binderwhich would be made out of a white fabric in a triangle design and wrap around baby's tummy. Or you can use a scarf. Another one, use soft music preferably children's lullaby. Always put the baby to sleep at the same time.

Answer 4

I don't think there's much hope I'm sorry to say. Dad needs to find some way of helping though. My wife and I took shifts for sleeping. With dad working nights, that could be impossible. Any grandma's that can come and stay the night once in a while? I think we averaged about 4 hours of sleep a night until he was a few months old. You do get used to it, but 2 hours isn't healthy for too long. Call in some help so you can get a nap.

Answer 5

Unless you a get him to eat more during the day then there isnt a lot you can do, i agree the cry it out method wont work as he is waking because he is hungry. Can you increase the calories he gets in his daytime meals? Does he have the formula for hungry babies? these are packed with more calories too. I dont know what solids he gets but look at giving him more filling things and see if this works. Babies often go through growth spurts and eat like horses for a while so i reckon this will settle down. I bet next time he is weighed he has gained a lot. Good luck x

Answer 6

Lol , sounds like my son , he stayed up all night when he was younger , now he's 7 . My daughter is 4mths old I am having problems with her sleeping now . What I did with her to get her to sleep at nights was have her on a time schedule , her last feeding was at 10pm and I added a pinch of rice cereal to her formula and she slept all night. Some ppl are afraid to give their babies the cereal , but mine has been on it since she was 2days old and the dr says it was okay as long as I didn't put too much in it because her tiny stomach wouldn't be able to digest it all

Answer 7

This is normal newborn behavior.

Don't worry, it will change soon. They usually get their nights and days figured out by 8 weeks at the latest.

If she sleeps more than 3 hours during the day, it is a good idea to wake her up and feed her. First off, babies at that age need to eat frequently, and also waking her up during the day will help her gradually get the idea that daytime is for playing, night time is for sleeping.

Try to keep the lights low and the noise level quiet whenshe wakes at night. This will make it easier for her to go back to sleep than if there are bright lights and loud sounds.

Answer 8

Most likely you just need to give her time. Mine was like that at first, just keep her awake longer during the day when she's already awake, and wake her up every 2 or 3 hours. Also Make it known when it's night time. Lights off, quiet (I turn the radio on to white noise). But during the day, don't use static. She's young enough that she'll sleep whenever she's tired, so she won't need quiet, or dark, or white noise. Eventually she'll get on the right schedule. Mine now sleeps about 10 - 12 hours straight each night... yes!

Answer 9

Things will get better. Keep the baby awake during the day. Only let her sleep for small amounts. This may help at night.

If the baby is screaming all night though, there may be a problem. Talk to your pediatrician in that case.

I've been thru it twice... it seems like it will never end. Be honest with yourself about your feeling and talk to someone if you think you may have post-partum depression.

Answer 10

I am going through the exact same thing. Mine is also 2 weeks old. When she wakes up during the day I try to keep her awake aslong as I can. Also, i have noticed, if I give her a bath later in the evening, around 8 or 9, then feed her after that, she tends to sleep longer.

Answer 11

Well, I hate to say this, but it's not really going to happen for a while. You can try to make her wake up during the day, but she's a newborn, she's going to sleep when she feels it's necessary. You will get sleep soon, within another month or so she'll start to sleep more at night and be awake more during the day. It's going to take time, the best thing you can do is sleep when she does, even daytime naps. Good luck, welcome to parenthood! It does get better.