i have a really sleepy baby and am concerned. suggestions please!!?

Question

i just dont understand why he sleeps so much. he is 1 month old and it seemed as of he was startin to wake up more, but he has slept all day. he slept for 7 hours and then woke up for about an hour and then went back to sleep for about 3 hours, ate, and went back tosleep about an hour later. Then he woke up about an hour later, ate, and went back to sleep for a short nap and ate again and then went to sleep about 2 hours ago and is still sleeping. I just think that this is a lot of sleep. PLEASE read this and tell me what you all think and if this is normal. And what could be wrong with him if this is too much sleep. Or what i should be concerned with. I am a new mom and maybe am just freakin out. dont be afraid to tell me!!!

he just really wakes up and eats and sleeps when he wants to. i really havent gotten him on a schedule yet.... suggestions for that too??!!

Answer 1

At one month old, should have 8 wet diapers/day- everytime he is up to eat (8-10 feedings). If he is waking as often as you say above (7sleep, up1, 3sleep, ate, up1, ate, 1sleep, up- ate-nap-ate, 2+sleep)- that is about 16 hours with at least four feedings that you mentioned but six feedings if you fed him everytime he woke up. That is about every 21/2 to fours or so hours. I would not let a one month old baby sleep seven hours during the day (if you want him to sleep a little more at night- he may have his day/night turned around) - but this could be almost normal at night- usually doesn't happen so young. No schedule if breastfed, they are usually eat much more often because the milk is digested so easily by them- it is not the gutbomb that formula is. Formula babies many times have to be awakened because of this- so they are more amenable to a schedule. Usually, although you breast feed more often, the babies can be "topped off" if you are going out some where or need the baby to be quiet when you are busy doing something where you need a happy, quiet baby (movie theater). Bottle fed babies eat less often because it is cows milk based, but usually cannot be fed more often than 3-4 hours because of this. So, if your baby is breastfed, the above pattern is pretty normal. If bottle fed you may want to organize him a little more to what is convenient for you. What did your doctor say about the baby's weight gain since birth. Is he/she concerned. ASK YOUR DOCTOR when you are worried, that is what you pay him for.

Answer 2

I think this is very normal. Babies at this age tend to sleep alot! There's so much going on inside their little bodies that they need the sleep.

I, personally have never been one to force a routine. If your awake and busy and noisy through the day, they will learn that daytime is the time of day to be awake. Quiet and dark at night, they will learn that's the time to sleep. It's hard to have a schedule this young anyways because they are going to sleep whenever they want to regardless of what we want them to do!!! If you want to start a traditional bath before bed routine, that's ok. But to start any hardcore this is when we play, this is when we nap, this is when we go to bed routine then....um no...it's still too early...

So relax...enjoy the quiet moments you have to get your housework done, catch up on your own sleep or even take a shower because those moments will be coming to an end real soon!! He'll be awake and wanting to be held all the time and eventually up and crawling...at that point, you will be so consumed with chasing him around that you won't have much time for anything else!!

Chin up!

Answer 3

My two kids did the same thing for the fist few months. They are now three and a half and one and a half, so I guess that is pretty normal. I let my babies set their own schedule. People told me that I should wake them ever two hours and feed. That just ticked my kids off. So, unless they slept for a time that was not normal for them, I would let them wake and eat when they wanted. It worked for us! It all comes down to what works for you and your baby. No one can tell you what your baby needs but you. Be patient and you will get the hang of it. We all have been in your shoes, it does get easier:) Just enoy your time with your baby. Good Luck.

Answer 4

At a month old babies only stay awake long enough to be fed. I would suggest trying to pasify him with a soother or something and stretch his feeding out to 4 hours instead of every time he wakes up, this will get him on a routine. Not to worry babies sleep a lot.
How Much Sleep Does a Baby Need?
Quick stats on how many hours of sleep your baby should be getting.


How much sleep does your child really need? Use these guidelines:

1 week old: 16.5 total hours, including 4 naps
1 month: 15.5 total hours, including 3 naps
3 months: 15 total hours, including 3 naps
6 months: 14.25 total hours, including 2 naps
9 months: 14 total hours, including 2 naps
1 year: 13.75 total hours, including 2 naps
18 months: 13.5 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 2: 13 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 3: 12 total hours, including 1 nap
Age 4: 11.5 total hours, with no naps
Ages 5 to 9: 10-11 total hours, with no naps
Ages 10 to 15: 9-10 total hours, with no naps

Answer 5

It's understandable that the first baby you get panicky over these types of things (if you have about 3 or 4 kids, you will be amazed at how much more laid back you will be over these issues).

Babies do sleep a lot, but if the baby seems alert when he's awake, and is not running a fever, it just may be that he is tired.

Does he sleep at night?

Answer 6

He just sounds like a normal baby to me.Babies normally sleep 16-18 hours a day.As long as he is eating every 3-4 hours,he is fine.If he is going longer than 5hours at a time w/out eating wake him up to feed him.The first night i brought my second baby (14mths) home from the hospital he slept 12hours w/out eating.I freaked out when i realized he had'nt gotten up.He was fine,but my doctor then told me newborns have to eat.Even if u wake them up to do so.This is what babies do for the first few months.They eat,sleep & poop.Perfectly normal.Just relax & enjoy the little bit of piece & quiet while you can.It does'nt last for that long.Congrads!!!

Answer 7

there is no way you can get a 1 month old to have a schedule sorry but babies sleep and wake up thru out the 24 hour period just try get him to wake up more during the day talk to him and such good luck

Answer 8

Babies sleep all of the time. He will get on a schedule when he's good and ready. You are over-thinking this. My advice as a mother of two teenagers......relax and go with the flow. They change so quickly you will forget this was ever an issue. I would give anything to go back to that age, temporarily of course.

Answer 9

After you feed your baby do you change his diaper then rock him to sleep or put him back down in his bed? Could be he thinks this
is what he is suppose to do. Babies do sleep a lot...only not when you need them to. Keep your baby awake by walking around the room, pointing out things. Or take your son out for a walk and let him discover life. When he is awake is he alert?
Does he respond to sounds, like turn his head when he hears
something? Does he laugh, giggle, coo when he sees you?
Does he try to hold his head up when he is awake.? He
sounds like he is normal but if you are really concerned talk
to his Pediatrician.

Answer 10

honey i am a mother of 2 chiildren i am 46 and also have a lot of babies in the family trust me babies sleep alot there is nothing to worry about sometimes you have to even wake them to feed them and then the fall off to sleep again it is very normal. after the 3rd month or so it will stay awake more and then you will wish it would sleep. ha ha