Hi, I have a 10-day old son that is having a hard time sleeping at night time. I've held him, fed him, changed his diaper, played with him, sang, put him in his swing, basically everything I can think of to make him sleepy. I've also tried the car seat trick, and no success. Help!
2007-01-29 15:59:58 · 12 answers · asked by pixey03 5 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
If you can get comfortable with the idea of sleeping with your baby, it really does help! I nursed, so it was really natural to fall asleep together when my baby was done feeding. Just imagine it from his point of view-- he spent 9 months inside your warm body, listening to your heartbeat. It's no wonder he doesn't want to sleep alone in a cold crib! There are safety issues, of course. You can't sleep with an infant on a water bed, and you must be careful about soft bedding or your soft breast near his face. You also must not sleep with your baby if you've drank alcohol, or if you've taken anything to promote an unnaturally deep sleep.
2007-01-29 16:13:26 · answer #1 · answered by April 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Welcome to the life of being a mommy! Sleepless nights are going to be very common with a newborn. Your baby isn't born with a watch on his wrist. He doesn't know day from night. He may also need to eat frequently meaning less sleep at night for the both of you. Just give him time to grow and adjust to life outside the womb (where hes been in total darkness for the past 9 months).
EDIT- NEVER feed a 10 day old cereal!! and NEVER in a bottle!!! Be wise and not selfish because you want to sleep longer. You can sleep when he/she sleeps, during the day or at night. All your baby needs right now is breast milk or formula. Cereal does NOT make a baby sleep longer. Its only harder on their poor tummy to digest making them feel full for longer thus not waking to feed, in turn depriving their developing bodies of important nutrients needed from breast milk or formula. An infants digestive track isn't ready for more advanced foods like cereal until much later 4-6 months, even I wouldn't feed it before 6 months (if at all, its total crap).
2007-01-30 00:11:15 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
ok i know that you are willing to try every thing but honestly nothing will work for a long time. and by the way there is nothing wrong with giving your baby cereal in a bottle at 10 day old i did and it help a little. just make to use 1 once of cereal for 8 once bottles or half ounce for 4 once bottles. and if you start sleeping with them it will start a habit. it dose work but you will regret it later. i know i tried it too. i am a mother of two boys 4 and 1year old.the best thing in the world is routine. it will help so much. but really the only thing to do is what is best for you. if you don't sleep then you lose patience.and that will make the baby up tight and he or she won't sleep for sure then. and if at all possible sleep when they sleep.day or night and i know it is hard but sometimes just letting them cry themselves to sleep will teach them that you are not always going to come running. they train you if you don't teach them.
2007-01-30 00:34:25 · answer #3 · answered by collegefootballengieer 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Playing with him won't make him go to sleep, it will actually keep him awake. You want to keep the lights dim, and the activity level at night, so that he will go to sleep after eating and diaper change during the night. He will still wake up every few hours to eat.
2007-01-30 01:46:53 · answer #4 · answered by squire_rhiannon 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most newborns wake up every 2-3 hours through the night. Try to keep him awake for a few hours before bedtime to see if that helps. Other than that time will be the only trick. You could also feed him baby cereal, that worked for my first two babies. IT tends to make their belly's full so the sleep longer. I know your not supposed to feed them baby cereal that young, but if he can't handle it, all he will do it spit it up. I am sure you are use to spit up by now. Good luck, and congrats on your baby boy!
2007-01-30 00:09:50 · answer #5 · answered by Jackie 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Make sure your child is fed, burped and diapered...then put the lights down and noise off or low...lay down with him resting on you and let him fall asleep. Too much activity just keeps the baby up, not enough food keeps the baby up. Being close to mommy in a quiet environment soothes and rests them. Thats what I found worked for me.
2007-01-30 00:17:48 · answer #6 · answered by Mangomum 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The midwives at my hospital told me if you do things in this general order (becuase the more you do stuff with the baby the more awake it becomes)
- change nappy
- feed until he/she looks like a little drunken sailor
- put down
Also have you tried giving him a bath just before you change and feed him? Some babies are big fans of the bath and it helps relax them.
Then again, some babies just don't do what you want them to, and you have to wait until they decide they want to change (naughty little things).
2007-01-30 01:25:26 · answer #7 · answered by three_red_shoes 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Newborns don't sleep through the night. They're supposed to wake up every few hours to eat.
2007-01-30 00:08:27 · answer #8 · answered by naenae0011 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
give him time...i know thats hard to hear but yes in a few weeks he should be sleeping for at least a few hours at night...if you cant seem to get no rest ask your husband for help let him watch him a few hours or an hour at least a night while you sleep and then switch...good luck on getting some rest i know you need it.
2007-01-30 00:07:18 · answer #9 · answered by ღCCღ 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
try laying on the couch or even in bed with him. the comfort of your body may be all he needs. you can also try a pacifier he may just need something like that to soothe him.
2007-01-30 00:07:36 · answer #10 · answered by 4/25/10 Baby #2 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋