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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler.

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Newborn sleep

28 replies

JL642 · 10/12/2022 21:46

Hello!

We have a three week newborn and I’ve recently started to notice a sleeping pattern with her. She likes to do one long 3/4 sleep in the day - she’s conked! - and then a shorter 2 hour nap early evening/late afternoon. At night she’ll sleep max two hours or 1.5 hours in one go, and wakes every hour (or less) for feeding. She cluster feeds late evening to 1am too (which I dont enjoy but hey ho)

I know newborns have day / night confusion but I REALLY wish her nice long 3/4 hour kip was at night as opposed to in the day!!

Is there anything I can do at this stage, or is she just too small/young? Since birth I’ve been feeding on demand (BF) and following her lead for sleep. I don’t wake her during her long day sleep as she gets fed both before and after. Wondering if I should wake her during her day sleep and if that will help her sleep longer at night, or, as above, is she too small? I don’t want to interupt sleep if I don’t have to as I assume she needs it to grow.

Any suggestions welcome, even if it is just confirmation that she’s still small and I should continue following her lead.

OP posts:

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solomumbychoice · 11/12/2022 08:54

Obviously this is all personal choice but I quickly got into a routine of feed, play, sleep. I would wake to feed and try to encourage meals rather than snacks although of course some cluster feeding in the evening feels inevitable. This I believe helped my LO get the diff btwn day and night early. Also morning walks even before my coffee some days! But some of this is just time and it will settle...

JL642 · 11/12/2022 20:02

Thank you

OP posts:

Geranium1984 · 11/12/2022 20:11

I've got a 5 week old, and our lovely 2hr naps have disappeared 😔
I'd wake them if napping for more than 2hrs during the day so they get more calories in during the day time and hopefully do a longer stretch in the evening.
Try and get them exposed to as much natural light during the day as possible .... not much around at this time of year!!

DingDangMintyBells · 11/12/2022 20:28

I fed every 2 hours during the day at this age and mine did therefore do their longer sleep at night. The only other alternative is to sleep during this long sleep but I found that hard and was also wanting to start going out and about at this stage.

kmbegs · 11/12/2022 20:32

Agree with others, don't let the baby sleep more than two hours, follow 'eat, play, sleep'; feed regularly and start your day at the same time every day (7am is pretty standard). I have a four week old so I get how hard it is but this should make a difference.

wibblewobbleball · 11/12/2022 20:37

Alternatively - may I recommend "sweet sleep" by La Leche League? A lovely book detailing the science behind how babies (and adults) sleep, and how you can maximise sleep for yourself and your baby by following their natural tendencies.

BeanieTeen · 11/12/2022 20:43

3 week olds don’t have sleeping patterns - don’t be lulled into a false sense of security 😂 next week it will be 1 hour awake, and hour asleep, and then the next week something else. Then she might start to seem to recognise night and day, and boom - sleep regression.
Take it all as it comes and be flexible. I think the greatest frustration can be ‘hoping’ your baby sleeps better very soon but realistically you are just not going to get a good night’s sleep in the next 6 months (that’s being optimistic). Resign yourself to your fate. You’ll be happier for it.

WhiskersPete · 11/12/2022 21:19

How on Earth do you play with a 3 week old?

DingDangMintyBells · 11/12/2022 21:23

Mine loved peek a boo at that age, giggled when tickled and would stare in fascination when talked to. Playing doesn’t need to be complex.

Calphurnia88 · 11/12/2022 21:27

Three weeks is still tiny and once you think you've spotted a pattern it can change overnight.

I agree that working towards establishing their circadian rhythm (day/night) is important from this age. Unless there are feeding concerns I personally wouldn't wake a sleeping newborn, but I would make sure they get fresh air and daylight during daytime hours, and start following a basic bedtime routine if you don't have one already.

WhiskersPete · 11/12/2022 21:31

Mine loved peek a boo at that age, giggled when tickled and would stare in fascination when talked to

At 3 weeks!? Do you mean 3 months?

DingDangMintyBells · 11/12/2022 21:39

No by 3 months they were rolling over and batting/ playing with hanging toys.

Reugny · 11/12/2022 23:30

Play includes talking to, singing to and reading to a baby.

BeanieTeen · 12/12/2022 06:58

Mine loved peek a boo at that age, giggled when tickled and would stare in fascination when talked to. Playing doesn’t need to be complex.

At 3 weeks this would a bit creepy would it not?

Calphurnia88 · 12/12/2022 07:30

BeanieTeen · 12/12/2022 06:58

Mine loved peek a boo at that age, giggled when tickled and would stare in fascination when talked to. Playing doesn’t need to be complex.

At 3 weeks this would a bit creepy would it not?

Baby's first laugh isn't usually until around 3 months so to giggle at 3 weeks would be a little surprising...

Teafor1please · 12/12/2022 07:37

Op I don't think you can do anything to be honest. I personally wouldn't wake a sleeping baby in the day time. 3 weeks is very little to have any sort of normal routine.

MeMyCatsAndMyBooks · 12/12/2022 07:41

You shouldn't be keeping a newborn awake. They will get over tired and then struggle to sleep. You just need to roll with it there's no sleep routine at this age. In a few months it'll be better.

WhiskersPete · 12/12/2022 09:38

Mine loved peek a boo at that age, giggled when tickled and would stare in fascination when talked to

But they don't even smile until 6 weeks...

JL642 · 12/12/2022 09:55

Thank you everyone. We’ll keep going as we are then!

OP posts:

DingDangMintyBells · 12/12/2022 10:15

Mine both smiled at 2 weeks, they were fascinated by watching my mouth move as I spoke to them up close. I guess they’re all different.

Calphurnia88 · 12/12/2022 10:34

I hate to break it to you @DingDangMintyBells but that was probably wind 🤣

DingDangMintyBells · 12/12/2022 10:59

No it was definitely in response to being smiled at.

Amipreg1 · 13/12/2022 01:53

DingDangMintyBells · 12/12/2022 10:59

No it was definitely in response to being smiled at.

Don't be ridiculous. Babies don't smile at 2 weeks old.

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BeanieTeen · 15/12/2022 09:24

Don't be ridiculous. Babies don't smile at 2 weeks old.

Vampire baby? @Amipreg1
This is what comes to my mind when people talk about babies laughing and smiling at 2 minutes old 😄

Newborn sleep

Chelli21 · 28/07/2023 14:45

By the way, the baby is still cute. I love babies like that. She eats and drinks at any time, I also like it very much.

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