Go Faster Or Slower Depending On Babys Needs
RULE 6: If you find your baby is really sleepy, you can prolong the addition of another wake time window after a feeding if needed.
Perhaps you will take two weeks to add one waketime to the day and go into 6-7 weeks old or even 7-8 weeks old. Maybe you will take a week and a half.
If your baby is very alert, you can add more than one waketime to the day, just be cautious to not add too many at one time.
These strategies are not set in stone. Adapt them as useful to your family. Each baby is a unique individual, so always do what is best for your individual baby.
WEEK SIX: Your baby is between 5-6 weeks old.
You can again add a waketime to the day if you are still working on it. This should complete your waketimes unless you are going at a slower pace.
Your babys optimal waketime lengths might be extending also, so be mindful of that. Also, 6 weeks is another growth spurt time.
The last waketime I added with Kaitlyn was after her 1:00 PM feeding. One reason for this is that for the first four weeks, I napped at this time since Brayden was also napping. Another is that it was her hardest time of day to stay awake.
So, with our sample schedule, here is when I added real wake time after each feeding:
7:30eat1 Week Old10:30eat3 Weeks Old1:00eat5 Weeks Old4:00eat2 Weeks Old6:30eat4 Weeks Old9:30eat, treat as dreamfeed. No waketime afterward.11:00possible feeding. Again, no waketime afterward.
Engage With Your Newborn During The Day
Does your newborn sleep in long stretches during the day, only to be awake all night? Use the daytime hours to engage and play with her and keep her from taking another lengthy nap again.
For instance, you can do tummy time, sing songs and make faces, or place her on a play mat or infant seat. Then, when you see her showing signs that shes tired, you can begin to get ready for her next nap. The longer you can stretch her wake time, the more she can sleep longer at night.
That said, dont keep her awake longer than 90 minutesthis ensures that she also doesnt get overtired.
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How To Keep Newborn Awake During Breastfeeding
Remember the following pointers:
- Newborns naturally get drowsy while nursing, and we really dont worry too much about your newborn falling asleep while nursing unless there are concerns with weight gain or jaundice.
- Newborns with jaundice tend to be very sleepy and its important to wake them and attempt to nurse every 2 hours during the day. The more they drink, the more they poop the more they poop, the less jaundice they will have, and the more alert they will become.
- If weight gain is an issue for your newborn then be sure to use breast massage and compressions to maximize the amount of breastmilk your child takes in at each feeding. Babies are very smart and they wont waste energy at the breast if they arent getting milk, so dont hesitate to use breast compressions to encourage more milk flow. You can also switch breasts every 5-7 minutes to encourage faster flow and more suckling.
Now, if you are worried that your baby is eating too often its important to understand that nursing every 2-3 hours is normal throughout the first year. Its not necessarily normal for all babies to nurse every 3-4 hours some will need to eat more frequently. The babies who can get by with feeding every 3-4 hours are usually older babies on solid foodswho can get 5+ ounces of breastmilk at each breast feeding.
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Letting Them Stay Up Late Hoping They’ll Sleep In
It sounds like a good idea–after all, when teens go to bed late, don’t they want to sleep until noon the next day? Unfortunately, that just doesn’t work for little ones “Again, the internal clock is a powerful force that typically wakes young children up around the same time every morning, no matter what time they go to sleep at night,” says Dr. Meltzer. “So parents who lets their child stay up late are simply asking for an overtired child the next day.” Instead, keep a set bedtime to make sure your child gets the 10 to 11 hours of sleep he needs each night.
And if your little one is getting up way too early , it’s probably a sign that your child is going to bed too late, so try putting him to bed 30 minutes or even an hour earlier.
Put Your Sleepy Baby To Bed
Starting when your baby is 6 to 12 weeks old, soothe them until they are drowsy. When they are on the verge of sleep, put them down and let them drift off on their own. Don’t wait until they are fully asleep in your arms this could be a behavior that may become a struggle to get rid of later in their life.
This routine will teach your baby to soothe themselves to sleep, and you won’t need to rock or cuddle them to sleep every time they wake up during the night.
If your baby has trouble settling down, try moving their bedtime earlier, not later. Being overtired can make it hard to nod off.
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Keep A Calming Ambiance
Ambiance can be everything! Keep the room at a comfortable temperature, make sure it stays dark, and even try adding some white noise in there! The softest of sounds can disturb your baby at night, the white noise will provide a consistent, soothing sound for them to fall asleep to, and it will drown out any other noises happening around the house.
What Happens If My Baby Doesnt Wake Up To Eat
Some babies rouse themselves on schedule to feed, while others will sleep through feedings if you don’t wake them up. Neither tendency is cause for alarm. If your baby doesn’t wake up to eat, try being a bit more forceful with your nudges. Sing or talk a bit more loudly when you wake him, undress him completely or try taking him into another room to feed him, as a change of venue can sometimes work wonders.
If none of these moves is successful, you can let him doze for another hour or so, then try again to wake him up. If hes really resisting and misses more than two feedings, check in with your pediatrician. Everything’s probably fine, but your doctor or a lactation consultant may need to provide more help to get you and your baby back on an appropriate feeding schedule.
If you’re still concerned about whether your baby is getting enough to eat, or if youre having trouble waking him up enough to feed at least eight times in a 24-hour period, talk to your pediatrician about whether your baby’s weight gain is on a healthy track. And keep tabs on dirty diapers. Early on, look for at least one poopy diaper a day for every day of life , and at least eight to 10 wet diapers a day.
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Keeping Baby Awake Too Long
Most new parents are confused by how long their newborn baby should be awake because so many believe that theyll simply fall asleep when they need sleep . Truthfully most newborn babies can only stay awake about an hour. For the first few weeks your newborn baby may only be able to stay wake for 30-40 minutes. Even if your baby SEEMS content to stay awake for longer periods of time it is in your and your babys best interest to help her sleep more frequently. Overtired babies cry more and sleep poorly at night so managing sleep throughout the day is a great way to make the first few months a happier time for everybody.
Helping Your Newborn Sleep
Newborns follow their own schedule. Over the next couple of weeks to months, you and your baby will begin to settle into a routine.
It may take a few weeks for your baby’s brain to know the difference between night and day. Unfortunately, there are no tricks to speed this up, but it helps to keep things quiet and calm during middle-of-the-night feedings and diaper changes. Try to keep the lights low and resist the urge to play with or talk to your baby. This will send the message that nighttime is for sleeping. If possible, let your baby fall asleep in the crib at night so your little one learns that it’s the place for sleep.
Don’t try to keep your baby up during the day in the hopes that he or she will sleep better at night. Overly tired infants often have more trouble sleeping at night than those who’ve had enough sleep during the day.
If your newborn is fussy it’s OK to rock, cuddle, and sing as your baby settles down. Swaddling can also help to soothe a crying baby. For the first months of your baby’s life, “spoiling” is definitely not a problem.
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Changes In Your Newborns Sleep
Your newborn wont have much of a schedule until their a few months old, but there will be somewhat of a pattern present. If theres a sudden change in your babys usual patterns, it could be due to one of the reasons described below.
Unpredictability due to the Newborn Sleep Cycle/Pattern
While your newborn might have your eyes or nose, they definitely do not have your sleep cycle. Newborn sleep patterns are completely different than adults because they wake much more frequently and erratically during any stretch of sleep. This is completely natural, but be prepared for some serious unpredictability with their sleep cycle, especially during the first two months. Read our article to learn more about Your Babys Sleep Cycle.
Growth Spurts
Your baby is literally growing right before your eyes every single day. If your newborn is experiencing a growth spurt, you might find that they are eating constantly. And if shes not eating, its because shes sleeping. This is completely normal, and necessary! During a growth spurt, babies need the extra rest and nourishment. Your baby is likely to go through a growth spurt at:
– 7-10 Days Old- 3 Months Old
4 Month Sleep Regression
Sleeping Through the Night
Is It Ok To Nurse My Baby To Sleep
In the first few months of life, it’s practically impossible to keep a nursing baby awake who is satisfied with a full belly. Once babies get older, however, most doctors advise against nursing a baby solely for the purpose of getting him or her to sleep. Doing this regularly may prevent your baby from learning how to fall asleep on his or her own.
At nap times and bedtime, try to put your baby down slightly awake so that he or she will get used to falling asleep without having to nurse. Make breastfeeding sessions more about nourishment and less about pacifying.
If your baby is sick or has been separated from you, you may want to nurse for comfort, but try not to make it a habit.
If your baby has trouble falling asleep, consider giving him or her a pacifier. Experts recommend giving babies under 1 year old pacifiers at nap time and bedtime to reduce the risk of SIDS but only after breastfeeding has become established, so no sooner than 3 weeks of age. But if your little one doesn’t want a pacifier, don’t push it.
Try to encourage your baby’s sleep by establishing a bedtime routine that will be familiar and relaxing. Bathing, reading, and singing can soothe babies and signal an end to the day. Be consistent and your baby will soon associate these steps with sleeping.
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How Long Should You Swaddle Your Baby For
Although swaddling is usually fine to do in your babyâs first couple of months, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that you stop swaddling once your baby is able to roll over, which may happen around the time he turns 2 months old. Reach out to your baby’s healthcare provider if you have any questions.
How Many Hours A Day Does A Newborn Sleep
For the first few weeks of life a baby can sleep up to 18 hours a day. Unfortunately, their timing isnt the best. Babies are notorious for getting their days and nights mixed up. Its a parents job to set them straight. Paying attention to your babys sleep cues, regular naps and full feedings are the keys to helping your child adjust to life outside the womb and learn to rise with the sun and settle with the moon.
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Baby Sleep Tips Thatll Help Baby Sleep Longer Stretches
Sitting on the couch with my swollen legs propped up on pillows, I looked over at the stack of newborn baby sleep books on the coffee table. Over the course of several hours, I devoured each book, skimming through the pages.
I was determined to learn how to make a newborn sleep.
Thenmy son was born.
And.he didnt sleep.
Imagine that. A baby not sleeping the way a book says
I fumbled through it the first six weeks. I was so unsure of myself.
Thankfully, we pulled ourselves together, armed ourselves with some key infant sleep facts, developed a plan and implemented it.
We stuck with it, and at 4 months old, our son was sleeping 11-12 hours at night and naps extended to 1.5 to 2 hours. Woohoo! Weve experienced sleep regression, sleeping on the go, sleeping through teethingand so much more!
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Understand Your Baby’s Sleep Needs
During the first 2 months, your newborn’s need to eat overrules their need to sleep. They may feed almost every 2 hours if you’re breastfeeding, and possibly a little less often if you bottle-feed.
Your baby may sleep from 10 to 18 hours a day, sometimes for 3 to 4 hours at a time. But babies dont know the difference between day and night. So they sleep with no regard for what time it is. That means your babys wide-awake time may be from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.
By 3 to 6 months, many babies are able to sleep for a stretch of 6 hours. But just as you think your baby is getting into a nice routine — usually between 6 and 9 months — normal developmental stages can throw things off. For instance, when your baby begins to associate bedtime with being left alone, they may start crying just to keep you around.
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