When To Contact A Doctor
When in doubt, contact a doctor. Only a doctor can accurately determine the reason that a newborn is sleeping too much. In many cases, a pediatrician may be able to assess the problem over the phone.
Excess sleep in a newborn is not typically an emergency unless they also show signs of respiratory problems. or go to the emergency room if the following apply:
- The baby is gasping for air or wheezing.
- The babys breathing is very loud.
- The babys nostrils flare when they breathe.
- The skin around the babys ribs sinks in when they breathe.
- The baby has a fever.
- The baby may have inhaled, touched, or eaten something toxic.
What To Do With Baby During Awake Time: Feeding
Eat is part of the Babywise Eat-Wake-Sleep cycle but a time of eating is also a time where the baby is awake so it also goes under the wake umbrella.
This can often be confusing for moms who are establishing a schedule for their baby.
When it comes to time lengths, it includes the time to eat.
So, for example, if the recommended wake time length is 1 hour that means one hour of total time from when you r baby is awake until they go back to sleep.
That hour includes changing their diaper, feeding them, having additional wake time with them AND the routine to put them back to sleep.
When it comes to newborn babies or babies who are very young, the eating portion of wake time can easily take up the entire wake time.
One of my babies would take almost an hour per feeding to get a full feed.
I literally never saw her awake unless she was nursing!
Even just having five minutes of wake time with her was a huge win for me!
And feeding baby can also become a sleep time rather than a wake time if youre not careful.
If baby falls asleep during eat time it can mess up the entire wake and sleep cycle so its important to do everything you can to keep baby awake for the entire feeding.
When it comes to feeding baby there are the options to either breastfeed or formula feed, whatever you decide, have confidence in knowing that you can still have success with Babywise, no matter what feeding method you choose!
How Long Should Your Baby Be Awake
Newborn babies generally sleep a lot . However baby sleep is generally broken up into 7-8 naps varying in length from 15 minutes to 4-6 hours.
Most newborn babies cant stay awake very long Although it varies by baby, most newborns can stay awake no longer than 45 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes. Some may not be able to stay awake more than 30 minutes at a time. This is generally the maximum amount of time you want your baby to be awake at any point throughout the day.
So hypothetically this means that if your newborn baby wakes up from a nap at noon, she will need to go back down for another nap around 12:45. Assume she takes a 30-minute nap and then wakes up . Then she would be ready to take yet another nap at approximately 2:00 pm.
As babies get older their window of wakefulness gets longer, the naps generally get longer, and the number of naps they need gradually decreases and becomes more predictable.
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Home Remedies To Ease The Cough
Even if your childs symptoms arent serious, it can be scary waking up in the middle of the night to hear your baby hacking away. Knowing a few home remedies can give you some ideas of things to try so you dont feel as helpless.
Consider making a kit containing certain items, such as saline and a bulb syringe, so theyre within easy reach when you need them.
What To Do With Baby During Awake Time: Babywise Wake Time Tips
When youre following Babywise techniques, you may find yourself wondering what to do with baby during awake time. After all, Babywise is ALL about sleep.
Sleep. Sleep Sleep.
There is such a large emphasis on sleep that many mamas may be confused about what to actually do with their baby while they are awake!
That is where wake time comes into play. So lets talk about what to do during babys awake time.
Wake time is the time between eating and sleeping as it part of the crucial Eat-Wake-Sleep cycle that Babywise sleep techniques and strategies revolve around.
This time can vary greatly in length depending on the age of the child, the amount of wake time they can handle, and a variety of other variables.
When planning out your babys schedule you want to consider what to do during wake windows when working on sleep training:
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Best Activities For Newborn Babies
So what can you do with a newborn who doesnt do much more than, well, lay there? Experts say there are plenty of activities to help foster the rapid development that occurs during this stage. To engage your newborn and help her meet the milestones outlined above, try the following activities:
Change Your Newborns Diaper
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Try White Noise At Night
White noise can help to replicate the sounds your baby heard in your womb and may help keep her calm. Your white noise machine may need to be at a fairly loud volume to work, and can also act as a sound barrier, helping to block outside sounds from your babys room.
White noise is often very helpful for children who are very alert and curious to help them calm their minds and fall asleep.
Sleepy Baby Why And What To Do
Nobody likes to disturb a sleeping baby, but sometimes a baby can be too sleepy for their own good. At times like this they may need you to take action.
Your newborn baby needs to nurse actively for one or both breast at each feed. Offer the second breast after they seem to have finished at the first, although they may not want both sides at every feed.
What makes a baby sleepy?
Recovering from birth: In the first few days, some babies are sleepy or uninterested in feeding. Its especially true for small babies, after a difficult labour or birth, or if you received drugs for pain relief during labour.
Jaundiceor an infection may make a baby sleepy. Newborn jaundice is normal but frequent breastfeeding helps prevent it becoming a problem.
Not enough milk: Your baby may sleep to conserve energy if they are not getting enough food. They may also sleep longer that is good for them if they are apart from you.
Is my baby too sleepy?
To gain weight and stimulate your milk production, expect your newborn to:
- Breastfeed effectively at least 812 times in 24 hours
- Feed actively from one or both breasts at each feed, swallowing regularly.
- Nurse at least every 23 hours from the start of one feed to the next, with one longer sleep of 45 hours.
- Have periods where they breastfeed on and off for several hours, usually in the evening.
- Gain weight from day 4 and regain birth weight by about two weeks.
Is my baby getting enough milk?
Remind your baby to nurse
Also try
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What To Do During Baby Awake Time: Diaper Changes
Another item that takes up a large chunk of wake time during the early days of Babywise is diaper changes.
Your baby will fall into a grove of when they do their diaper deeds some go while sleeping, some go while eating. Some just go all the time!
When a baby struggles with staying awake for a full feeding it is wise to change their diaper in the middle of the feed.
For example, wake them from nap , start nursing on one side, and then change the diaper before switching to the other side to finish the nursing session.
This trick helps to wake baby up from their sleepy eating state!
As babies get older, changing diapers can still be quite an event.
One of my babies loathed diaper changes so it would take a long time to get them to lay still and actually allow me to change their diaper!
Even though changing diapers is a chore more than a joy, it can still be a time used wisely in benefitting your baby and their development.
Hand baby a toy and talk to them about the toy they are holding.
Just talking them through the process of the diaper change is even allowing them to hear your voice, feel more connected with you, and help in understanding language!
What To Do With Baby During Awake Time: Nap Routine Bedtime Routine
Just like eat is part of the wake time portion of a babys daily routine, so is the pre-sleep routine portion of their day.
Its very critical not to miss that all-important sleepy window for your baby.
As soon as you see sleepy cues its time to jump on the pre-sleep routine!
Creating a sleep environment that is conducive to sleep is very crucial for a successful sleep routine.
Have the room nice and dark at a comfortable temperature and use a sound machine.
If baby is younger, be sure to use a swaddle and have a system down that you stick to consistently with them.
Maybe its a little short story. Maybe its a special song.
Maybe its just simply standing still and holding them for a moment before laying them down.
Whatever you decide, be sure to do the same set routine every time that the sleep time portion of their routine is about to begin.
This helps communicate to your baby that its time to sleep and helps get them in the sleepy mode!
It is also valuable to have a bit of a different routine from nap time to bedtime.
A nightly bath is an easy part of the routine to take place in the evenings to help signal to your baby that its bedtime and to prepare them for a full night of rest.
As your baby gets older, this set routine is still important and can often become the most important time of their wake time cycle.
Having this routine in place helps your child know what to expect.
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While Baby Is Awake: Leaving The House
With so much emphasis on consistency and the eat wake sleep cycle it can be hard to ever leave the house!
I have found that waking my baby a bit early from their morning nap is the best time to run any sort of errand.
I will pack a bottle and then wake the baby from their nap early and drive to the errand location.
Then I will feed the baby at the errand location, finish the errand and be home before their afternoon nap time.
Once your baby drops their evening cat nap they have a longer chunk of time in the afternoons which allows for going and doing things without worrying about missing a nap.
Its perfect for family outings, going out to dinner, and enjoying the outdoors in nice weather!
Even though consistency is so crucial when sleep training, flexibility is important and valuable too.
If you need to get out of the house go!
Having one or two short naps a week wont be detrimental to your sleep success!
It is also important to remember that the early days of sleep training wont last forever.
The amount of consistency a one week old needs will be much different than what they need at six weeks old.
A baby at eight months old will be much more flexible than they are at one month old .
The early days can be exhausting. They can be frustrating.
But they are WORTH it! So stick to what youre working hard towards and it will get easier and it will pay off faster than you think!
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Where Should My Baby Sleep
For the first 6 months your baby should be in the same room as you when they’re asleep, both day and night. This can reduce the risk of SIDS .
Particularly in the early weeks, you may find your baby only falls asleep in your or your partner’s arms, or when you’re standing by the cot.
You can start getting your baby used to going to sleep without you comforting them by putting them down before they fall asleep or when they’ve just finished a feed. It may be easier to do this once your baby starts to stay alert more frequently or for longer.
If you use a baby sling to carry your baby, make sure you use it safely. The Lullaby Trust has information about swaddling your baby and using slings safely.
What Are The Benefits Of Giving Up Caffeine
Like most things in life, caffeine has both pros and cons. In moderate amounts, caffeine can enhance your mood, boost your metabolism, perk you up when you’re tired, and improve alertness and concentration.
However, caffeine can also increase anxiety, raise your blood pressure, cause sleeping problems and fatigue, and wreak havoc on your digestive system.
If you’re like me, and you struggle with Gastroesophageal reflux disease , caffeine can make it worse by weakening the lower esophageal sphincter . Theoretically, this allows stomach acid to flow backward into the throat, leading to heartburn.
Still, giving up caffeine isn’t easy. Dr Austin Perlmutter, senior director of science and clinical innovation at Big Bold Health, said there is still a debate on whether caffeine is addictive or not.
“With that said, many people do experience withdrawal effects when they stop or miss their daily caffeine dose, and research shows that the molecule may act on dopamine receptors in our brain,” he told Newsweek.
Along with withdrawal symptomswhich include headaches, fatigue, nausea, difficulty concentrating and irritabilitycutting out caffeine can impact your productivity.
“In a society where productivity is highly valued, it can be tough to deprive ourselves of the brain stimulation that comes from caffeine,” Perlmutter said.
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Why Your Baby Cries When They Wake Up
Crying is a form of communication. Your baby is telling you something. They may simply be tired. Make sure they are not hungry and that they have a clean nappy.
Crying can also happen when they are used to you being there or doing things like rocking or rubbing their back when they go to sleep.
You may need to repeat this again to help them go back to sleep. Things like rocking or rubbing to sleep can become sleep associations between 6 and 12 months of age. When your baby is 6 months old, you can start to phase these out using the gradual retreat technique.
Feeding to sleep can also cause your baby to rely on milk to fall asleep again when they wake in the night. You can help by trying to make sure your baby does not fall asleep while feeding. It is best to put your baby to sleep while they are drowsy but still awake.
Switch On A Humidifier
Moistening the air your child breathes is another way to keep things flowing. Of course, you can purchase a humidifier to add moisture to your babys nursery. Yet, some doctors say these devices may not provide enough humidity to help and are difficult to clean, and therefore, keep safe.
One possible alternative is to treat your bathroom like a steam room. You can run hot water in the shower, close the bathroom door, and let the humidity build. Just 1015 minutes should do the trick.
You might also consider patting your babys chest and back to help loosen particularly stubborn mucus. Apply firm pressure thats a bit harder than when you burp them.
study revealed that honey may be as effective as the OTC cough suppressant dextromethorphan.
Serve your child one-half to one teaspoon of honey as needed. However, know that honey isnt appropriate for younger babies due to the risk of botulism, which is a rare form of food poisoning.
You may notice that your baby coughs the most at nighttime. Some experts suggest propping older babies with extra pillows to help raise their head and improve breathing.
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What To Do When Baby Is Wide Awake In The Middle Of The Night
May 10, 2021, 2:59 am
Having a hard time in the beginning? Wondering what to do when baby is wide awake in the middle of the night?
As a new mother, you are looking forward to receiving your newborn at the hospital and go home to have some rest after a long period of nine months. The bundle of joy comes home, and there is a lot of excitement. Everyone wants a feel of the baby as a way of welcoming the newborn home.
When it comes to night time every parent has their own experience with different babies and at different ages. Some babies sleep very well as per the required time of 8 to 9 hours during daytime and about 8 hours at night. Their small stomach makes them wake up after a few hours to breastfeed.
Most babies start sleeping through the night only after about three months old. However, some babies sleep very little at night. Below are some reasons why babies stay awake at night. However, we also discuss the same reason and look at what to do when the baby is wide awake at midnight.