2 week old sleep problems?

Question

My newborn is 2 1/2 weeks old and suddenly has started having problems sleeping. She has no fever and is having plenty of soiled and wet diapers so I don't think there is anything physically wrong. Two nights ago, she woke up at 3 fussing a little and basically wide awake. It was time for a feed so we fed her, changed her, and burped her. It then took 3 hours for her to stay asleep. Last night, it happened again at around 10pm. She is also having problems staying asleep when we are not holding her during the day. Per our doctor's instructions, we're breastfeeding her ever 2-2.5 hours during the day and every 3-3.5 hours at night. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Honey, she's 2 weeks old -- she has no idea what a sleep schedule is, so when she's tired.. she'll sleep. When she's not tired, she won't sleep. Its really that simple!

My son is 2 months old now and still doesn't sleep all the way through the night. His sleep is always sporadic. He'll sleep from 7pm to 9pm, get up to feed, sleep from 10pm-12pm, get up to feed, sleep from 1-ish to 4am, feed again -- then sleep until 12 the next afternoon from then on.

Its very odd patterns, but that's working for him so I'm adjusting!

Don't expect a baby to sleep well through the night until they are older though.. all babies are like this! But they'll get the hang of nighttime sleep eventually.

Good luck! <3

Answer 2

I don't know why pediatricians tell new parents that they have to feed their kids every x number of hours during the day and this number at night - demand feeding is the best thing for them and I think it helps them develop their own schedule better.  My daughter had to be woken up when she was little because she had jaundice and it made her super sleepy, but if there's not a medical reason your child would sleep through hunger, just let them tell you when they need to eat.  My daughter has been sleeping a 5-6 hour stretch since she was 4 weeks old, and she's just fine.  She eats 1.5-2 hours during the day though.  They adjust to their own internal clock and trust me, they don't sleep through being hungry.  So relax, stop watching the clock and start watching your baby.

Answer 3

my little one wakes up at 1 am and 5am every single day so far...we had her sleeping in our bed for the first week, and now we are in the 2nd week and im breaking the co sleeping...ive been putting her in her crib with the lights off with her pacifer and she falls asleep and stays asleep for like 4-5 hours, then i wake her up and feed, and then she hangs out for 2 hours and falls back asleep. The docs say feed every 2-3 hours, but as long as they're little belly is full, dont force it. I breastfeed too and bottle/pump. Also try giving her a bath before its time for bed, my little lady loves it and it makes her sleep really well (use lavender bath and lotion).

Make her adjust to day and night...we try to keep her up as much as we can during the day so she sleeps at night.