How can i change my 3 week olds sleep patten?

Question

He is great sleeper but.....

He sleeps during the day and is awake most of the night! I get about 2 hours sleep each night.

The midwife told me to just keep waking him up in the day time and eventually he will sleep less in the day and more at night. But i feel so awful waking him, he just looks so peaceful.

Is that the only way i can change his sleep patten?

Is there any thing else i can do?

Answer 1

She is right. You have to try to keep him awake during the day. Then you should feed him a little heavier late before bed and he will sleep a little longer.  If you don't want to change the pattern cause you like watching him sleep then you need to catch naps during the day and change your own sleeping pattern.

Answer 2

My daughter is 3 weeks old today. I've finally got her sleeping a little bit at night. I found with her it depends on her feeding schedule.

For instance, She eats at 9. Then she eats again at 12.

I feed her at 12, give her a warm bath in the sink, and she is OUT of it for 3-4 hours. A newborn won't sleep longer then that, because they are hungry. Milk does not last long in their little tummys.

A warm bath, REALLY helps a baby sleep. So if his umbilical cord has fell off, try that tonight.  

Answer 3

You let him figure it out for himself. He still has his days and nights confused and will work it out on his own. There is no need, or sense, in trying to keep him awake or wake him up when he's sleeping. This will only result in a fussy and overly tired baby.

All babies are like this at first. My son did it too but eventually figured everything out at around 8 weeks. Now he's 4 months old and sleeps from 9 PM-7/8 AM. Don't fret, it will pass.

Answer 4

Are you breast feeding, or using formula.

Babies tend to sleep more soundly on formula (want fed every 4 hrs or so) versus breast milk (every 2 hrs or so).

Breast milk is healthier and more natural (and cheaper, duh!) but formula before bedtime may help.

Answer 5

Unfortunately, at this age waking them during the day will not change their sleeping habits. Babies are too young to establish a pattern right now. It will only make for a fussier baby later at night if you continuously wake him. Are you getting 2 hours of sleep because you are waking your baby up for nighttime feedings or because he wakes you up?

Initially, I was setting my alarm for my newborn so that she could eat every 2-3 hours and I quickly learned that I was a cranky mom the next morning. So...at 3 weeks I decided to stop with the alarm and what do you know - the first night, she slept for 4 hours straight before she woke me up for a feeding. I've now learned that when she's hungry, she'll wake me up instead of visa versa.  

Also, I've noticed that a warm bath just before bed helps to calm her down and she sleeps more soundly.  

Answer 6

Hi, my mother told me i was the same, and she was told exactly the same to wake me during the day and then eventually i will sleep more at night and she said it worked

Although i can understand as they will look so cute and peaceful so you dont want to disturb them, congrats by the way (:  

Answer 7

Personally, I wouldn't wake him.  He is still pretty young and needs to adjust to the world outside the womb.  Eventually his natural rhythms will kick in.  Just be sure to start a nighttime routine (bath, book, rocking, etc.) and keep it dark in the room at night.  Be patient and nap in the day with him so you can keep healthy.  It's really important to follow your baby's cues rather than forcing them to be on your schedule.  Things will eventually staighten out for ya!

Answer 8

First of all, CONGRATULATIONS on your baby!  Aren't they BEAUTIFUL when they are, and aren't, sleeping??!!!

TODAY, if you can, start by gently lifting and waking him every few hours and see if he'll stay awake for a short time.

To help wake him you can undress him, change his diaper and wash his face with a warm washcloth.

Then, if he's still sleepy, let him sleep.  If he sleeps, try to sleep while he does.

TONIGHT, start a bedtime routine. Babies catch on to this very quickly. Give him a bath in the sink, tone down the lights and noise.  Keep talking to him nice and calm.  Then breastfeed or a bottle and put him down to sleep  (hopefully) for the night.  He'll start catching on to this.

If he wakes at night, keep the light off, or use just a low night light. Let him fuss for a few minutes.  If he doesn't settle back down,pat him or hold him gently, whisper and hum him a lullaby. Still awake? Nurse him or give him a bottle.  Then quietly put him back down and let him learn to soothe himself back to sleep.  You don't want him to start associating this as "conversation" and play time!  

You might want, just until he starts sleeping at night, put him down for day naps out where there is some stimulation...lights, conversations, etc...so that he doesn't deep sleep.  At night, his bed.  After he starts napping better and night sleeping better, move the naps to his bed.

It may take a bit, but it's SO MUCH EASIER to do this now than it will be later!  Believe me, with my first I didn't do this, and I spent 2 years getting up every two hours! I was exhausted! I tried it on the next, it worked and has worked ever since! MUCH nicer sleeping at night!

Good luck!

Answer 9

I think at 3 weeks....you really have to go with his schedule.  I would nurse every 90min-2 hours during the day, even if you have to wake him.   THis will help ensure he gets enough contact and nourishment during the day.

This won't last forever.  By 16 weeks, most babies are in 'normal' patterns.  I also recommend a sling for the day, to keep him more stimulated and in shallower sleep (but don't force him to be awake....it'll make him cranky), and read Dr Harvey Karp's "The Happiest Baby on the Block" for calming techniques.  Also, Elizabeth Panthley's "The No Cry Sleep Solution" might be very helpful.

Answer 10

I went thru the same thing with my preemie, he wanted to sleep all day and be up in the night.  I know its hard waking them up but you gotta do it!  Keep that baby up as much as you can during the day starting tomorrow!!!  of course at 3 weeks he is going to need several naps, but only let him sleep about 2 hours at the MOST!  I had to do this and within just a couple of days, he takes shorter naps in the day and I lay him down at 10pm and he wakes up at about 2-3am to eat, then goes right back down to bed until about 7-8am and stays awake for about an hour after that then another 2 hour nap and so on and so on.... good luck!!!  oh also, start a good pattern every night, like I start a bath at 9pm, turn down the lights, give a bottle, and in bed by 10pm...

Answer 11

I'm afraid that is the only way of changing his sleep pattern that I can think of.  You will just have to be firm!!  He will turn himself around in no time with a little guidance.  Congrats on your newborn! x

Answer 12

Gina Ford's Contented Little Baby book worked for us. At 6 weeks old our daughter slept in the day and woke up at 11pm!! I bought the book and actually laughed at the rigidity of the routine. However, I gave it a go following mostly to the letter and almost immediately she started sleeping through the night. It's a pain at first but really sorted it out for us. I really feel for you. it's torture not sleeping at night. Good luck x :) P.S. We found it virtually impossible to 'keep her awake in the daytime' !!

Answer 13

You can try that approach, it works with a lot of babies I hear. For mine though, It didn't work. Instead she was up for the day, for the night and part of an afternoon! She was getting 'broken sleep'. Basically she'd start to go to sleep, I'd follow suit and by the time I started falling to sleep she was up again! I tried this technique twice. Tired, crabby and beyond frustrated, I gave up and followed my own instinct of letting her do what she wanted. A few days later she started correcting herself on her own.

Every baby is different. I'd just let him fix himself. If you tune yourself to his schedule (sleep during day, stay up at night) you'll be a lot better off.

Answer 14

I had exactly the same problem hun.

She would sleep all day and wake at 3am every night for hrs on end.

All I could do was give her a warm bath at around 7pm followed by a bottle before putting her down.

Then when she woke I would sit in a darkened room and not talk to her.

It sounds  a bit mean but she learnt to distinguish the difference between day and night.

It took a few weeks but she would fall asleep that little bit earlier until

she was sleeping enough in the night to want to be awake in the day.



Dont forget, babies become more alert as the weeks go by anyway.

I hope this has helped and I wish you luck.

PS: Congratulations on your newborn son.