My 4 week old daughter sleeps 30 to 45 minute periods only?

Question

She is breast feed when she requires feeding. Afterwards she will doze off but after 30 to 45 minutes she is wide awake again. Any solutions to help me?

Answer 1

Hi there breastfed babies are much more demanding than bottle fed babies they do tend to feed more. Try and expressing at the same time as feeding her then once she has taken the feed wrap her up in a blanket so she still feels warm. When she is feeding off the breast she will feel the heat from you body so when you lie her down and she realises that you are not there she will wake up, so the blanket will help her give the comfort of you being there.

good luck hunni xx

Answer 2

Infants at this age should be able to sleep for much longer. You need to learn the techniques of settling your baby. Midwives / your doctor should help.

Answer 3

if this is the only sleep she gets in 24 hrs you should probably c a Dr otherwise if it is just a nap then my opinion is that babies wake up when they need 2 unless they are disturbed by a noise so your baby would get the sleep she needs.

Answer 4

She might be waking to eat again. If so, then she might not be getting enough at the breast. If she's falling asleep while nursing but not empting the breast, then you need to find a different position so that she's not as comfortable. Or try to stimulate her while feeding so that she finishes. You don't want to keep up the whole nursing every 30 minutes because it will affect your supply.

If she's empting your breast then maybe she's waking because of too much noise or light. Try putting her down into a dark room, with a white noise machine (or radio playing soft music on low) and resist the urge to check on her every 5 minutes.

And she's getting older.....the older they are the more awake time they will start to have. Check with her Ped. if she's not getting around 16 hours of sleep a day (add all the 30 minute sessions)...and start keeping a journal about what you have had to eat, drink, what's going on when she wakes and what she wants. And also make sure that she's got a nice clean dry diaper before laying her down. She might be overly sensitive to wetness.

Good luck.