NEWBORN SLEEP PATTERNS (or lack thereof)

[Jodi AKA BostonTeacher]

DS is 9 days old. Some nights he wakes up every 3-4 hours to feed and we sleep well. Three nights he was awake from 9 p.m. until 3 a.m. DH and I were like zombies. We would try and nap the next day, but it threw us off so much.

Yesterday he slept almost all day and was only awake for about 4 hours total.

Today he has been wide awake since 9:30 a.m. (it's now 6:30 p.m.) Most of the day he has been quiet and alert. However, as feeding time approaches he gets super cranky. He cries when his diaper is wet and has had 4-5 screaming episodes that we can't pinpoint the reason for. They last anywhere from 5-15 minutes.

Is this just normal newborn stuff? Is there something you've done that has helped regulate a schedule? i realize that at 9 days old he is still getting used to the world, but I feel so helpless since he doesn't "use his words" (yes that's the teacher in me talking ;)

[Marisa]

It sounds like all normal stuff. You'll see that he'll start to figure out his days and nights over the course of the next couple of weeks, as he spends more daylight hours awake and alert. Remember that just a week and a half ago he was accustomed to waking up and doing some heavy moving and kicking just as you were slowing down for the day (since your movement all day long would lull him to sleep). Joey seemed to get the hiccups every night around 10 PM when he was in utero, and for the first few weeks he kept to that schedule! It would've been amusing had we not been trying to get him to sleep! :)

The fussy thing is pretty typical too. It seems that many newborns have a week or so of calm right after being born, and then as they start to wake up and realize that they're out in a new world, they get really ticked off. :) Times like those, one of the only things that would help is using Dr. Karp's book, the 5 S's, to try to soothe him (sidelying and sucking on a finger was a favorite).

One thing that might help is wearing him in the evenings, if you have a bjorn or sling. Keeping him close to you where he can hear your heartbeat and feel your warmth might be soothing for him. Then during the day, as much as you're up for it, take him outside or sit by a bright window where he can start to get his circadian clock in sync with the rest of us.

[Jodi AKA BostonTeacher]

Thanks Marisa. My gut feeling is that he's fine (esp since he is eating, peeing and pooping well). Also, for the most part he's been alert and content and the cranky crying is mostly when he's hungry or wet, but he also has been crying for unidentifiable reasons. I just can't believe he's been up for over 10 hours straight with only the occassional 10-15 cat nap.

I am such a micro-manager. I'm trying very hard to appreciate each day and DH and I are constantly reminding ourselves that "he's only __ days old once" and to not wish a day away, but I long for a schedule and routine. If nothing else just so I don't worry so much. It seems like everyday there is a new reason to ponder "is this normal?"

[CarolinaGirl]

My baby is 7 weeks old and she is the same way. On a good night she will sleep 3 hours between feedings, but most of the time her sleep patterns are unpredictable. I try to get her to sleep by swaddling her and giving her a pacifier after feeding her. Oh, and make sure the diaper is dry. If that doesn't work, then I have resorted to putting her in bed with us. I swore I'd never do that, but I have to get some rest, and sometimes that is the only way. The other night she slept for 5 hours in bed with me. I figure there will be plenty of time to wean her from co-sleeping after she gets a good night time sleeping pattern down.