Newborn day/night confusion? Help please | ExpatWoman.com
 

Newborn day/night confusion? Help please

151
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 16:14

Hi there
My dd is only 11 days old but I am finding she is awake for a good few hours at night, needing constant feeding and just not settling to sleep, but she can sleep well in the day, having a feed and then settling back down without any fuss. DS didn't seem to have this day/night confusion and would wake up to feed during the night when he was a newborn but then straight back to sleep.

My question is should I try to keep her awake more during the day or will she sort this sleeping at night out herself as she gets a little older? I have tried the Gina Ford routine but DD qill not feed or stay awake unless she wants to and maybe I should persevere with the routine but after being up with her from 2am - 6am I don't have the energy to try to keep her awake at 7 as I just want to get a few hours sleep while she is sleeping! Any advice greatly appreciated!
TIA

1861
Posts
EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 21:41
she was sleeping through the night by 2 months (although waking for 1-2 feeds). that's not reeeealy sleeping through the night then, is it?! ;) I'm another one for keeping daytime naps in daylight and have normal noise going on and then night-time is really toned down with all feeds in the dark (with a night light). Both my 2 "slept through the night" from birth (with 1-5 night-time feeds! :) ) but really slept through the night without waking me up at all from 9 and 11 months respectively. Just don't get into waking your baby during the day. They need to sleep to process everything that they've learned while they were awake. Their brains don't have the capacity to filter out unimportant details (they're literally like sponges) and so they conk out when they've reached saturation point.
54
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 20:43
your LO is still young. mine had the same issue (i think lots of babies do). i didn't follow any special routine. i just made sure that whenever my LO was having a nap in the daytime, i kept the curtains open and often kept my LO in the living room with light everyday noise going on around her (ie. tv, music, chatting, washing dishes,...). then at nighttime, i made sure it was dark in LOs room. eventually my little one self-regulated herself - she was sleeping through the night by 2 months (although waking for 1-2 feeds). hang in there and don't stress - it works itself out.
1403
Posts
EW OLDHAND
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 19:02
If you're following GF, as hard as it is (7am wake up), try and always start your day at 7am. When your bubba learns night from day she will hopefully follow the routine more easily. I also had my baby sleep in the lounge room for some naps during the day in a cradle to get her used to light and sound. Good luck and let us know how she gets on ;) <em>edited by shellly on 03/04/2011</em>
151
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 18:52
Thank you all - haven't been keeping the curtains etc open so will try that - I know it is just going to take a bit of time as she is so little, thanks all for the reassurance. :-)
369
Posts
EW EXPLORER
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 18:39
She is very little and this really is to be expected when shes so new :) In the morning, give her the first feed in bright sunshine, this resets the body clock. Then for 12 hours keep your blinds and curtains open. Even while she is asleep do not put her in the dark. When you give her the last feed of the day, do it in semi darkness, if you feed her during the night, do it in as dark a room as possible with as little interaction as possible. Keep it calm quiet and dark, Next morning, bright sunshine again, repeat repeat repeat. She will eventually get it.
151
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 18:29
Hehe - yes Dollymud I do remember. How are you getting on with your DS? Think you are right, girls are trouble from the beginning! But the pink girly clothes are so cute!! x
200
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EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 18:15
hey congratulations nat! don't know if you remember me but i met you in waiting room at AH last year we talked about gender scanning, well done glad all went well ( apart from confusion with day /night ) hope you get her sorted, thats girls for you trouble from the start ! x good luck!
1618
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EW EXPERT
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 17:15
There's some good tips in What to Expect the First Year page 177. They say to limit day time naps to 3-4hrs each and to stimulate her when she is a wake. If she sleeps in her room during the day keep it light and don't limit noise, at night do the opposite keep it dark and quiet. Don't turn lights on at night when feeding her, don't talk to her at night.
225
Posts
EW NEWBIE
Latest post on 03 April 2011 - 16:42
Hi NatashaB, Congratulations! I so feel for you. I do not think keeping 11 days old up during the day will make much difference. I would listen to her ques for some time - I am sure she will adjust to day/night routine, but my guess is she is still too young for Gina Ford routine. All the best - hope she will sleep through the night soon. xo
 
 

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