3 weeks old and wide awake at night

[alison toms mum]

Has anyone got any suggestions on how to get my 3 week old back to sleep after a feed? When Beth is sleepy i have no problem, but sometimes she just seems wide awake and will stay that way for 3 hrs+.

Last night she fed at 2 am then was awake till 5.30, when she fed a second time then went to sleep. During this time she was a bit windy, but not hungry, not crying and not giving off any signals of being overtired. She just lay there looking at me happily (it was me and DH that were not happy  ).

She doesnt do this every night just occasionally, so i dont think its a routine problem. Has anyone got any suggestions about what i can do to get her sleepy if it does happen. I tried putting her in her cot with a dummy and she was ok for 10 min streches then she would cry from boardom. I didnt talk to her or do anything to keep her awake, i also tried shh pat. Is this something i just have to put up with until she grows out of it?

[Bryony]

Alison - I love your Avatar, so cute! 

How does your LO sleep during the day?  I wonder if she has not yet got the difference between day and night - I think it can take a few weeks for this daily rythym to kick in.  Katie used to do this sometimes - they do grow out of it...

Hopefully others will be along with some more suggestions!

Bryony x

[alison toms mum]

Thanks, i think its cute but im biased!

She usually has a happy but wakefull time after morning feed, a wakefull time after lunchtime feed and again after evening feed, so doesnt seem like she has night and day muddled. I think it is prob just a phase, but doesnt make it easyer 

[rinajack]

Hugh is doing the exact same thing.  I assume it is a phase they will grow out of.

[Layla]

Both my girls did this & I found that in the first 6 weeks they slept randomly in a 24hr period & some nights Jasmine was up up to 2hrs just wanting to play. Just keep things low key, dark, etc... & they finally get the idea. I also read that melatonin starts being produced around 6 weeks so up until then they have this day/night confusion.... so can be up at night rather than sleeping. I would say just feed & put back in the cot. If the baby starts getting fussy, try shh/pat to settle back to sleep

They do grow out of it

[alison toms mum]

Thanks. I have been waking her every 2.5-3 hrs during day and making her eat. A couple of nights have been really good (like last night when she was asleep again within hr  and only woke once  ) and others terrible (sun night awake 1am till 5 am) good to know things may start to get better at 6 weeks!