How much sleep ?

[franship]

My son is just 4 weeks old and has always had problems sleeping. I wondered if anyone could tell me how much sleep is enough for a baby his age because I sometimes feel that when he hasn't slept much or for long during the day he tends to be inconsolable at night, even after feeding and I'm wondering if this is just because he's overtired as he's not getting the sleep he needs.  My husband thinks that he'll sleep when he needs to but I am of the opinion that we need to encourage him to sleep more and then he may settle easier. Yesterday he slept for three hours in the morning and then screamed all afternoon when I tried to put him down to sleep, and again after his bath and feed he screamed until it was time to feed him again and by then he must have been exhausted and went straight to sleep. Should I still wake him up to feed him in the day when he is so difficult to get to sleep every other time ?

[corrina01]

Have you got him on a EASY routine?  This helped with my DD to know what is coming next.

[franship]

I am trying but am not always sure whether to wake him or not when he takes so long to settle. Sometimes he is awake from one feed to the next.

[corrina01]

My DD was like this, when I introduce the EASY routine it took about 4 to 5 days.  She is now on a 3.5hr EASY because she can only stay awake for 1.30hr to 1.40hr.  I wake her when her feed is due.  This way it will teach your DS that it is feed time, Activity time and nap time.  It is so much easier when you are on a routine.   My DD is so happy I wonder whether her face will ache from all the smiling she does.

So I would wake your DS from his nap and stick to a 3hr EASY, this is my opinion anyway.

As he is only 4 weeks, you will be teaching him how to sleep as well, it will be tough, but as you get the routine sorted it will make him nap so much easily.

Do feel free to ask any more questions, I will answer if I can.   

[franship]

What if he refuses to sleep and just screams from one feed to the next ? I put him down to sleep at the right times but find that he usually goes crazy until I pick him up to feed him again 3 hours after the last feed or only just drifts off when his next feed is due and then I feel awful waking him up. What do you advise ?

[corrina01]

Have you tried ssshh/pat?  Are you staying with him? At 4 weeks he is just learning to go to sleep.  I can't advise on the screaming as my DD never screamed.  Is it just when he is laid down? As reflux can be a cause of this, try elivating his mattress a bit so his head is slightly up.  Or maybe he is overtired and overstimulated.

When my DD was 8 weeks, I tried keeping her awake, but she would cry (not scream).  She was fed, nappy changed and then went back to bed.  Do you follow his cues when he is tired?

I only started on the EASY routine when my DD was 8 weeks, as I had never heard of the book.  Till I started on the EASY, I would let her sleep on me.  Then I brought the book when I found this website, then I started on the routine and sleep training.  Do whatever you think is best in the meantime until your DS is a little older.

[franship]

Thanks for all your help. I know he's only young still. Sometimes he is better than other days. Today he's being a model baby and has slept easily whenever I've put him down. I think a lot of it is recognising his cues as you say and today he's only yawned once and I've put him straight down and he hasn't slept right away but he's just been lying awake before drifting off, much better than the usual screaming !!  He does sleep really well if I lie him on my chest and it feels so lovely but I don't want to get him into bad habits although when I 've been up half the night I don't care how he sleeps just that he does !!  Was it hard to get your dd used to sleeping without you once you started her on a routine ?

[corrina01]

I was like you, she slept on my chest, when I started her onto the routine, she slept as well as on my chest.  That was me who missed her sleeping on my chest   :lol: .  She had always slept in her moses basket at night, so she was used to it, so that wasn't that difficult to help her get used to her naps in their as well.

It is good that your DS is awake when you put him down, so that he knows this is the place he goes to sleep.

But the hardest part of all, was when she outgrew her moses basket, so we had to put her into her own room, I put it off for about 3 weeks because I didn't want to be apart from her  :oops:

There will be difficult days and better ones.  You will soon get used to it, but hang in there and make the most of it, because they soon grow and the lo's won't want you there so much, as my DD is now starting to do. 

[franship]

Thanks again, everyone says that it gets easier, but it's hard to believe that sometimes !!!!!!!!!

[corrina01]

It does, believe me, it really does