help cant get 4 week old to sleep at night

[lorimom]

Hi ladies
i have a 4 week old dd and she is amazing her daytime routine is great.She preety much is on the easy routine she comes to work with me, and we are out alot,she is still able to eat approx 3 to 4 hous breastfed then activeity, then falls asleep wherever she is mostly stroller ,But  night is a whole different ballgame ,she is nursed approx every 2 hours at night 7:00,9:00,11:00 bedtime (our night are later and so are are mornings)when its time for bed  i nurse her  ether awake or df, hold her for a few minutes then try to put her down sometimes she will be ok for 7 minutes she might even dose off and then start to cry so i sh and pat  in bassenet it helps a bit then she starts to cry again so i pu and sh and pat it helps a bit, i settle her put her backin the bassenet and  pat and sh and she cryies again, i pu again but she pulls back her head like she looking for something  BREAST and she cry untill she gets it wont take paci tryed them she wont let me swaddle because she tries to suckher hands alot . Last night 11:30 Feed then Sleep for 45 min awake untill 3:30 what do i do.Please help


Matthew 4yrs old
Mikayla 4 weeks old

[Southernbelle]

I have a seven week old DD so I know where you are at.  The only thing I could think of when I read your post was that maybe she is not getting enough calories during the day from nursing every 3-4 hours.  At four weeks we were having (and still are some days) to nurse every two and a half to three hours.  It is really only the last week or so that my DD can make the whole 3 hour EASY.  Yours may need to nurse more during the day to try and get enough to go longer during the night.  I have to wake mine at the three hour mark so that she gets in 7-8 feedings a day.  She now just feeds once during the night at about 3:30-4:00.  It also took my DD until about 5-6 weeks before she started going down at night easily.  We still have some tough evenings when she has had too much activity and stimulation during the day....that may be part of your DD's settling issues at night.  It sounds like her days are pretty busy so she may need more wind down time at night.  Just a few thoughts....hope they help.

[chell]

Hi, it sounds like you have been given some good advice. I certainly wouldn't let any more than 3 hours pass between feeds. Are you cluster feeding at the end of the day? It may also be an idea to put a dream feed in. Check out p.25 TBWSAYP - this may help a bit.

[Kimberly®]

I tend to agree on the feeds at 4 weeks you should probably bf every 2.5 hours, no more then three.
Also a point you may not like, but you need to cut back on your time spent out during the day. Your LO is becoming dependent on the stroller to sleep. We had that problem as well, but you need to cut back, at least until you have a solid routine set up and working.
Your LO is overtired/overstimulated. If you need to take her to work I completely understand that, however what about getting a bassinet for at your work so she gets used to that?? It'll be an easier transition for her. She's reversed her days and nights so try to make bedtime routine different then naptime routine. Keep both quiet and low key. I highly recommend you change your routine to earlier. The late routine is probably contributing to the lack of night sleep. Try an 8pm bedtime and see if it helps. then a 10:30 dreamfeed. while the recommended time for bedtime by Tracy is 7pm not all LO's can do it, however by 11pm your LO is well into the overtired/overstimulated stage and thats why she wont settle. Don't expect changes overnight, but if you give these a try over a matter of a few weeks your LO will sleep better at night.

HTH