1 Month Old Won't Take Naps and Never Sleeps Longer than 2 Hours

Take a look at the DVD called "The Happiest Baby on the Block." It is wonderful and has many suggestions for what newborn babies need to feel comfortable. The suggestions are: (1)swaddling very tightly; (2) swinging or rocking or lightly jiggling the baby; (3) allowing the baby to suck on a pacifier (only when breastfeeding is well established); (4) shushing in the baby's ears. The DVD (I think there's a book too) is much better and explaining and showing how to do all these things. It's great and worked for me and my baby.

Hi A.!

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-C.

Get the book Babywise. It teaches how to set up their feeding and sleeping schedules. It worked for both my kids and they are good nappers and sleepers. Good luck.

First off, I feel your pain. My young infant was a "fight sleeper" during the day too. My doula couldn't even get him down on some days. For the first three months, I mostly let him nap in the Bjorn and I just took walks or did things around the house. After that, we tried the whole "shushing, patting" thing to get him down. For a while, he would only take 1 or 2 40 minute naps during the day and he would be exhausted and cranky. Around 4 months, however, he started napping a bit better and sleeping much longer stretches at night. I think most of it is just them deciding that they are physically and mentally ready to start being good sleepers. DO NOT buy that book 'Babywise' as suggested by someone above. Many doctors have spoken out about the dangers of following that book. In fact, out hospital issued a written statement indicating that several newborns had been brought in dehydrated because the parents had followed the rigidity of the Babywise plan. (Not to mention that the author is a Fundamentalist who has been sanctioned by his own church--just google his name and you can read information on that.)

Once your baby is old enough, you can explore other options, like 'cry it out' for limited periods of time. But for now, you just have to realize that this is a tiny person who was used to a warm, comfortable environment. Now, everything is noisy, new, bright, cold, etc. Your baby WILL change and adapt. I drove myself crazy wondering why I had such a 'bad napper' when I should have simply enjoyed the time to snuggle with him and allow him to get some rest in my arms. He is 13 months now and while he'll never be a great napper, he sleeps 12 hours straight at night and we'll all very rested. You will make it though this time!

My son was the same way, and it was awful for 3 months really, until I found two books, "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "The Baby Whisperer." Both absolutely saved my sanity. I also like the Babywise schedule, and I tried to follow that, but my son had such a hard time soothing enough to sleep, that I needed some help knowing how to help him. I think that Baby Whisperer is a little gentler but just as effective as Babywise, but my sister used Babywise, and it worked great for her first, but not her second child. Kids can be different, I guess. Check out www.babywhisperer.com. Good luck! Hang in there.

Well, I didn't have quite that experience but I would say that my son was a somewhat difficult baby. He wouldn't take naps during the day either unless I was holding him. After he fell asleep I would try to put him down and he would wake up almost instantly. He hated his swing, so if I wanted to have any peace of mind throughout the day, I had to hold him. He loved the snuggly so for probably most of the first 4 months of his life I carried him around in it. I did laundry, cleaned, cooked, everything! It was hard. I thought that it was never going to end and I struggled with the fact that I had a needy baby. It did end though. He started liking his swing and he would take short naps in his bed. As I said, he wouldn't sleep good during the day, but I didn't have trouble with him sleeping at night. Right after he was born, I never let him sleep more than 3 hours at a time during the day...if I could even get him to sleep. I wanted him to sleep at night. I am sure it doesn't work with every baby, but it worked with him. He was sleeping through then night by 4 months. He is now almost 2 and sleeps great in his own bed in his own room. He doesn't need to be rocked, he doesn't take a bottle, nothing. We put him in bed and he goes right to sleep. Is your baby crying during the day when he is not sleeping, or is he just awake and looking around? My son was just very alert and observant and I don't think he wanted to miss anything. If your son is crying a lot, he could be colic. Are you nursing or does he take formula. A lot of babies don't digest formula well. It is h*** o* their stomachs. If you are breastfeeding it could be something you are eating that is making him have gas. He probably should be sleeping more than what it sounds like, but I wouldn't be to concerned. He may just need to get into more of a routine. It could just be that he needs to be close to you. Some babies have a harder time adjusting after birth than others. If you really think about it, all they know is you. For the last nine months, he has heard you, smelled you, felt you, heard you cry, heard you laugh, felt your emotions. Once they are out of the womb, it is an overwhelming change for them. Just try and see if he will sleep on you. I don't believe that you can spoil a baby that young. If you aren't finding any answers try talking with your doctor. Good luck! I hope you get some sleep soon! It's always hard at first!

T.

Every baby is different. It is probably just a hump he will get over soon. I know your tired....it should pass soon.

My daughter was kind of like this. It seemed like she would only sleep if someone was holding her, and then for only 1-2 hours at a time. I was exhausted. Are you breast-feeding? Is she gaining weight as expected? We found that my daughter slept a little longer if we could really tank her up right before her nighttime sleep. In order to do that, I pumped some during the day and we supplemented a little with formula.

My daughter started to wake less at night at about the same time that we started to get a regular nap schedule. For us that wasn't until sometime between 2-3 months, unfortunately. The way I finally got her to nap was to use some tips from "The Baby Whisperer" where I would put her down in the crib and pat her for what seemed like hours. Sometimes she never did fall asleep. Often she would fall asleep, but only for 20 minutes. The 2-3 month timeframe was when I finally had time to be really focused and consistent about the nap times. Possibly it would have worked sooner if I'd gotten my wits together sooner.

When it finally started to work, what would keep her asleep was to have her swaddled TIGHTLY before she fell asleep. This would keep her limbs from flailing and waking her up again. We kept swaddling her for naps and night-time until she was 5 and a half months old. By the way, I've seen babies who were calm as soon as they were swaddled, and that was NOT my baby most of the time. She would scream and cry when we tied her up. But then with forceful patting and shushing she would eventually fall asleep and stay asleep. ("The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp has good tips on shushing, patting and swaddling.)

EVERY baby is different! Don't stress over "shoulds". My son is 7 months and he is just now doing a 3 or 4 hour stretch once in a while. That said, during the day you could try wearing your baby in a sling or wrap to help him sleep longer. Until he is 4 months old, you can really adopt a whatever it takes strategy rather than worrying about routines as much. Good luck!

I had a friend who had that problem, and she found out that she did not have enough fat in her breast milk to sustain her baby for long periods of time. Hence, the baby woke up hungry without long stretches of sleep. She was dieting way too much for breast feeding.
However, there are guidelines that show as long as they get total hours of sleep per day, that may suffice.

you did not mention if he cries or is content. you may look into visiting a homeopathic physician, it sounds as if your baby is hyperstimulated and can't calm himself. There is a product at most health food stores that is called Bach 5 flower remedy, it will calm you down, help with the panic of sleep deprivation and feeling out of control.

My youngest daughter was the same way. She would take a ten minute catnap about every hour during the day and slept for about two and a half hours at night. If you and your son are doing ok than don't worry about it. All children are different and the only constant is that they will not follow what people say is normal. Take advantage of any help that you can get so that you get enough rest. It doesn't hurt to put you baby in the crib, fed and dry, and take a cat nap yourself. I would try to engage your son as much as possible when he is awake and see if that tires him out. My daughter started napping and sleeping more at night at about six months old. She became more active (crawling and pulling herself up) and seemed to be calmer and more relaxed with physical activity. Good luck.

A.,

I'd talk to your pediatrician about food intolerances and reflux. My son never slept either until we figured outt he was allergic to dairy and soy proteins and he had reflux. Once we got all that under control, he sleeps like a champ.

T.

most babies don't settle into any kind of routine--be it sleeping or napping--for at least a couple of months. it sounds to me like he is a normal 4 wk old infant.

if you are breastfeeding, he will likely not sleep more than a few hours at night for some time. breastmilk digests very easily and therefore doesn't last long in baby's tummy. realistically, young babies **shouldn't** sleep long hours at night. it can mean that they aren't getting enough calories in any given day.

the being awake for 1.5 hours at a time at night, implies that he might have his days and nights mixed up. there are plenty of tips in books and online to help with that. i've not had a baby that was awake during the night for extended periods, so i don't have any tips for you there.

little babies should sleep an average of 19 or so hours a day. that gradually decreases more and more over time. when that starts to decrease is usually when they settle into a napping routine. before that they don't necessarily have discernable "naps." they just snooze whenever they need to. you can't really control it at this point. distinct naps are for older babies, not newborns.

relax. he's not "off the mark." he's normal. he's healthy. it will just take some time for him to figure things out. but they all do.

Hi A., Neither of my children (ages 2.5 years and 4 months) are good sleepers. My pediatrician always told me that until they are 3 months old it is okay for them to be up every 2-3 hours. My first would only cat-nap, taking 30-45 min naps every couple hours (and up all night!). We tried everything to get her to sleep longer (like a lot of the other suggestions you have below) and eventually she did at around 6 months when she was fully on solid foods and taking the same naps every day - but she didn't sleep through the night until she was a year. My second will sleep about 4 hours at a time and we are working our way to longer by doing the same thing...consistent routine and at about this age, I let her cry herself back to sleep at times (which is hard!!)

So, I wouldn't worry! I know you are sleep deprived but try to create a steady daily routine and know that every child will learn to sleep eventually! Big improvements usually come at 6 weeks so you're close!!

When my son was one month old, I thought I was having a nervous breakdown because he was doing the same thing! He never slept longer than 2 hours at a stretch and was nursing (it seemed to me) nonstop! I switched to a bottle at a month and my husband took one of the night feedings so I could get some rest. I slept when he slept (so I napped when he did). This is apparently normal! It got better over the next two months and he slept through the night by the time he was four months old. Some children just have different sleep cycles. It will get better, but you need to let most of the housework go and get rest when he is sleeping so you don't loose it too!

I know it's hard to be patient but eventually he will sleep---have you tried the noise machines? They play ocean sounds etc. Is he in a bassinet with you or in his own room? Are you breast feeding? Easier for you if he's close by. If your breast feeding it puts them to sleep more easily but maybe he needs to suck so use the (dreaded) pacifier if he will take it. K. RN

My daughter was the same way as a newborn. The Dr. told me to make sure the house is well lit during the day to encourage her to stay awake more during daylight hours. I kept the bedroom dark all night and used a night light to see for feedings. This really worked. She started sleeping for longer stretches at night. It is not advisable to let an infant cry it out. Crying is thier only way of communicating. They need to be reasssured that you will rspond to thier needs. Making sure baby is bundled will give him comfort as well. Good Luck!

My son is 2 months old and when I was breastfeeding him, he would wake every 2 hours to eat and then take an hour and a half to nurse. When I went to the doctor, he said my son was not getting enough to eat and that I should offer him a 2 ounce bottle of formula after he nursed. Once I did that, he slept so well! I think he went for 4 hours after the first time of having the extra bit of formula. It was really hard to think that I hadn't been feeding him enough, but when he slept I felt so good! He was much happier and so was I. Ask your pediatrician about feeding your sweet boy a little bit of formula to see if he just needs a little bit more to eat to fill him up and settle his tummy to help him sleep.

Also, do you wrap him up like a burrito? My son won't sleep if his arms are allowed to wave around at all.

Good luck!

I had the same problem! My son is now 6 months old and still does not sleep longer than 2 hours at night, and only takes half-hour naps through out the day. One half hour nap every 2 hours, on the nose. For months I was struggling with this and trying everything and I felt like my ENTIRE life was revolving around trying to get him to sleep according to how the books said he should. Once I stopped fighting it and just accepted it for what it was, it got 100% easier for me. When he was little, I thought something might be wrong, but now that he is older and he has a full on personality, I know he is ok because he is SO HAPPY! They say you know that your baby is getting enough sleep if he is happy, not cranky, etc. but it is too hard to tell if a baby under like 2 or 3 months is really happy or cranky or whatever. I will tell you, and I know lots of people will disagree but, the best thing I did was to start co-sleeping. Having him next to me in bed made the nights so much easier. I wouldn't have to get up to comfort him or feed him and it made me so much more rested. The other thing I will tell you that will hopefully help is that a sleep "expert" I spoke to said this is often a pattern she sees in babies who turn out to be bright children :)

Good luck!

Hi A., my name is Natalie. I have a four month old who struggled with this when he was a month old as well. He was 3 weeks early and so I thought maybe it was because he was a little bit premature. He would only take a nap when I fed him during the day and even then the naps would only be like 15 or 20 minutes long - definetly not long enough for me to get a nap in too. Also his nap was over as soon as I put him down - he would never sleep in his bassinet. I finally got to the point that MY sleep was more important than HIS sleep because if I didn't get any sleep I was short-fused, dilerious, and even dangerous! I became a walking ZOMBIE. So I got some extra pillows, tucked myself in bed, and every time I fed him I would fall asleep with him. I think I spent the first two and a half months with him sleeping on my chest because that was the only way he would sleep longer than 10 minutes. It was also easier for me because I had a c-section and so to get in and out of bed every half hour to get him out of his crib was a nightmare. It was just easier for him to fall asleep on me, then when he woke up hungry he was already there to eat. It was HARD---but here I am with a 4 month old who sleeps ALMOST through the night. I started by easing him off my chest and letting him sleep next to me on the bed. As that started working I would feed him and then put him in his bassinet at the foot of the bed. As he got more used to that I eased him into his crib. Now I feed him at 10:00pm, put him in his crib, and he doesn't wake up till 4:00am to eat again. When he does wake up I feed him and put him straight back to bed. Sometimes he cries and I watch the clock and give him 5 minutes to cry, knowing that if he cries longer than that I'll go back to see what's wrong. I have never had to go back in - he always falls asleep. He then sleeps from 4:00am to about 8:00am. Having a 5 or 6 hour stretch of sleep makes you feel like a NEW WOMAN!! I guess what I am trying to say...in a very long way...is that this is a phase. The first month is HARD---the hardest I think. I also have a two year old and she was the same way. Not only is it an adjustment for you as a new mom, but it's an adjustment for the baby - they are learning how to drive these new bodies of theirs and sometimes it just takes a while. Don't give up, call on babysitters and family to help give you a break, and try to get as much sleep as you can to stay sain. And just remember--this too shall pass. Good Luck!
Natalie

Hi A.-

He's probably just hungry! I'm not sure who is telling you babies sleep for a long stretch at that time, but they are not correct! Not until about 3-4 months (or much, much later) do babies slow in their needs to eat and grow. Many will tell you to read Babywise and if you want your baby to be structured, that may help. You could also read the "No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley. He seems to need to know the difference between night & day. During the day, when the baby naps, it helped my daughter to keep music on, the tv, have someone make noise--while you nap with him! At night, make sure it's silent. It helped a lot to have a humidifier to keep a white noise as well. Don't think you are unusual though--it is months before they will sleep longer hours. Talk to your pediatrician. She or he will tell you this is totally normal. Hang in there, eat well & sleep when you can. You'll make it through this!

You could expect longer stretches of sleep when your baby hits around 6 weeks old. A long stretch meaning around 4-6 hours or so at night. But remember, every baby is different, so don't worry. There are some great books out there -- "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth, M.D., has been a great resource for me with both of my children. You could probably get a used copy on Amazon Marketplace if you don't want to buy a new one. Good luck!

It seems like you've gotten some good advice! I would recommend buying a carrier (I am addicted to them... I have a wrap, mei tai, sling, ring sling... I can help you find something great!!!) and try carrying baby around in that during the day. Baby will probably nap in there, plus you will get work done and feel good about everything :). That's what I did with my son, and it worked wonders!!!!!!!!!!!!

I would also recommend these books/websites:

www.askdrsears.com - he has tons of great info on sleep!
The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantly
The Sleep Book by Dr. Sears

I had the same thing with my baby. But we put her on a 3 hour schedule and would put her down for a nap in her crib about an hour and a half to two hours after we fed her. She would cry for about ten min, then we would go in and soothe her a little and put her back down. Sometimes we did this for the whole nap time (an hour). It wasn't easy, but now she's 3 and a half months and takes about 4 one hour naps a day and sleeps through the night. We got this info from a book called BabyWise. The book is pretty controversial, because it talks about letting your baby cry, but it was a lifesaver for us. Hope this helps, I understand what you are going through.

Are you breast feeding? If so if you are drinking any caffeine it may be effecting your baby. Plus... a baby does not sleep through the night till 3-4 months and all children are different.

I am a new mom too.........find 1 person you trust and listen to them only, and to your pediatrician, then trust your instinct.

Hang in there!!! The first couple of months are hard...but it gets better!!!

I don't think you need to worry just yet as your baby is still so young. I have a 7 month old daughter and she wouldn't sleep for more than 2-3 hrs at a time until she was 2 or 3 months old. By that time it was only a 6 hour stretch anyway. She was at least 3 months old before she would sleep for a good 7 or 8 hours. Just push through the next month or so and you'll be fine.

I have 5 kids and my experience with 1 month olds is that they wake frequently for feedings. Have you tried giving him a pacifier during the night to see if he is really hungry or just wants to suck? My kids usually woke up every few hours during the night until they were about 3-4 months old. I have read that 3-4 months is a good age to start letting them fuss and soothe themselves to sleep. But all babies are different. I have a sister-in-law whose baby slept through the night from day one. None of my kids have done that. But some of them have started sleeping for longer stretches earlier than others. I have been told that at 1 month old, they are still not on a schedule and won't be on a regular schedule until about 3 or 4 months. I think you should do what you feel is best for your baby. The sleepless nights won't last forever!! Good luck.

My advice is
1) try to sleep when he sleeps
2) try to keep him awake during the day more than you do now. I always heard by taking off a baby diaper helps to awaken them when they don't want to be awake.
3) let him fuss for awhile. Don't go to his crib immediately when he starts to cry.
4) Do you have a rocker? This helps both you and the baby relax together in the middle of the night.

It is hard but he is very young and will grow out of this phase all too quickly.

Good luck..
J

Just like anyother phase, it'll pass. My second daughter was the same way, she would sleep for 15-45 mins at a time, that was it. It drove me crazy because I never got anything done, but over time she started sleeping for longer periods of time. As long as nothing else is going on as far as excessive crying or anyother symptoms, he'll be fine, all babies are different! What I did with my daughter is I bought a sling, or a baby wrap and just kept her with me while I worked around the house. It seemed to keep her happier, and she slept longer that way.

I have twin boys, and they were about the same when they were that age. They would sleep for about 2 hours or so and then wake and be up for a while. I think there were definitely times during which they slept a bit longer. What I found was that they didn't start sleeping longer until they were a few months older. All the reading I have done suggests that longer sleep periods are actually developmental, so it will come in time. Your baby might also be in a growth spurt, wanting to eat a lot. Either way, don't stress too much. I know it is tough on you, but he WILL start to stretch his sleeping. My other advice is to make sure that you have a specific place for him to sleep. My boys slept better when the going to sleep routine was more regular: they slept in their cribs, darkened room, etc. When I let them sleep wherever, they slept less well. That remains true today. They're 9 months old now and sleeping 2 naps a day (1 1/2- 2 hours) and at night they go to bed at 6:30, wake once usually and get up around 6:30 am. Don't worry, he's still little. It will get better.

I cannot say that I myself experienced this with my daughter but one thing that we found that helped tremendously with our daughter sleeping when she was an infant was a video we watched in our birthing classes. It's called "Happiest Baby on the Block" with Dr. Harvey Karr (or Karp...I can't remember). I'm sure you could find it at the library or maybe even online. He is amazing and he introduces you to the "5 S's" ~Swaddling, sucking swaying, swinging, and shshshing. It really works and it's absolutely amazing! Good luck and hang in there!

It could be that he's hungry or gassy, especially if he is really fussy. My friend's son did that where he would not sleep very well at all and she ended up putting him on a special formula for anti-gas and now he is much happier and sleeps much better. If you are breastfeeding, you can watch what you are eating to see if that's making him gassy (broccoli is a big gas maker). I hope this helps.

I'm also a first time mom, and by all means- no expert. But I have a 3 month old baby girl, who couldn't sleep for more than a few hours at a time. What helped us, was giving her a warm bath (after her umbilical cord fell off), and a massage with baby lotion before bedtime. Also, a pacifier, and a "lullaby spa", a great toy that plays music, and projects cartoon characters on the ceiling.
Good luck,

C.

Hi A.,
Yes, my daughter was up every couple of hours for a while. I don't remember exactly when she started sleeping a little longer because I was so sleep deprived, but it happened gradually, and by four months she was sleeping through the night, although naps took a little longer to develop. I could only suggest that you talk to his pediatrician; he or she will know if the schedule is age appropriate.

My little girl is 10 weeks old and has NEVER taken long naps everyday. She will on occasion but not daily. She sleeps well at night but I think she feels she will miss out on something really exciting if she sleeps during the day! Even days old she would wake herself up with her hands or by moving her head back and forth. She would even try to use her forhead to open her eyes when she was really to tired to do so.

I wouldn't worrie...They do what they want and when he is tired enough he will sleep. Good luck.

I can empathize with you. My first child (daughter, now 8 yrs old) NEVER slept. Same as you, no long stretch day or night. Maybe a 20 min cat nap here and there in the day and night she was up every two hours and like your son, she would stay up for a long time before finally going back to sleep for a 2 hour stretch if I was lucky. I was so sleep deprived, I'm not sure how I survived. I remember some nights after I would finally get her down, I would just sit on the couch and cry. I was so exhausted I couldn't even fall asleep if that makes sense. Anyway, as I said above, she is now 8 years old, she still doesn't sleep much but does sleep through the night. I tried everyone's advice and nothing worked for us. She was about 1 1/2 yrs old when our nights were finally more good than bad. You will survive and this will end, that is all the comfort I can really offer. Belive me, I would take back those sleepless nights (and days) rather than the issues we are facing now in grade school. Hang in there, be sure to get medical attention if you start to feel depressed. I suffered from depression after her birth, I blame it largely on the lack of sleep. I waited way to long to get help. The other thing to remember is that 1 month is very new, it is possible in a month from now, you will have a baby that sleeps much better. Never be ashamed to ask for and accept help. Having a newborn is something you can never prepare for - it is extremely chanllenging! Good Luck!

this is tough....there are several great books..."Babywise", "Healthy sleep habits, happy child"!!

This is will change, your son is a newbie. Whatever anyone tells you about babies sleeping is flat out wrong! I have two kids and none slept the "20 hours" a day!! Try instituting a routine so he knows what's coming. Mostly, you will just have to wait...night sleep doesn't begin to regulate until 3-4 mos and day sleep , perhaps 6 mos. You can try
* exposing him to intense light when he first wakes up
* baby wearing
* put him down and let him fuss for a while. as long as he is not screaming and you are sure he is not hungry or dirty...fussing for 5-15 mins wont hurt him, and he may have to "fuss himself to sleep" my son often had to "fuss himself to sleep" for 30mins...a low level, annoying, nerve irritating whine...but he did learn to sleep.

*********** Take a BREAK!!!!!!*******************
if i can suggest one thing...get away for a while! You are exhausted and irritable. join a moms club (www.momsclub.org), get a friend, hire your teenage neighbor to come in and walk him in the stroller for an hour..whatver...just get a break!!

if you need help, please email me...it is hard! and these babies never do what they are "supposed" to do. Ask for help!
Good luck!
K.

Baby's tummy can is only about the size of a walnut when first born. They need frequent feedings until the stomach growes bigger. And if you are nursing they need to be fed even more often because beast milk is so easily digested. I have had two babies and both were breast fed exclusively requiring feeding every 2 hours for the first month or so atlest. If I remember correctly, somewhere between 2 and 4 months my kids became a little more regular with feeding and sleeping. But at one month old there is no day or night time to them. So for a one month old, there is no "nap time". Although your child should sleep some durring the day as at one month old they still need lots of sleep. By 4 month olds you are able to train them to sleep by follwing a regimented program. 12 hours sleep at night and 3 regular nap times. But they won't just take themn on their own. YOU have to train them. I learned the hard way with my first daughter.
I found the 3 day sleep solution very helpful! I used it to teach my 2nd child to sleep as her would wake up 8 times a night at 8 months old!! In 3 days he slept 11-12 hours at night!! Look it up on the internet. I can't remember the lady's name but she lives in Claifornia.

I have an 8 month old who has never slept for long stretches during the day. He is just now FINALLY taking the 1-2 hr naps that I have been struggling for. I have had to work hard to be a "tough-love" mom. It takes dedication. Now might be a little early with your little one, but i had to start letting my boy lay in the crib (crying because he wanted me there to play with him) until he fell sleep. As long as i knew he was fed, clean, and safe, I knew that we both needed sleep. Vibration chairs are great for newborns and can help lull them into relaxation. Are you breast feeding? Is your baby happy while awake? Your situation might be related to some personalized answers that the average mom/baby situation cannot answer for you--have you talked to your peiatrition?

Does he cry a lot??

My daughter used to do the same thing, but she was colic and that's why. The only way I could get her to sleep is if I slept with her or I would lay with her until she fell asleep and then manuver my way out of bed so she wouldnt wake up. Oh and I also pumped breast milk and put it in one of those rice feeder bottles and mix my breast milk and a small amount of rice cereal in it and fed that to her before nap and bed time, then she would have a full tummy and sleep a little longer. Oh and have you tried taking him for a drive and then leave him in his carseat, baby swings help, Are you remembering to swadle him? sometimes that helps, A snugglie, that thing you where on the front of you, and the baby sits in it.

I don't know if that is good advice, but that's what I did.

Get the "Happiest Baby on the Block" By Dr. Harvey Karp. Get the DVD, don't waste your time on the book!!

With my first child, it was the same thing! I did not know what to do and was so tired and confused and not one person could offer me help! When I was pregnant with my second child, I had an acquaintance offer some advice. She told me that she read a book entitled "On Becoming Baby Wise". She also told me that there were many things she disagreed with but found a few others very helpful and that I might too. So, I read the book and felt the same way. The most important thing that I learned was to put my baby on a schedule: feed baby upon waking instead of before they should go to sleep; I may the feeding/sleeping schedule; and so on.
The local library should have a copy of this book so that you can have it for a few weeks for FREE!!! I realize that it will be hard to read and take care of the baby and yourself, but it sure will be worth it for both of you.
Best wishes and congratulations on a wonderful son.

Neither one of my kids slept longer than a couple of hours at a time for the first few months. Breat fed babies typically get up every coupld of hours to eat, bottle fed babies usually do not need to eat as often. However, not sleeping through the dat at all is unusual for a baby so young but may not be cause for concern. Ask you pediatrician. If you don't have a good doctor, I recommend
Dr. Susan Dalby
2380 N Ferguson Ave # 102
Tucson, AZ 85712
###-###-####.

She was my son's pediatrician when I lived in Tucson and she is great!

I have a question for you: Is your baby getting enough to eat? After having my 4th, my experience is that my babies don't sleep long (or at all) if they are hungry.

What does the Dr. say?

Also, being a first time mom creates enough anxiety (even a 4th time mom has anxiety! LOL). Have you tried sleep sounds? like you're heartbeat, ocean sounds, etc.?

Good luck!

Unfortunately it is not true that all infants or children will sleep for a long stretch. My son who just turned 3 reciently started sleeping well. he was up 3-6 times a night it. I have a 4 week old also and he is up usually 1-2 times an hour at night and will maybe sleep an hour at a time at night. I will say try to keep your sanity and if you can lay down with (him)(her)and nap during the day. It will eventually get better. All children are different and maybe this is his "normal" Slings are wonderful thing. the moby wrap is great.

I had one of those :-). He is now 15 (Sam), but I thought I would never sleep again! I know, it is just horrible to be that sleep deprived. Also turned out he is a serious math genius and has ADHD, but who knows if the two had anything to do with each other?

Ask your Pediatrician, but I remember being told that it was impossible to get an infant to sleep more than he needed to or on any type of schedule. As he gets a bit older, (3 months maybe?) there are things you can do. The expert on this is Dr.Richard Ferber. He wrote "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems," and is head of the Children's Sleep Clinic in Boston, at Children's Hospital. We lived in Boston at the time and I almost took my son there.

Also talk to your Pedi to find out if there is any kind of pain related thing that could be keeping him up? reflux, etc. But usually, that would mean he would also be screaming.

Some babies (and people) just need a lot less sleep than others. Many famous and successful people only need 2-3 hours of sleep a night. I always used to think Sam would become a Dr. for sure, because he NEVER needs any sleep. Even as a toddler/young child he never napped and slept many less hours than he was "supposed to." My next two were similar, though not quite as bad. But, a 20 minute nap was as much as I ever got.

I had friends whose babies/toddlers would take 3 hour naps and sleep a good 12 hours a night. I remember being bitter with jealousy. It seemed so unfair. I feel for you, especially being single and with no backup!

Anyway, I would recommend talking to the pediatrician and getting the Ferber book. Since you are single, could your mom or a good friend give you one night off a month or something? Come and stay up the night with the baby while you slept through the night? It would make SUCH a world of difference.

Good luck!!!! (By the way, Sam did finally sleep thought the night at 6 months, after using Dr. Ferber's techniques)

A.,
My suggestion to help your baby (and youself) is to get a baby carrier (I suggest a Moby Wrap- they are only about $40) and wear your baby- all day. It's not difficult, you just wrap him on and then go about your day. He will be able to get into a good sleep cycle. Nurse him when he wants to nurse- and you can do it without having to take him out.
Also, I recommend co-sleeping. When your baby sleeps with you, he can nurse and go right back to sleep. Babies need to eat throughout the night- they have tiny tummies and breastmilk is relatively low in protein.
I have had a few of those nights where my daughter woke up and just wanted to play- at 2 in the morning. You can be miserable and fight it, or you can just use this time to make more memories :-)
If you are interested in the Moby Wrap, I have them available in my store (www.naturalchoices4baby.com)
If you have any questions, feel free to let me know! Good Luck!
H. Gaitten

Hi A.,
Im sure you must be exausted with this situation. I feel for you. My suggestion is that you try to put him on a schedule, and stick to it. A schedule will help a baby in general eat, sleep better, and be happy when awake. A book that was very helpful to me was Babywise by Dr. Ezzo. It is available at Barnes and Noble for less than $10 i think. He suggests a schedule in there for newborns and it really helped me. My baby was sleeping through the night at 5 weeks old! (Give it a few weeks to let your little one learn his schedule) He does advocate letting your baby cry, which I agree with to an extent, because it teaches them not to depend on something to go to sleep, and they will learn to put themselves back to sleep in the event they wake up sooner than they should. He might suggest a few things that may seem a little extreme(like lenght of time to let him cry). I personally would let my baby cry for about 15 min, go in and pat her tummy to calm her w/o picking her up, and then leave and let her go again repeating as necessary. Of course you as mom know best when to adjust it for your baby. I hope that your little one will start sleeping better soon, so you can too! Hang in there!
A. K

Your son is a normal newborn. Newborns if breastfed usually need to eat 8 to 12 times a day up until about 3 months old or so. After that it can go down to about 6-10 times a day. With formula it's just a little less. (Breast milk digests quicker and so they are hungry more often) If you do the math, then they need to eat every two to three hours. Ask any pediatrician and they will tell you the same thing. Are you feeding him when he's waking up? One month olds do not normally sleep for one long stretch at a time. I was even advised with both of my kids (two different pediatricians) that if they slept past the time to feed them, to wake them. They need those nutrients to grow.
I know it seems hard but it doesn't last forever. Once you start him on solids (cereal to start) around 4-6 months, then he'll start to sleep through the night more (and sleeping through the night can normally be just 6 straight hours)
Please, please, please call your pediatrician to discuss this but if you don't, then please read these links
(especially Dr. Sears!)
http://www.kellymom.com/parenting/sleep/sleep.html
http://www.askdrsears.com/html/7/T070200.asp
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/baby-sleep/FL00118
http://www.clarkmemorial.org/PracticalParentingNewbornSle...

Also before you look at the book Babywise (being recommended by many)... please read this. It's a dangerous book!

http://www.rickross.com/reference/gfi/gfi5.html

It sound like he is overtired and then becomes hyperalert--kind of like when you stay up past being sleepy and you get your second wind. I would recommend reading The Happiest Baby on the Block. It will help you learn ways to sooth him so that he will be ready for sleep. It teaches the best way to swaddle a baby and that by iself worked wonders for my baby. Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child by Marc Weisbluth (not sure if I spelled that right) is great for learning how to get your child sleeping well now and for the rest of his life. I used it with both of my boys and they are quite good sleepers now. Also remember that you can't make you baby sleep. You can set up situations that allow your baby the opportunity to sleep but don't feel like you are a bad mother if no matter what you do to get you baby to sleep he resists. Eventually he will get the hang of it and you will both start sleeping better. Good luck. I think sleep issues are something that every mother deals with at one point or another.
Julie

The absolute best book to read is "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. Your baby is very young, and may not sleep well for a while still, but if you read this book you'll at least be equipped with the understanding of the science behind healthy sleep at all ages. There are a spectrum of strategies for helping your baby sleep better, including a lot of the advice you'll be reading here. This was a baby shower gift to me, and was highly recommended from my 3 best girlfriends who all got their kids to sleep well at early ages. It's worked for me twice!!

Hi A.,
At one month old, they should be eating every 2 and a half to 3 hours, day and night from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next. They are not capable of sleeping for long stretches until at least 6 weeks but more than likely, 8 weeks. My son is now almost 3 but those first three weeks after he was born were a nightmare. We had no idea what we were doing. I got a book recommended by a friend who has five kids called On Becoming Baby Wise by Gary Ezzo and it was a lifesaver. I highly recommend it. Our son was sleeping through the night by 7 wks. The book helps with a feeding schedule, a wake time schedule and a sleep schedule. I breastfed our son for a year but this book is supportive of formula feeding as well. Good luck.

It's perfectly normal what you are going threw. I know it is hard to understand but it is. Newborns have their own schedule one they usually made up in the womb without you knowing. Newborns usualy don't sleep more then an hour or two at a time. Mostly due to they need to eat every 2-3 hours. Babies always sleep better when they are full. Make sure you stop feeding to burp him, then continue to feed. This way he can let air out and more food/milk in. Try now to start (is you haven't already) to make bedtime rituals. Doing the same thing every night (bath ,bottle, bed etc.) will teach him when it's time to rest. I understand it's hard and exausting but it will get better I'm a mom of three I know. I hope this works out.

A. - Hang in there! Babies (breast fed or not)can & will sleep longer than 2 hours. I am a neonatal nurse & it's important for you & baby to get on a schedule ASAP!

The schedule we recommend at the hospital & that I've used with all 3 of my children is: eat, wake time, sleep. Feed him, play with him, change him & then put him down for a nap. I know it's hard, but lay him down & let him cry for 10 minutes - if he's still crying, go check on him, make sure he's dry, give him back his pacifier & lay him down again. Do this until he takes a nap. Let him sleep for approx. 2 hours during the day & then wake him up (if he's still sleeping). Then start the whole thing over again. At night time, lay him down & let him sleep as long as he can - don't worry, he will definitely wake up when he's hungry!

It's important to teach our children how & when to sleep - they are not born with that ability. It's also important to help him learn how to comfort himself (a pacifier is a wonderful tool, as non-nutritive sucking is a self-calming ability). Babies can easily be on a schedule from day 1 of life - it's just a lot of hard work for the parent. As you'll find, consistency is key in parenting. Create a ritual that you do each time you feed him, lay him or lay him down for a nap. Babies are very intuitive & will catch on in only a few days. By the time he's 8-10 weeks old, with your teaching, he should be sleeping at least 6-7 hours a night.

There is a wonderful parenting series called Growing Kids God's Way or Babywise by Gary & Anne Marie Ezzo. It proved to be invaluable to my husband & me. Here's their website: www.gfi.org

Keep your chin up - Good luck - God Bless

You're one of the lucky ones! Some kids are like this. God help you - for he will probably be one full of energy and your energy level will have to increase with him. POOR GIRL. Catch some shut-eye when he does and employ some help - I think you have a wild one on your hands.

Now, if he was four months - I would say - add a tiny bit 1/4 teaspoon of baby cereal in his formula - but not at one month. I am assuming - you are using formulat - and at one month he might still be nursing. He might not be getting enough if you are nursing and this happened to me. See a doctor - I don't know the formulas now. My son nursed only three months and I always supplemented him from about 8 days old on - because I didn't produce enough for his hunger.

Check with a doctor - I would recommend Dr Jerry Rubin.
Sharon

I was very lucky as my boys slept very well but my nephew was a lot like your little one. He never slept more than 30 minutes at a time. He stayed awake all the time and we were all amazed at how he could do this. My poor sister was exhausted but she made it through it and now he is 15 and a genius child. I have read that children that text high on IQ tests rarely slept as babies. I think their brain is working on taking everything in. Good luck and make sure that you sleep when he does, no matter what time of day it is, if you can.

At one month he's just a tiny baby who doesn't understand day and night. He will eventually learn about sleeping. I wouldn't jump to conclusions about an overactive wild child who will never sleep.......I know it's easier said than done, but just be patient and he'll get it figured out with a little help from mommy.

First of all, Congrats on the new baby. Like yourself, I am also a new mom. My baby boy is one month a day old today. I can't say that he hasn't taken naps during the day because he has. However, he only sleeps about two hours a night and then wakes up. I am finding that this has a lot to do with him having a stuffy nose. I took mine to the doctor and got some spray and this has been helping.

It may be a digestive problem. If you are willing to try formula, I would suggest nutramigen by enfamil. It is extremely gentle and easier to digest.My sister had the same prob with her baby and this seemed to make her baby happier and sleep longer stretches which young babies really need in order to grow and let their brain develop. I know the formula is a little bit more expensive but I heard the best price is at Babies R Us or Walmart. I hope that helps!

That's EXACTLY what it's supposed to do. You have a perfectly normal, healthy baby it sounds like. Worry about naps at 3 months.

I would be concerned with a one month old that doesn't spend most of his day sleeping. Talk with your Pediatrician about this. Typically a one month old should wake for eating, changing of a diaper and go back to sleep. At night make sure you only turn on a soft light, no noises and when you have fed him and changed him put him back in his crib very quietly. If you turn on lights and there is a lot of stimulation going on it may take him longer to get settled. I honestly have never heard of a one month old up during the day....

One word--Babywise. Saved my life. Get the book, makes a couple of changes in how you schedule feedings, and things will drastically improve. I buy extra copies whenever I find them to give to new moms--or even experienced ones who'd like to sleep and have a happier baby!

We had some trouble with our son resisting day time naps for the first few months. We found swaddling really seemed to help him settle down and soothed him. It wasn't a miracle worker, but it did seem to help. He always slept pretty well at night, though, so that was a blessing. (He'd wake up to eat, but go back to sleep fairly well). BUT...as others have said...you are pretty early in his little life and he's still figuring out his routines (as are you). It WILL get better...but I know it's exhausting right now. Hang in there!

My son (now 3) did the same thing, and I thought I was going to go crazy! Besides being exhausted, I was also worried that he wasn't following the "norm". The only advice I can give you is to wait it out, because he turned into a wonderful sleeper after about 4-5 months - and try to enlist some help so you can get some rest.