My 2-month old is still feeding every 3-4 hours at night and we are patiently waiting for him to stop the 3am feeding so that my husband and I can get more sleep! I am breast-feeding and supplementing with formula so we know that he is getting a good amount of milk at each feeding and he is gaining weight well. During the last few days, he has stopped napping during the day - only about 20 minute catnaps - so we thought that he was prepping himself to sleep through the night but that hasn't happened yet.
Once he is done with his feeding, we need to rock him to sleep because he won't fall asleep alone (he is too busy looking around). When we put him to sleep on his back in his bassinet, he wakes up after about 5 minutes; we have had success letting him sleep more upright in his bouncy seat. We think that he has gas from not burping well enough and being upright has helped him.
Does anyone have any advice about getting him to sleep better at night? How do we get him to sleep well on a flat mattress? Any suggestions on how we can get him to nap even though he doesn't want to? Is this something that he will naturally do or should we set the schedule for him - and if so, how?
Don't hold your breath on the sleeping through the night thing. Lots of breastfed babies don't do it until after they turn 1. My kids were 7 and 9 mos before they did and I had to push them. 3-4 hrs is alot for a 2 mos old. Their stomach is only the size of their fist so they don't hold much and they digest quickly with breast milk. But here is what you can do. When he wakes at night, bring him into bed with you. Lay on your side and put him on his side so you are tummy to tummy. Then hook him up and go back to sleep. I did this with both my kids and it was great. It helped me get some much needed extra zzz's. The average for sleeping through the night is 6 mos so you still have a long way to go. But this helps alot.
He shouldn't be sleeping through the night at 2 months, so don't expect that. The earliest you'll get a good 6 hour strech is probably about 3 months.
Have you tried swaddling? As babies fall asleep they tend to jerk their arms and legs and wake themseleves up. You can do it with a regular blanket, or use an item called the Swaddle Me that closes with velcro so baby can't wiggle out of it. Swaddling was a lifesaver for us.
Also, maybe he is having reflux issues from lying flat. You can prop up the end of the crib mattress by putting some folded towles under one end.
Finally, it's generally agreed that sleep begets sleep - so napping well during the day will actually help him sleep better at night. You could try swaddling for naps, too. Or, hold him upright a bit for about 10-15 minutes after feeding. This will help settle his tummy if it's reflux issues and perhaps he'll stay sleeping longer.
It takes some babies a bit to learn to sleep through the night. Both of my girls (now 2 years old and 6 mos old) started sleeping through the night around 3 mos, but would periodically wake up when teething or going through a growth spurt.
For flat matress sleeping, I had to wait with my 2nd daughter because she had some acid reflux. I used a sleep positioner with a wedge to prop her up on an incline. By 3 mos old she didn't need it anymore and sleeps flat on her back. Check the formula, because that could be upsetting his stomach.
Here's what has worked for me:
Cluster feed by spacing feedings closer together in the late afternoon, early evening. Rather than eating "big portions" every 3-4 hours, try having smaller portions every 1-2 hours later in the day. To get dinner cooked, take turns feeding the baby.
Have his most awake time be in the late afternoon, early evening. My 6 mos daughter naps 9-11 am and 1-4 pm and sometimes takes a shorter nap in the late afternoon (5-6pm) and then she's up until we start the bedtime routine at 7:30pm. She then sleeps through the night from 8pm until 7 am or so.
Follow a consistent bedtime routine: bath, lotion/massage, pj's, final feeding, rocked/held to sleep and put down. We use the Johnson & Johnson lavendar bedtime lotion for naps & bedtime. For naps, simplify the routine.
We have the Fisherprice Rainforest Crib Toy and I put it on everytime I put my daughter to bed (my 2 year old doesn't need hers anymore) and she'll ge distracted by it and fall asleep on her own (without crying and watching me leave the room). Besides a routine, this helps to condition her to sleep by giving her a visual cue that it is bedtime. VTech also makes one, both are priced around $30. I swear by the crib toys!
This sounds cazy, but its been known to work. Try putting your son to bed earlier. Instead of 9-10 pm, try 8-9pm or 7-8 pm. Likewise, good naps during the day will help your son sleep better at night.
During the night, make sure he's really awake when you go in to feed him. Just wait 5 mins when you hear him stir and see if he'll fall back to sleep on his own. Obviously, if he is freaking out crying, go in right away, but if its a couple of short wails, he might not be truly awake. Babies go through cycles during their sleep where they will briefly wake up or be close to waking up before returning back to deep sleep.
Like I said, this worked for me and I just want to pass the info along. I don't want to impose my routine on you, just want to help another mom get some sleep. So, pick and choose or adapt what works for you.
I don't know where I read it, but when I was pregnant I read that if you feed them just before they get hungry, when you knows its about that time, but before he cries for it or anything, it helps them somehow. I tried this with my son and by 2.5 months, he was sleeping from 10 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning. I mean, I could have gone for a couple more hours, but the first time he did it, I think it was the greatest nights sleep I ever had! LOL. I used to pump as opposed to breastfeeding and mixed it with formula, but he ate about every 2 hours or so, and I would feed him just before 2 hours, like an hour and 50 minutes, and that seemed to do it. I have no idea if it was the feeding routine or pure luck, but its a tip if you want to give it a shot! Good Luck to you!
I just wanted to respond that it is possible for a breastfed baby to sleep through the night. My first born slept through the night at 12 weeks (and he was 9 weeks early...so his adjusted age was 4 weeks). My second born was sleeping through the night at 6 weeks old. At 6 weeks, he started sleeping 6-7 hours and the amount of time has just increased and he know sleeps 12 hours through the night. I don't supplement with formula.
I do agree that some babies are just better sleepers than others. I would give my boy his last feeding around 10PM and he'd sleep until around 5/6AM. I learned to let him fuss for a couple of minutes before rushing in to pick him up. Sometimes he would fall back asleep. I didn't swaddle my son (at 4 weeks old, he was always kicking off the covers of the blanket). Instead, I bought the sleeper sacks. I found that he slept better when I put him in a sleeper sack. It kept him warm and gave him that sense of security that comes with swaddling, but I didn't have to worry about him kicking off the blanket.
My DS stopped sleeping through the night about 3 weeks ago and was waking up as often as a new born. At that point, he was 5 months old, so I used the cry it out method. The first night, he cried for 40 minutes, next night - 30 minutes, then 15 minutes, and now it's less than a minute. This was VERY successful - but I wouldn't try it on a 2 month old, he's very young for this method. But, at least you can keep it in the back of your mind to try in a couple of months.
He should be sleeping through the night before you go back to work. Good luck!
At two months I really think he should be taking more than 20 minute duration naps. I found that as they begin to be more aware, they have more trouble with the naps but it's just a transition period for you to reaffirm a nap routine while taking in his cues (he may be going from a nap every few hours to one morning nap and one afternoon nap- and perhaps one will be shorter and one longer). Just really watch him- a yawn or restlessness could be his signal that he is tired but can't settle himself and needs some help. If he is not napping well, this will cause night-time sleep issues.
Some babies might sleep through the night at a young age, but mine didn't- it's not a sign of mothering prowess, its just the luck of the draw in many cases. =) My solution, after my first one who wasn't sleeping til around a year, was to cosleep with my second (in a king size bed)- and from the first night he was born I was sleeping all night and feeling refreshed each morning! I've pretty much never been tired as a cosleeping mom except for when he was sick or going through extreme teething.
Congratulations on becoming a mom! The first two months sometimes feel like two years with the sleep deprivation, however exhilirating to look at him everyday and know he's yours! I'd like to suggest that you don't worry about a schedule or even sleeping through the night at only 2 months old. It's the rare child who does. Babies have such growth spurts those first 6 months and even if starting to sleep through the night, may wake up eventually because of needing to feed. Regarding the naps, that's where you can work at keeping the area dark and quiet with no distractions to perhaps length the naps to two or three 30 min or an hour. That's a tough one, too, at this young of an age. By 4-5 months old, scheduling is a little more possible. And after a feeding? Perhaps don't rock him and let him look around and play and get the energy out a bit--just let him do it on the floor with a toy above him. Then he may be ready to sleep. Good luck!
I formula fed (with supplemental pumping until 4 weeks) my dgtr. She did sleep pretty well through the night beginning at 8 weeks - but JUST at 8 weeks. When she went down for the night - I HAD to rock her to sleep - or she would SCREAM! When she'd wake in the middle of the night - she ate - and I'd rock her again. If she woke up in the night and just whimpered or cried for a short duration - I never, ever went in and she learned to self soothe then.
As for naps - yikes! She needed to be held for naps. If we laid her down - 15-20 minutes tops. If we held her - 45 min hopefully - sometimes an hour. This lasted until she was 7 mos old! It didn't matter where she was laid down - crib, bassinet, on the couch, in a chair, dark, hot, cold, light, etc...... - if you weren't holding her - she didn't sleep. Oh - and when I mention rock to sleep - and we did this for naps too - I mean - holding her tightly and bouncing up and down as hard as I could - I thought I needed knee replacements by the time she was 6 mos old! LOL At 7 mos - I finally could rock her to nap - then lay her down - what freedom I had! By 9 mos, I could lay her down for naps and sleep while she was still awake. And, yes - to answer any question of schedule - she had one - a set one. I stuck as closely as I could to it to help her know what was coming to assist in sleeping as much as possible - but it didn't change the fact that she just wouldn't lay down to sleep during the day and needed to be rocked everytime.
So - whatever works - of course it's important they learn to self soothe and fall asleep on their own - but mine was the exception to that when she was sleeping.
As for the crib - they sell wedge cushions for babies to sleep on - there is some controversy over them that the baby could wiggle themselves down and suffocate - I didn't know that until she was older and used one. The other thing you could try is either to elevate the mattress from underneath some so her head is slightly up - or put some towels on top of the mattress and cover tightly with a blanket so they don't come loose. I did this also for my little one. She definitely had reflux and benefitted from being elevated a little bit.
Good luck - hang in there -it will get better!!! The first couple of months are hell - the most beautiful, perfect, sweet, sleep deprived, crazy, where did my mind go hell. Wouldn't trade them for the world - but holy cow - I didn't know it would be like that!!!
Forget about getting him to sleep on a flat mattress. The pretty little fantasy about a beautiful nursery and a sleeping baby is just that, especially if you plan on going back to work soon. My oldest son (now 6 and sleeping fine in his bed) spent the first 6 months sleeping in his car seat placed ever so gently into his crib. Worked like a charm. Good luck!
Hi Alexis, at my pediatrician's suggestion, whenever I put my daughter (now 7 months) to bed awake, she slept the best and longest. We only got her to sleep through the night (and still does 10-12 hours) when she has fallen asleep on her own. My Ped said that babies sleep better when they do it like this. I put her down totally awake she looks around, sometimes for twenty minutes and then eventually falls asleep. Sometimes she will fuss or cry for a few minutes but she does it. If he does have gas, maybe try to let him sleep in the bouncy seat. He is too young to know the difference and right now for you and your husband its about getting more sleep and making your baby comfortable. I have followed my daughter's lead on scheduling and let her set the pace. I went back to work and it changed a little, but she sets the tone for the most part. For gas relief, try laying him flat on his back and grabbing his thighs and rolling his hips gently and not too high up. We learned this in Itsy Bitsy Yoga and it helps relieve the gas. Good luck!
I would suggest reading the book Baby Wise. Someone had recommend it to us and my daughter slept through the night by 6 weeks. It is all about having the baby put themselves to sleep and being able to comfort themselves. Its hard in the beginning to hear them cry:( however we had excellent results with it. Some people are against this but just giving you an experience we had and a happy result in the end. My daughter is now 2 and does to bed w/o cry at all :)
Hi Alexis
God bless you, it sounds like you are doing fine.
At 2 months babies set their own schedule in my opinion, and all you do is frustrate yourself when you try to make them fit into yours. Certainly there is no point in my opinion to try to put him on a schedule. In Oct., if he goes to day care where more than just he is they will force him onto their schedule by neccessity, until then I think you should simply enjoy all the little things he does. Soak it in for when you are at work.
As for sleeping through, never had one that did. When I stopped feeding at night, we had to do something. Then when they got old enough to they screamed, then they got out came in our room. Well you get the picture. It was always something til I could reason with them and said read a book when you wake up but you must stay in your room. So you see I really do think 2 months is too early to worry about it.
As for eating, growing, and 4 hours sounds perfect to me. Use wisdom and talk to the MD. First time moms sometimes think it is a reflection on them and don't want to tell what is happening. Remember you tell the MD, so that he can help you with what is best for you son. Getting good advice is always a great idea. Getting advice means being able to sort out what works for your situation. Don't try to implement all advice.
Well, since I suspect I am old enough to be your mom, I always recommend that you talk to your mom. She may have some great advice as well as some funny stories to tell. She will love telling them.
God bless you and all you do
God bless your family
Karen Married 38 years, 4 kids --- 37, 32, and twins 18. They headed to college this week, and the younger single made us grandparent in July so many changes at our house too.
Go out and get Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child by Marc Weissbluth. It will help you so much. A side note, 2mo aren't on a real schedule yet. Just make sure you keep trying to put your baby to sleep after he has been awake for two hours. He should not be up for more than 2 hours at any point of the day.
I agree with the other moms who have said that he is still two months old and don't stress. It isn't realistic to think that he should be sleeping through the night right now. Some babies do, but certainly not many. My son stopped feeding at night ewhen he was about 4 months old (I discovered that instead of finishing both breats, he nursed for 30 seconds and fell sound asleep when in mid-nurse)But neven after I was not feeding him at night, he would wake up with teething, gas, too hot, too cold, wanting his pacifier, anything. He didn't consistently sleep through the night until 8 months. Though by 5 months, the breaks were short. He'd wake up we'd give him his paci and he'd go back to sleep.
Don't stress. I know you want him to sleep through the night, but he will figure it out. But the furber book is good and worked for my sister in law. It will also make it clear if your child is exhibiting normal patterns or really has a sleep problem.
good luck
Try putting a folded towel under the bassinet mattress to raise the head of his bed so if he is having reflux he is a bit more upright. If you think he is having gas or reflux then you should talk to his doctor about what you can do. My own son was prescribed zantac and that helped him alot.
As for getting him to sleep through the night, he is still young and if you are breast feeding you may have to deal with night wakings for a bit longer. If he is having reflux then once that is under control he may sleep better. Good luck and I hope you can get a good night sleep soon.
HI Alexis! My daughter napped in her swing during the day until she was probably 4-5 months old. I found that she would sleep for 2-3 hours at a time if she was in there, rather than in her bassinet. She also never slept in her bassinet...she slept in her infant seat with the vibrate setting on for the first two months, and then our pediatrician told us to put her in her crib. It took about a week for her to adjust. The getting up to eat every 2-3 hours is totally normal! My daughter did the same until she was probably 4-5 months old. By then I knew she weighed enough to make it at least one 4-5 hour stretch. Are you swaddling him at night? I used those Swaddle Me blankets and they worked like a dream! HOpe that helps! Good luck!
Naps take time to develop. My son napped in short spurts until around 3-4 months, when he developed three naps of about one hour each. Then he started crawling around 6 months, and that changed into two naps of about two hours each. The early morning nap (around 8-9 AM)usually develops first, especially if you are good about making sure your baby is never up for more than 2 hours at a time.
But two months old is very young! Your little guy is still learning night from day, and he is unlikely to sleep through the night for a little while longer. (And remember that "sleeping through the night" is defined as 5-7 hours at a time!)
Some people believe in schedules, and others don't. I believe in having a nighttime routine, and getting kids to bed really early. That was the key to getting my 3 month old son to sleep for long stretches at a time. I also made sure he got plenty of naps. But I don't like to have set times for those naps- I prefer to put him down based on his "I'm tired" signals.
One more note- my son needed a positioner to sleep on his side for a long time. Just wouldn't sleep on his back at all. Some people are very opposed to the positioners, but it worked wonders for us to get him to sleep in his crib! And once he started rolling over, we took it away. Now he always turns over onto his stomach to sleep, and the doctor said that was fine. Once they roll, you can't really stop 'em anyways! :)
Good luck, and enjoy this wonderful time! At three months old, your son will start doing even cooler stuff!
Hi Alexis,
Your story sounds a lot like mine. My son started sleeping through that night in his cradle just shy of 2 months old. Until that time he slept in his baby swing because he too slept better upright than on his back. We went out and purchased a sleep positioner at Babys R Us (about $25-30) so he would get used to sleeping in his cradle. It worked for a bit, but he became a squirmy sleeper, so we tried laying him in his cradle on his own after he had fallen asleep and it worked. I think it was a matter both of him getting a little bit older and getting used to the new space (as his baby swing was in our living room not our bedroom). He has been sleeping through the night ever since.
I hope that you get some releif soon. From everyone I talk with it sounds like babies just make up their own little minds as to when things should happen. Just hoping it happens sooner rather than later!
Blessings,
Jennifer
Hi Alexis! I have a 3 month old and she just started sleeping mostly through the night until she got a cold. I was using the side sleeper and swaddling her. I made sure to give her a little extra to eat and burp her well and we put her down every night about the same time. She will fall asleep on her own in the bassinet now. She usually goes to sleep between 8:30-9 and sleeps until at least 4 or 5 am. Sometimes until 6 or later. But, it's still not an every night thing. But, she seemed to sleep much better on her side and stayed sleeping longer that way and if I swaddled her. I totally understand the sleep thing. :) Good luck!