Why isn't my baby sleeping as well?

Kristen - posted on 12/15/2009

My son is 12 weeks and he was doing the same thing...especially if we did something out and about during the day. I started letting him self-soothe and it seems to work. He is now sleeping 9-10 hours a night...straight! I have read that babies sleep patterns are very short so he would wake up and I would go get him...now he sometimes just talks himself back to sleep. It is great to get some sleep at night...Best of luck to you! It can be hard for a bit but totally worth it at the end. PS- I wouldn't let him cry to hard for more than 5 minutes at the beginning.

Crystal - posted on 12/15/2009

It may be a growth spurt??

Amanda - posted on 12/15/2009

Jamie, I agree with Nicole. It is SO hard to train our babies, but as their parents we need the courage to take the reins and trust that we know what's best for baby not the other way around. Sleeping is directly linked to eating, I doubt the outings make a difference. Even if they do, keep it up! He is going to have to learn to deal with daily life changing his routine. My little girl is 12 weeks old. At week 6 she was sleeping 7-8 hours at night and now it's never less than 9, sometimes as long as 11. I follow the regimen of feeding her every three to four hours. I feed her (she usually takes 4-6 ounces), then I keep her awake for an hour or so, then I put her down for her nap and wake her up an hour and a half later to eat again and start all over. She is mild tempered, stays awake without constant stimulation, eats really well, and sleeps even better! But if you aren't interested in all that, I would at least follow Nicole's advice of NOT feeding him during one of those nighttime feedings (either 1 or 4am). He'll cry, and it'll be hard to get used to at first, but you are helping him learn the skill of sleeping through the night, which is better for his metabolism anyway. I follow a method described in Preparation for Parenting if you want to check it out. My girlfriends that follow it have the same results I do. Good luck!

Michelle - posted on 12/14/2009

Hi,

My name is Michelle and im a mom of 6 kids 5 girls and finally my son was born 09/13/2009.my oldest is 21 so things have changed in the world of does and don'ts for babies.My lil man was having me make bottles every two hrs up until about 3 weeks ago.I was a walking zombie not enough sleep having to get up with the other kids to get them ready for school at 6am I just couldn't take it anymore.I started him on cereal in his bottle like I had for my 5 girls thru the years and wow what a difference I started a LIL bit in bottle and now finally he is eating cereal from a spoon loves fruits and veggies...he was a starving lil boy.he now goes to bed between 9 and 10 pm sleeps till 5am I get up change his diaper an then give him a bottle I never talk to him though or turn on bright lights..I feed him burp him and he will go back to sleep till 9 or 10 am..the rest of the day is lil cat naps here n there tummy time bouncer time etc..I'm finally sane again I have sleep and he has full tummy I know all babies are different but this is what has worked for me.despite what the docs say every mom needs to go by what they think their baby needs

Marie - posted on 12/11/2009

plus in the day let him feed when he wnats to even with formula (cause its designed for that) he may just be like my olllie he was the same as yours till i let him take the reigns on feeding and now he sleeps from 9 till 6 - 7 am sometimes (if im lucky) 8am but then again every baby is very different so if hes healthy and there are no medical concerns then maybe youll have to resign yourself to the fact that he maybe a late sleeper like my first son he didnt sleepo through till 1 year old

Marie - posted on 12/11/2009

sounds like hes just getting used to new thing of going out it will pass try taking him for a walk in his buggy everyday itll take a while cause babies are stubborn but it will mean hes happier to be out on occassions when you want him to be and be more relaxed with it cause a new place means new smells that are not mommy and that is what they find most secure maybe take himon outings in a carrier

Jaime - posted on 12/11/2009

I really think his up all night is directly coorilated with outings. Even though I keep him on his eat, wake, sleep schedule on our outings he must be getting over stimulated. As far as his regular 2 feedings a night- he usually goes down between 6:30-7:30 every night. We do have a bedtime routine that we stick to but he still wakes to eat around 1am and again at 4. I've been weaning him off the 4:00 feeding by only offering him an ounce less every week and a half or so. I breastfeed, but this feeding I give to him in a bottle. It's been working, so we'll see. I still don't know what to do about his sleepless nights on days we go out. I really want him to get used to coming along and I want to socialize him!

Ashley - posted on 12/11/2009

I'm glad I read this one! My baby usually wakes up twice a night too. Even if he sleeps or doesn't sleep during the day. His first sleep for the night (usually around 9:00) he sleeps about 4-5 hours and then wakes up for about an hour and then falls back asleep for 2-3 hours. I usually feed him because I automatically think he's hungry and that's why he's awake. I'll have to take your adive Nicole and try to take away his one feeding.

Nicole - posted on 12/10/2009

My daughter was born on the Sept 1st and she has been sleeping though the night since week 4. I make sure we have a very regular bed time routine and I do not feed her at night if she does wake up. Every couple of weeks she wakes up and I just change her and rock her back to sleep. I was told by so many people that once they sleep through the night do not feed them if they wake because they will get onto that schedule of wanting to eat at night. If you have taken away that 4am feeding I would stick with it because you son just needs to get his schedule adjusted and it may take him some time.

Erin - posted on 12/10/2009

If you are going on an outing is he sleeping during this time? Maybe he is getting too much sleep during the daytime. Try keeping him awake longer during the day and see if he doesn't make up for it at night? Also at night don't turn lights on, have a dim night light, keep it dark so as not to think that it is ok to be awake then...

Jenene - posted on 12/10/2009

something is def bothering him!!!mmm...it sound like gramps or the feeding is not enough during the day what is his feeding times are you stil breast feeding?is his stools fine during the day?