My 7 week old will not sleep at night. Please help!

Kristen - posted on 07/10/2012

I am having the same problem and I am returning to work in two weeks and I am up all night with my 7 week old and I am stressed out about how I'm gonna go back to work with no sleep at night I have been up all night again with her she just refuses to sleep I don't know what to do I'm really frustrated and tired

Emma - posted on 06/06/2012

Baths before bed help to. The baby monitors kept my baby awake, she slept better without them. And when she shared a room with my boyfriend and I she would wake up and wouldnt sleep so well. Shes in her own room now with no noises, a dark room, and she sleeps great.

Emma - posted on 06/06/2012

Hey what helped me in the beginning was to try and get my baby into a routine. Shes a very good sleeper now, she doesnt wake up in the night anymore. I tried to set a routine and kept her up before the ideal bedtime that i wanted for her. We decided on 8:30. So at 3 or 4 id keep her up, i wouldnt let her nap and it was hard sometimes. She was very determind to sleep so id play with her, put her in the bath, anything to keep them up. Its very hard in the beginning but pays off.

Fiona - posted on 06/03/2012

My sons didn't like it when it was really quiet, so slept downstairs with my hubby with the TV on low. They were in a crib and he slept on the sofa. Try a radio or some womb or whale sounds.

Meredith - posted on 05/06/2012

Not that I want to distress you but my son did not sleep all night until he was 3 years old. First it was the colic, then ear infections and by then he was in a habit. At one year of age I had to let him start sleeping with me because I went back to work and had to sleep. And then, like a miracle, one morning I woke up, the sun was shining and he was still sleeping! After that a bomb couldn't wake him up. He was healthy & basically a very happy child but one that would only sleep if he was in my arms. He's 30 now, a year old baby of his own and when he complains about Logan not sleeping, well...I laugh.

NICOLE - posted on 04/17/2012

Your baby should be waking every 2-3 hours to eat. Try and keep him up during the day more, make it kinda dark( this is when they like to open their eyes). When you put him to sleep at night turn the lights on. Seems crazy but it worked for us.

Belinda - posted on 04/16/2012

white noise (washing machines/dryers...etc)

meditation cd's playing softly

warm bath before bed (though, sometimes it can have the opposite effect and wake them up)



I remember hearing a scientist on tv saying that boys shouldnt sniff too much lavender as it effects their hormones, so try something with cammomile instead.



Have you tried swaddling him tight, does he like his feet out? (my kids hated their feet being covered) My youngest would only go to sleep if a blanket was over his head/face....so try finding out if he has any quirks.



Keep a dim light in the bedroom, so he eventually learns that its night time, and try not to give too much stimulation. Feed in his bedroom at night, rather than say the loungeroom, to help him understand that night-time is not play time.



For obvious reasons, try to avoid sleeping with him, though I am quilty of that too! lol



The biggest thing is perserverance...things do get better!

Toni - posted on 04/15/2012

He is 7 weeks old, he NEEDS to feed every 2-3 hours. If you are not getting enough sleep at night, then sleep whenever you get a chance to. If you have to, sleep on the couch with your son on your chest. I did that alot with my son when he was young, because the sound of my heartbeat helped to sooth him to sleep.

A baby that young does not understand that day and night are different. Try to start a day time/night time routine.

I found with my son that only having him in his cot at night and having him out in the lounge with me during the day (even if he was asleep) helped him figure out day/ night differences fairly quickly.

Janeta - posted on 04/14/2012

When my daughter was first born she didnt sleep well at night I bought some lavendar baby wash lotion and baby powder & I would give her a lavendar bath put lavendar baby powder on her and rub her down in the lotion and then I would put her in her swing and she would drift to sleep pretty easy & when she woke up for feedings if she had a hard time going back to sleep then I would put more lotion on her & it would relax her enough for me to put her back in her swing for her to fall back asleep! You can also try swadling him/her in a soft blanket as well. good luck!

Olivia - posted on 04/14/2012

Congrats on new baby!!

I know just riding it out isn't what you want to hear. But.. that is what I'd do. I started a routine from the moment we got home, and of course it wasn't always perfect but... after a while my daughter knew the difference between night and day. I suggest when its night time dim the lights in the house and keep a evening routine going. Our routine was always interupted and things always changed, but now she is 6 months old and trying to stick to a routine since day one has really helped us be in a real routine now.
All you can really do is go with the flow at this point. In a few weeks this will all be history, and hopefully you will have a good solid nights sleep! I know the feeling, but just get as much sleep as you can and hang in there! We are all here for those late nights you can't sleep. If nothing else vent on here. Soon enough it will all be in the past. When people would tell me this I'd be like yeah right.... :) But really just go with the flow.

Hope this helps a little at least.

-Olivia

Charlotte - posted on 11/03/2011

When my son was younger he was up every 2-3 hours for a feed anyway, but i used to give him a bath before bed using that Johnsons Bedtime Bath, which worked wonders. Also if you wrap the baby in a blanket with his arms tucked in, that normally works as it reminds them of the womb.

Marquita - posted on 11/03/2011

While every child is different have you tried white noises (vacuum cleaner, sitting his chair on top of the dryer while you run it may be soothing). I agree with the other moms too it takes time and the baby is very new to the world and you cannot compare them to other children if you have them because kids are different. Maybe you could try a sling they are wonderful they make the baby feel like they are in the womb they are curled up in a tight space. They can lay close to you, stay warm and hear your heartbeat.

Taylor - posted on 01/17/2010

another thing that we do with my daughter is to wrap her up supertight in a blanket like they show you how to do in the hospital. we give her her passy and rock her to sleep and in like 10-15 minutes shes gone. so far all these things work really well. i was in the exact same boat as you a couple weeks ago and now things are fine. the problem is that they are fighting sleep. they dont want to go to sleep so they struggle and cry. the cereal fills them up and then the blanket makes them feel like they are nice and warm inside you again! let me know if these dont help!!

Kristal - posted on 01/17/2010

it does get better as they get older . my daughter was easy . try putting him in a swing or some babies like to either sleep on their side or tummys . or try puting something next to them because maybe he likes the feeling of something next to him and thats why when u put him in his basket he cries because he doesnt feel anything next to him .

Emma - posted on 01/17/2010

i agree with taylor as we used to bath roxanne and that worked a treat some times she was so relaxd in the bath shed drop off in it! and with how much she has in the day is defo a key as roxanne had 7 7oz bottles during the day and 1 in the nite so it reali duz help xx

Taylor - posted on 01/17/2010

btw my little girl is 7 weeks old too so i really think that will help!!

: )

Taylor - posted on 01/17/2010

a really good thing you can do is give him a bath right before you feed him for the last time that night. lavender baby wash helps alot bc it helps to make him tired. when you make the last bottle of the night put baby cereal in it. i use the rice cereal and it seems to help a lot. my little girl only wakes up once at night and sometimes not even that. (ps it depends on how much your baby is eating as to how much cereal to put in with the formula. lily is eating 5 oz and i mix 3 tbsp in with it.)

add me if you want to talk!! : )

Emma - posted on 01/17/2010

a lot of mum may not agree to this and i suggest u read up on it also so u no the proper techniques but with my daughter i tryed controld crying and after a few nights she onli started waking up 1s in the night as she learnt the difference between night and day also anouther thing we tryed was in the day wed sit her up on our legs and make cooing noices at her it not onli kept her awake and very amused as we could tell wen she started smiling at 6 weeks old but at 7 weeks shed also learnt to coo aswell wich kept her happy and tired her out a bit so of a night she wanted nuffin but sleep so have a read on a few thing to do in the day with them at that age as it reali inpacts on how they sleep of a night! good luck xx

Amber - posted on 01/17/2010

it is normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night, my son at that age was waking up every 2 to 3 hours to eat. My son is 7 months now and is sleeping through the night.... Good Luck to you... If your ever wanna chat add me on facebook.

Hannah - posted on 01/17/2010

my son didn't sleep through the night till he was i think 26 months. it's completely normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night.

Hana-Lily - posted on 01/12/2010

Your 7 week old baby will not sleep through the night but my baby did from a very early age. What I would suggest is, if bottle feeding... Feed your baby at like 7ish and just before you go to bed even if its just like 2 hours later, wake your baby up and feed him again so he's completely full.. Then go to bed. That's what I have been doing and still do (my baby is 5 months) and he sleeps until half 8 in the morning! hope this helps, if you want a chat ever add me on facebook or msn:... hanajones659@hotmail.com xx

Ashley - posted on 01/09/2010

Your 7 week old baby should not sleep through the night they get up every 2-3 hours to eat, and sometimes takes a while to get back to sleep you have to rock them sooth them or just hold them until they fall asleep, trust me ive been through this its normal

Cassy - posted on 01/07/2010

Takes time, it's normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night. My son didnt sleep through the night till 3 months, before that he'd be awake every few hours but as they get older they start sleeping longer and longer till eventually they're only up for maybe one feed a night.

September - posted on 01/06/2010

Give it some time. He is only 7 weeks old and is still adjusting to the outside world. Most babies that age are unable to tell the difference between day and night. Here is a great website that will provide you with some additional information. Enjoy your new baby!

http://www.helpingyourbabysleep.com/

Amber - posted on 01/17/2010

it is normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night, my son at that age was waking up every 2 to 3 hours to eat. My son is 7 months now and is sleeping through the night.... Good Luck to you... If your ever wanna chat add me on facebook.

Hannah - posted on 01/17/2010

my son didn't sleep through the night till he was i think 26 months. it's completely normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night.

Hana-Lily - posted on 01/12/2010

Your 7 week old baby will not sleep through the night but my baby did from a very early age. What I would suggest is, if bottle feeding... Feed your baby at like 7ish and just before you go to bed even if its just like 2 hours later, wake your baby up and feed him again so he's completely full.. Then go to bed. That's what I have been doing and still do (my baby is 5 months) and he sleeps until half 8 in the morning! hope this helps, if you want a chat ever add me on facebook or msn:... hanajones659@hotmail.com xx

Ashley - posted on 01/09/2010

Your 7 week old baby should not sleep through the night they get up every 2-3 hours to eat, and sometimes takes a while to get back to sleep you have to rock them sooth them or just hold them until they fall asleep, trust me ive been through this its normal

Cassy - posted on 01/07/2010

Takes time, it's normal that your 7 week old will not sleep through the night. My son didnt sleep through the night till 3 months, before that he'd be awake every few hours but as they get older they start sleeping longer and longer till eventually they're only up for maybe one feed a night.