Help! Fighting sleep!

[Piglet's Mama]

My LO is 6 weeks tomorrow and as of the last 5 days, she has really started to fight her sleep in the day. She gave us a real fright on Saturday when she would not stop screaming, we were terrified as she rarely cried up til that point, let alone screamed! I had my Mum out and everything! Turns out she was massively overtired and subsequently since then, she has started to get really upset when she's tired; she gets in a right state, crying & kicking her legs! The last few nights between 5-9 have been a nightmare as she refuses to settle for a sleep between this time & her staying up for 4 hours straight between this time, is having a real knock on affect on her sleep in the night; she has gone from going 4-5 hours in the night to waking every 3 - it's exhausting.

Can anyone tell me if this is just a phase? Her sleep used to come so natural to her in the day, she'd fall asleep on me, I'd put her down & she'd happily nap for a couple of hours. Now if I put her down, she's wide awake again. I swaddle her at night and I've just swaddled her now, put her in her carry cot & come in the next room. This seems to have worked - please god! But will this pass or am I going to have to enforce her nap times in the day? She was doing so well on her own & I don't want to enforce something I don't have to, but if this is going to continue I'll have no choice - especially if I stand any chance of getting her to sleep through the night eventually! She is a very alert baby & she gets so excited by everything around her & I don't want to restrict her but by the same token I can't hack her screeching on & off for 4 hours cause she's knackered! Any one in the same boat or can anyone offer advice? X

 

[KellyHook]

Hi Hun, Hope your ok?

Charlie doesnt seem to sleep very much in the day either, maybe have 20mins then he is awake again, not getting much chance to do any housework! between 5-9 is apparently very common for babys to be unsettled, i asked HV about it and she says its just him being over-stimulated, does Brooke show any signs of colic, as that is ment to kick off early evening? not that was much help, it has got alot better, either that or i just havent noticed as he doesnt seem to sleep!

Hope someone can help!

x

 

[Piglet's Mama]

Hi hunny, thanks for the reply.

Brooke just really fights it in the day, she'd rather waste even more energy on screaming the house down then realise if she goes to sleep it'll be less hassle. I have been trying to wind her down after every 90 mins-2 hours that she's been awake and sometimes she settles, sometimes she really fights it - when she does go off she only sleeps for 30-45 mins. I don't know what to do really. I keep reading that she shouldn't be awake for more than 2.5 hours at a time and needs a good 2-3 naps a day, including a 2-hour one at lunchtime but I'm buggered if I can get her settled for that period of time (unless we're out in the car/pushchair) even if she is shattered.

How's Charlie getting on? How is he sleeping in the night? x

 

[BabysMomma]

My LO is sooooo like yours! And that's been from day one! I've got to the point now where I just have to set her down and let her scream whilst I do what's needed.

If I didn't she wouldn't get fed as I wouldn't get her bottles sterilised and made etc iykwim.

She barely sleeps/naps at all and if she does its 40 winks in the car seat/pram/in arms. My LO is very alert as well and doesn't like to miss a thing

Sorry i don't have any advice, just wanted to let you know that you're not alone Sometimes it helps to know that its nothing you're doing when you know of someone else who is experiencing the same situation.

Massive x

 

[frankie707]

Oh Ladies, I feel your pain - G got like this at about 5-6weeks old and I fought him for daytime naps for quite a while. For me i stuck him in the sling to get him to sleep or timed going out in buggy or car to coincide with his naps. I'm sorry to say that for me it didnt get properly better until 5 months when he firstly found his fingers to suck and secondly I started doing self soothing at night and for his daytime naps in his cot. So overall it was just a phase but it was exhausting whilst it lasted, maybe I could have tried the self soothing thing earlier?

 

[KellyHook]

Hi hunny, thanks for the reply.

Brooke just really fights it in the day, she'd rather waste even more energy on screaming the house down then realise if she goes to sleep it'll be less hassle. I have been trying to wind her down after every 90 mins-2 hours that she's been awake and sometimes she settles, sometimes she really fights it - when she does go off she only sleeps for 30-45 mins. I don't know what to do really. I keep reading that she shouldn't be awake for more than 2.5 hours at a time and needs a good 2-3 naps a day, including a 2-hour one at lunchtime but I'm buggered if I can get her settled for that period of time (unless we're out in the car/pushchair) even if she is shattered.

How's Charlie getting on? How is he sleeping in the night? x

He is getting on just fine thanks apart from the non-sleeping in the day, but still not really any trouble! he is going from 11.30pm - 5am and then im up before he wakes for his next feed, so not to bad, still room for improvement like all night would be great, o well only a couple hour off sleeping all night.

xx