getting 2-mo-old to sleep by bedtime? - Infant Care (up to 18 months old) Message Board

Ol'Line Rebel · 04-15-2008, 07:21 PM

Like everyone else, my husband and I are trying to get a reasonable sleep for ourselves with our new baby. For me (who is not working so is the 1 really responsible for baby esp. at night), that means even "going to sleep around 11", never mind sleeping the night. I'm not counting on the latter yet, but I would love to go to sleep the same time my husband does - we're all in the same room but I'm the 1 still awake 2 hrs after he dozed off!

We've tried giving baby lots of formula milk (which may be backfiring - almost literally; see other thread if I get around to it) the hour or so before to fill him up so he won't be hungry constantly. But it seems he doesn't want to go to sleep - even if he isn't hungry, he's suddenly in the fully awake/alert mode, either "active" or "quiet". Basically, it seems he can be awake a full 5 hrs before he will sleep in the bassinet (another problem - he hates the flat hard surfaces on his back and often wakes up instantly unless dead tired).

I think I notice something of a pattern - he seems to be "fully awake" for hours in the late morning-early afternoon, then sleeps alot for many hours in the afternoon-early evening (all daytime, he doesn't eat much). Then he's awake mid-evening (~9) until average 1:30 in the morning, then finally he can sleep much of the time through the "mid-morning" (~9).

Does anyone know if there is something to remedy this pattern? Should we just try to force waking/sleeping, changing the timing gradually in increments? (I find it almost impossible to force him to wake up or go to sleep if he really wants the opposite.)

(Also, we've had days recently where he won't sleep AT ALL essentially all day, or where he sleeps excessively.)

LEJ79 · 04-16-2008, 05:04 AM

My DS, around that age, went through a phase were he wouldn't go to sleep before 11 pm. Thankfully, he eventually started to adjust his bedtime to a more reasonable hour. Now, we're trying to keep him up a little bit later so that his Daddy can see him when he gets home from work! I'm not sure if this made a difference or not, or whether it was simply a coincidence, but we started waking him up at the same time every morning, regardless of what time he went to bed at night. Once I started waking him up at 7 am every morning, he started to adjust his bedtime to an earlier hour. Now, at 6 months, he goes down anywhere from 7 - 8 pm and wakes up between 5:30 - 6:30 am.

maggieloop · 04-16-2008, 04:01 PM

I think that all babies are different. Fortunately, I didn't have sleep problems with my 3 girls, but my sister to this day (hers are now 16yr and 12yr) go to sleep superlate.

I don't agree with putting them on a strict schedule, waking and sleeping, the babies are usually up for a reason--be it hunger, needing a change or needing comfort. Keep on trying to put the baby down at whatever time you deem appropriate and eventually he will sleep through the night for you.

I know how hard it is when you are the primary caregiver. I have a 4yr, 2yr and 8 month old and my hubby is gone most of the time (military), so I can really feel it when I don't get enough sleep. My only other suggestions about sleep is for you to sleep when the baby sleeps. If he goes down for an hour in the afternoon, you should take a nap also. The laundry and dishes will still be there when you wake up!

LauraLu · 04-16-2008, 04:15 PM

Do you have a crib set up for him yet? I would suggest moving him into his own room now. I wouldn't wait much longer because he's going to "sense that something is off." Right now, he still won't now.
Also, is it possible that you're going to him too often? I'm not judging, just asking. Because he is so close, you will hear every little sound and therefore, want to go to him instinctively. Don't. Give him a few seconds to a minute to see if he'll get settled. Definitely go to him after this if he's still not calmed down.
I know it's frustrating. It'll happen soon. Give him time. Good luck!

Hope2Heal · 04-18-2008, 12:21 PM

HI

A lot of people may yell at me for saying this, but I figured out my son just didn't sleep well on his back and preferred sleeping on his belly. He did for like the first week. He would twitch, wake up easily, etc. he wouldn't sleep for more than 2 hours at a time. By around 6-8 weeks of the constant waking and crying, I put him on his belly one night and he slept like four hours! AT first I was nervous with SIDS and all, but personally I am not a believer in the belly sleeping as a cause of SIDS that is just my opinion I am sure others will disagree. Anyway, he bagan sleeping longer stretches immedietly. I was very careful to not use any blankets or clothes with hoods, or things that bunched up. HE wore stretch suits with feeties that were lightweight. I kept a monitor on at all times if i was not in the room with him and for the first 6 months I put a double bed in his room and we slept in the same room. Once he could roll over both ways I moved back into my own room. When he started daycare at 4.5 months they only allowed back sleeping because of SIDS. My son never slept well there and was often irritable. He often fell asleep in the swing and then they would place him on his back in the crib and he would wake up. Finally when he was able to roll himself on his belly himself at daycare he began to sleep better. I know a few people who said the same that thier babies never slept well on the back. It is funny now that he is 19 months, he hates sleeping on his belly and always falls asleep on his back!