Hi all! I would love some opinions. My 2 month old baby is up 3 times a night. I've been trying to put him down around 8 or 8:30 after a bath and book, and when he finally gets to sleep after a few times of going back in his room and soothing him, he's usually up again around midnight, then again at 2 or 3, and then again at 5. If I get him back to sleep after the 5:00 feeding he usually will be up again at 6:15, but not hungry. I've tried to just get him back to sleep at all these night wakings, but he always wakes up a few minutes later so I end up feeding him. His doctor says this schedule is a little strange for a 2 month old, and so many things I've read say he could be "sleeping through the night" (5 or 6 hours) at this age. He was actually sleeping longer when he was just a couple of weeks old. He does have reflux which I am trying Zantac for - could it be that he's not eating enough during the day and this is why he's so hungry at night? Thanks for your thoughts!
Thanks for your opinions everyone! It's good to know what others have experienced. I'll just let him tell me what he needs right now. :)
I've never heard that a 2 month old should be sleeping through the night. Generally when they hungry, you feed them. We are on their schedule. Sometimes w/ reflux it's easier for them to eat w/ closer feedings. Give their little body less food to process.
My DD (3 months) slept like that... it's only this month that she knocked out one of her wakeups... she WAS at 8:30 bed, 1:00 wakeup, 3:30 wakeup, 6-7:00 wakeup- then she would stay awake until naptime or sleep for another hour. She stopped doing the 1:00 on her own a couple weeks ago. *yay!*
Your baby sounds perfectly normal and healthy to me. He's only two months old, and it's not uncommon for babies his age to nurse two or three times a night, or every two to three hours. Most babies don't begin sleeping for longer stretches without eating until 3-4 months of age. The only suggestion I might have is to try putting your baby down for bed earlier at night. For an excellent resource on sleep, what's normal, how feeding is connected to sleep, and how to help your baby develop good sleep habits, I highly recommend Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, by Doctor Marc Weissbluth.What exactly does your doctor think is strange about your baby's schedule? How often does your baby nurse during the day, and how much does he sleep during the day? I ask because some very young babies have their days and nights mixed up, and sleep 4-5 hour stretches during the day instead of at night, in which case they may need help to adjust their eating and sleeping schedules. If this isn't the case for your baby, I wouldn't worry, and I might question the doctor further, or even consider looking for a new doctor!Best of luck to you- enjoy your little one, L.
it's not unusual for a 2 month old to still be getting up 3x/night. and newborns often do sleep longer.
just hang tight. it sounds like you're doing all the right things.
you will sleep again! (someday) :)
This schedule is completely normal for a 2 month old. Babies do a lot of growing during this time and so tend to be pretty hungry. My 10 week old was on the same schedule as your baby and this week has just started skipping the midnight feeding which has been really lovely.
My son at two months did the same thing, I thinks its normal. Im not sure why your doctor said that was strange. Every baby is different and has different needs. As he gets a little older it will get easier. He will wake up less and less, my son woke up to eat at night until about 9 months. But that was just one feeding at that time. Its get better, hang in there!
You can also try just letting him fuss a little in his bed to see if he just falls back asleep, sometimes I did that and it worked. But if he was crying I would go to him.
Hi, My kids are grown now, so if you don't mind a little old school advice. I started my baby's on rice cereal in a infant feeder at bed time (Advice from my mother who raised 5 children who were all on cereal at 6 weeks) I rocked my baby's to sleep with a full content tummy and laid them down once they were a sleep. I never made the mistake of creating the habit of going in their room once I put them down except to check on them while they were sleeping.
I also had a 10 gallon fish aquarium in their room with a soft blue light which also served as a soft nightlight, also the pump in the aquarium created what moms today call white noise, (I use the fan for me) but he movement of the water and the fish along with the soft blue light made for a very soothing and peaceful inviroment, I never had any real sleep issues with my baby's. Meredith said a lot of people claim their baby's sleep through the night, when they really don't, I don't know why 7:00 am is the magic time to wale up , to claim they sleep through the night, but many of my daycare baby's sleep through the night. I think sometimes parents are putting them down so early, so they wake up early. she claims she doesn't know any/many 2 months old who sleep through the night. Baby's will wake up when teething, but that's different than just not sleeping through the night, In my experience and opinion. J.
Three times a night starting at 8 or 8:30 sounds like a dream to me! At this point, your best bet is to focus on your own sanity - go to bed early, too, and keep him close by so the wakings are no more disruptive than necessary.
I don't want to read into what the doctor said out of context, but that sounds awfully strange.
Please find a new doctor! There is no "strange' schedule for a 2 month old. Ask your two month old what he thinks!
Feed him on demand and as often as he would like. I swear I fed my 1st son every 2 hours or more the first few months. I don't know if you are nursing, but breastfeeding is stilll getting adjusted right now. Your body is figuring out his needs.
Please don't try to schedule your child. Just feed as needed. There is no "sleeping through the night" for a 2 month old. That would be "strange".
Honestly, that doesn't sound unusual to me at all! I'm not sure if your doctor has ever had kids, but that schedule sounds pretty good for a 2 month old! My oldest didn't sleep through the night until he was three months old (and that quickly ended when he started teething). My youngest it took even longer!
Really...I've also found that a lot of people claim their baby is "sleeping through the night" when they really aren't...To me, sleeping through the night is you go to bed and they don't wake up crying or needing you at all until about 7am. I don't know any/many two month olds that applies to...
Good luck!
-M
HI Karin,
I am no expert, as I only have one son (who had colic), but we were able to get him to sleep through the night by nine weeks by following an every three hour routine of diaper and feed, wake and play and sleep. When I fed him, I made sure he ate for 20-30 minutes total, and if he fell asleep, I would wake him up...no snacking. :) For his last feeding at night, I woke him up to feed, and then as soon as he was done, put him right back to bed. I tried to keep the room dark and did not talk to him. :) We started this at 6 AM and 9 PM was his last feeding. Everyone I know who has done this has been able to eliminate the late night feeding.
Also, one important point that I learned...during the day his naps should be no longer than an hour and a half, because if he sleeps too long, that means his days and nights are reversed. This means that you will have to wake him up from his naps, but he will eventually follow along.
Hi there - I consulted with a sleep expert and these are some things I learned. Eating and sleeping do go hand in hand. Go to www.3daysleepsolutions.com and get Davis' video. A healthy baby can be sleeping up to 8hrs/night at 8 weeks. She has great tips for eating/sleeping AND she can help you out w/your babies reflux. You can contact her to consult...I did and it was the BEST $$ I ever spent! Good luck to you and your little precious one! :)
