OK, so I know that there is not really any sleep habits for a newborn, but I'd love some advice anyways.
My DD's 'schedule' goes something like this:
8pm bedtime
1:00am wake and feed
4:00am wake and feed
5:15am - awake for the day! NOT hungry
6:45am - nap
8:00am -wake
9:15am - 10:15 nap
noon -1:30pm - nap
3:00 - 4:00 nap
6:00 - 6:30 cat nap in the baby bjourn
8:00pm bedtime
She is fed at least every 3 hours, and is breastfed. She is swaddled and we use white noise.
I do not mind her schedule so much but the 4am feeding then a 5 am wake up for the DAY is killing me. Any suggestions?
Yep. I know exactly what you're going through. Unfortunately there's not much you can do about it but ride it out. She won't start sleeping through the night until she puts on some pounds.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to take naps when she's napping. Looks like she's got a few good stretches there. Hang in there, it won't be like this forever :)
This is completely normal. Keep in mind the rapid rate at which newborn babies grow. They need the feedings so frequently to support their development. Sleep depravation is a tricky thing for moms, and can lead to depression. If you don't have other children, you really should try to sleep when your daughter does. You cannot possibly set a schedule for a baby of this age. That will change as she gets bigger and grows older. That's the light at the end of this tunnel.
Good luck!
I know I may get slammed for this but this is what I did out of SHEER desperation (I also had a VERY high maintenance two year old at the time)
I put my daughter on her belly to sleep, I would put her in the co sleeper next to me and prayed that mother's instinct would wake me up if she stopped breathing. She was not swaddled. I would do this for naps as well, if she was in the pack and play or it I was around. If she was alone in her room, I would put her on her back, and she would only sleep for 45 minutes or so. I know the stats on SIDS, and never would have done this but I had no help from DH (working over nights) and I was dangerously sleep deprived so please save your judgement everyone.
Also, because she would usually sleep 8-1030, then wanted to be up until midnight or so, I started giving her a bottle of formula at bedtime, which seemed to hold her over (she was breast fed for all the other feedings). Maybe this would work for the 4 am feeding for your child?
I would suggest as little interaction at 5:15 as possible, letting her know it is still 'sleepy time'. Keep it dark, try not to talk or play with her, leave her in the crib/bassinet if she's not crying and see if she will fall asleep on her own again. And if she has not wanted to eat don't encourage it. This will eventually help close the gap so she will sleep til around 7. The nap schedule looks great for the day and the night looks typical. The 5 am wake up is common but happens in phases so it will pass, hang in there and if she is happy, stay in bed yourself!
It seems she is doing a stretch from 8 till 1. My kids did that stretch from 11-4 or 5 which I preferred at that age. What I did was bathe at night around 8 which kept them up for a while and then also relaxed them a bit. It doesn't work for everyone but worth a try. Good luck!! I remember those days, it will get easier!!
My son does the same thing! Of course now he has adjusted ever so slightly because instead of doing his 4-5:30 stint (which he used to do), he now goes 8pm-12am and then wakes up again at 1:30am not hungry but simply fussing. I get him back to sleep and he'll sleep till 5:00am and then wake up for the day at 6:30am. Way to tiring for momma. He is a little younger then your baby though.
