Mum Zone's resident Sleep ExpertNatalie of Sleep and Settle is available to answer some of your questions about settling your baby and more.
Topics include: Sleeping and settling, moving from bassinette to cot, cot to bed, breastfeeding/formula, solids, floorplay for babies and play for toddlers/children, wrapping/sleeping bags/dressing baby, behaviour/tantrums, what's normal? bedroom environments, music, lights, entertainment, mattresses, mattress protectors, sheets, unsettled babies and the 0-12 week afternoon arsenic hours, reflux/colic, teething, worms, toilet training, night terrors/nightmares, the older child issues 5-10 years and single parenting/separation/divorce.
My baby is five weeks old and I have just started a self settling technique, she generally feeds (by bottle) then is awake for about an hour (sometimes not happily), I then wrap her and put her in her cot, when she cries I go in and calm her down, she is taking about 30 minutes to go to sleep. My problem is she only sleeps for about 30-40 mins then wakes up crying and I can't settle her back down so I generally end up putting up with the screaming until 2.5 hours since her last bottle and feed her again. I am not sure whether I should be resettling her (even though I have tried) or feeding her after she wakes and thus giving her smaller feeds throughout the day but every two hours. She is alright at night - generally has a good 6 hour sleep then back to every 2.5-3 hours. Please help I just want a happy baby when she wakes!!!
Natalie's Response
Hi,
I appreciate that you are frustrated and tired and would like to enjoy a happy baby.
My answer is a general one without further baby history.
Consider the following:
Baby's uptime increases every 6 weeks. 0-6 weeks total uptime is 1 hour, 6-12 weeks total uptime 1-1.5 hours, 12-18 weeks is 1.5-2 hours etc. Your baby's uptime is their time to feed and play, however I want you to see your baby's uptime as their chance to be 'tanked up' and 'worn out'. Uptime is your baby's chance to 'earn their sleep' and therefore be able to sleep better. The suggested uptimes are internationally recognised general times that your baby is happy to be awake for. Sticking with them prevents your baby getting overtired and making it twice as difficult to get your baby to sleep.
I like to encourage the sleep, feed, play routine for baby's 0-6 months. At the beginning of the uptime (wear a watch) work out what time the uptime will end and then plan to manage the feeding and playing in the suggested uptime. Offer the feed at the beginning of the uptime so you are not limiting the time for feeding, the feed is the priority in the uptime. If breastfeeding try for a minimum of 20 minutes on the first breast before swapping to the second side and offer both breasts in each uptime. If bottle feeding, encourage the feed in the first 3/4 of the uptime and allow baby to demand feed. Sometimes baby may want to whole bottle in one go and sometimes with a break in the middle. Whatever time is left over after a feed is play time until your baby gives you at tleast three tired signs at the end of their uptime. Playtime is floorplay and tummy time in every uptime from birth. Floorplay and tummy time is importnat for neck strength, brain and eye development, physical development and 'wearing out' the baby so they are ready to sleep! Try not o allow your baby to spend time in bouncers, rockers, under playgyms etc, this is not floor play!
The bedroom environment is also important. Make sure the cot isn't in the direct pathway of light, the room is dark, have a large, firm and secure wrapping technique (I can wrap a 1 year old and they struggle to get out of my wrap), tuck the sheets in tightly, no night light and appropriate background music in baby's room that covers general household noises.
Use a self-settling strategy that you feel comfortable with that encourages you to be with your baby when they are upset and only leaving the room when your baby is ready to put themselves to sleep. My gentle self-settling strategy is available at www.sleepandsettle.com.au. 'Props' such as dummies do not allow babies to self-settle to sleep. Baby needs to be able to put themselves to sleep without any device.
Encourage a sleep of 1.5-3 hours during the day, until arscenic hour sets in (usually around 3pm). If baby wakes under the 1.5 hours cranky, attempt to resettle them for 30 minutes. If they don't resettle then they get up and you start your uptime again, feeding, playing and then sleeping. Remember you are only putting them to sleep because they are ready for bed, you have finetuned their sleeping environment and wrapping, and you have allowed them to self-settle to sleep. In arsenic hour 3-11pm baby is more likely to sleep for only 45-60 minutes because they need more frequent feeds and awake stimulation time.
Does your baby have reflux or colic? I say either not both because it is unusual for babies to have both. In my Sleep Package at www.sleepandsettle.com.au I go in depth with the physical signs to help you identify which problem your baby has and simple things you can try to make them feel more comfortable and encourage better sleep. Reflux and colic babies are in pain and it is hrader to sleep but not impossible.
For all unsettled babies I recommend you see a Paediatric Chiropractor especially if you recognise that your baby had a traumatic birth. Our spine channels the nerves around the body to the organs and limbs. If your baby's spine is out of allignment (especially from the position in the womb or birth), a nerve may be pinched causing pain and or affecting the functioning of an organ. Babies with reflux, colic, poor head control, general unsettledness and stiff necks that prefer to look only to one side, really respond well to Chiropractic. Paediatric chiropractors only use a soft hands approach and there is no neck twisting.
The opinions expressed on these pages are of a general nature and are by no means a substitute for professional advice. Therefore neither Mum Zone or Natalie Ebrill of Sleep and Settle are liable for any actions pertaining to the use of the supplied information.
Mum Zone's resident Sleep Expert