One thing you learn very quickly when you become a mommy is that sleep is
not something you get very much of! If you get 2+ hours in a row you are
excited! I remember after about a week of severe sleep deprivation I was
wondering when Brody would sleep longer. Here are some important facts and tips
to help your baby stretch sleeping.
1) Swaddle your baby. Your baby will sleep more soundly if they feel like
they did when they were in your womb not long ago. This also keeps them from
flailing their arms and waking themselves up. Plus swaddling a baby helps prevent SIDS. Just make sure the swaddle you use is thin in material so your baby does not overheat. 2) Let them sleep. There are many opinions on how long to let your baby sleep before waking them up. For a full-term baby, you can let them sleep up to 4 hours (starting week 2) before waking them up to eat. A four hour stretch for you and your baby is healthy and good! It will also help your baby be hungrier and hopefully eat better and quicker. And let's face it, that really only means 2 to 2 1/2 for you after you get the baby back to sleep and then you fall asleep yourself!
3) Make sure your baby gets very full after each feeding. Babies, especially newborns, are very likely to fall asleep while eating. They are likely to fall asleep before they are actually full. Try to keep them awake until they have had a full feeding (at least 20 minutes on each side for newborns). Use wet wash cloths on their face or undress them to keep them awake. Otherwise they will snack and be awake again shortly after you finish.
4) Ask your doctor when you can start stretching it out. You can usually start at about month one (if your baby is healthy and growing like they should), but sometimes it is closer to month 2. When you are cleared to do this, let the baby sleep until they wake up to eat. Do 1-3 before bed and after the feeding to try and ensure they sleep.
Hope this helps you and your baby get some sleep!!
Thanks for reading and until next time!
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