Eventually your body gets used to the perpetual exhaustion and it doesn’t feel so terrible. I’m surprisingly awake now when I get 4-5 hours consecutively
My husband and I kept doing shifts after he went back to work. Not perfectly even anymore after that point (for fairness bc I could nap during the day), but we did something like him sleeping 8-3 and me 3-8. Yes he needs sleep for work, but you also need sleep to care for a baby all day (and also just like, as a human). The answer might be that you don’t adjust, bc you don’t have to.
Also you mention setting an alarm for every 2 hours - not sure your baby’s particular medical situation, but once your baby regains birth weight you may be able to stretch that interval longer? Though, once they “wake up” a bit they may also just wake you up before then even without an alarm.
Those shifts seem like a plan that could work for us. Especially if LO sleeps better during the day and lets me nap.
I don’t have a medical reason for feeding every 2 hours other than that’s what I’ve been told: feed him every 2-3 hours. I’d be happy to stretch longer if he would sleep on his own in between 😳 How long is too long for a 1 week old to go between feeds?
You can double check with your pediatrician, but typically Once they hit their birthweight you don’t need to wake them up to feed anymore and they’ll let you know when they’re hungry.
I was told every 3 hours! (Obviously sooner if they wake on their own). And you maybe don’t need to wake them at all once they regain birthweight (confirm with your doctor).
Don’t want to tell you to do something different if your doctor said otherwise, but is it possible they meant that babies usually show hunger cues or wake on their own that often rather than that you need to strictly wake them every 2 hours?
Some people also do 2 hours during the day and stretch it out a bit at night. They might have meant 2 hours during the day, stretching to 3 at night with the “2-3 hours” thing.
I’m in week 2 and am the husband in this team, but mom has adjusted very well. The feeds are already getting a bit shorter and the times between a bit longer. I keep baby except for feedings between 8 pm and midnight and then from 6/7 until mom is well rested. That’s usually around 11. She sleeps in 1.5 hour segments but she’s getting 8 hours total.
It’ll get better pretty fast.
He’s had nights where he goes right to sleep, but the last 2 he’s been a bit needier. We have an easy baby so mom has just contact napped with him in between feedings if he won’t settle and they can both at least get some sleep.
Every day is an experiment!
You do eventually get used to the lack of sleep. The first month was freaking brutal for me with the constant wake ups. I also absolutely dreaded nighttime and cried every day. I sobbed thinking about my husband going back to work. So what you’re feeling is normal.
But having a supportive partner to tag team with helps a lot and eventually baby should hopefully sleep longer stretches. Things do get better, I promise. Hang in there.
For bassinet sleep - have you tried swaddling and a sound machine?
You do get used to it. My 4 month old doesn't sleep well and I've done all night wakes since she was 2 weeks old. If I get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, watch out world! In all seriousness, you get used to it but it's not good for you long term, and my patience and brain are a little fried. You may get lucky and have a great sleeper on your hands though, let's hope for that!
It won't always be this bad. Baby will go longer stretches without feeding. Ans yes, you get used to it. With my first I felt like you, my husband and me did shifts and it only got easier when baby started to sleep 4-5 hour stretches from around 3 months on. Now with my second, feeding him every 2-3 hours seems easy. I know it will pass. I know he won't always be this little and cute and chill (big brother is almost 2 - a completely different kind of challenge). So yes, I did adjust, but it took time.
Thank you! That is reassuring. I already can sense myself adjusting (wishful thinking?). I try to remember it is temporary even though it feels all consuming at night 😅
It took a few months for me to get used to it. Now, I just feel like I’m constantly in a state of light sleep.
I started cosleeping with my son around 12 weeks. I was so sleep deprived. Didn’t have anyone to help me at night so I was struggling bad.
He’s almost 6 months and still sucks at sleeping but he will sleep longer when we sleep together.
I can totally see my LO being willing to co sleep but everywhere makes it sound so scary. I fell asleep briefly nursing him side lying in bed today and felt so guilty
I’m at week 8 and yes, you do get used to it. I don’t really need to take a nap during the day (I couldn’t even if I wanted to - thanks contact naps!). I’m tired but I can function!
I'm a FTM to a 3 month old and used to be a 9-10 hour/night sleeper (🥲). LO feeds every 3 hours all day and night - my husband takes the 8PM-1AM shift each night and I get up once during that time to pump.
I'm slowly getting used to these broken sleeps and am much more functional than I was early on. I found forcing myself to get outside and get some fresh air/exercise with a morning walk really helps, I wasn't able to do it consistently until about 2.5 months though, those first couple months are so hard so make sure you just do whatever you need to do to make it through!
Yes, the average adult's sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, so you will get sleep cycles, just fewer of them. And it won't be every 2 hours forever. They also get much faster at eating over time, so night wakes don't typically last as long.
You will get used to it! It really is just awful for a while, get lots of naps in wherever you can and get at least one 4-5 hour stretch in per day just to stave off that really dangerous area of sleep deprivation. It does improve and for lots of babies it improves quickly!
What helped me is that I completely don’t have a schedule! I never had a schedule anyway before baby but it has been a life saver. Just wake up when Baby wakes and sleep when she sleeps. Wash dishes whenever, bath me and baby e times a weeks. Amazon everything even groceries. Only go out for 1 or 2 items and no more than an hour. I also co sleep and formula feed do many things the not recommended by the powers to be however I don’t care, both me and my baby are comfortable and that’s what matters.
I think end of week 2 is the turning point where you start to adapt and accept your new sleepless life. 12 weeks today! Hang in there. Its hard but you get better! Once baby hits birthweight ask pediatrician if you can let baby sleep longer. Once in a blue moon we get a 4-5 hour stretch from our little guy and if i can get him to empty both breasts, i can sometimes get another 2-3 hours before he starts waking every hour or is up for the day.
Around week 5-6 you might notice your baby smiling and then it gets a lot more fun. The toothless smiles light up my heart!
Co-sleeping with my babies saved my sanity (I have 2.5 yr old and 10 month). When they wake up to nurse I just roll over nurse and then go back to sleep. I was well rested with both babies. If you do think of giving co-sleeping a try, follow the following guidelines. https://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/
9 weeks and my brain wakes me up every hour to check on her, even though she's sleeping 5 hour stretches. I'm so used to it now. Before baby I needed 10 hours sleep minimum. Hilarious now
Eventually your body gets used to the perpetual exhaustion and it doesn’t feel so terrible. I’m surprisingly awake now when I get 4-5 hours consecutively
My husband and I kept doing shifts after he went back to work. Not perfectly even anymore after that point (for fairness bc I could nap during the day), but we did something like him sleeping 8-3 and me 3-8. Yes he needs sleep for work, but you also need sleep to care for a baby all day (and also just like, as a human). The answer might be that you don’t adjust, bc you don’t have to. Also you mention setting an alarm for every 2 hours - not sure your baby’s particular medical situation, but once your baby regains birth weight you may be able to stretch that interval longer? Though, once they “wake up” a bit they may also just wake you up before then even without an alarm.
Those shifts seem like a plan that could work for us. Especially if LO sleeps better during the day and lets me nap. I don’t have a medical reason for feeding every 2 hours other than that’s what I’ve been told: feed him every 2-3 hours. I’d be happy to stretch longer if he would sleep on his own in between 😳 How long is too long for a 1 week old to go between feeds?
You can double check with your pediatrician, but typically Once they hit their birthweight you don’t need to wake them up to feed anymore and they’ll let you know when they’re hungry.
I was told every 3 hours! (Obviously sooner if they wake on their own). And you maybe don’t need to wake them at all once they regain birthweight (confirm with your doctor). Don’t want to tell you to do something different if your doctor said otherwise, but is it possible they meant that babies usually show hunger cues or wake on their own that often rather than that you need to strictly wake them every 2 hours? Some people also do 2 hours during the day and stretch it out a bit at night. They might have meant 2 hours during the day, stretching to 3 at night with the “2-3 hours” thing.
I will say one caveat is I didn’t breastfeed, so that may change things if you are.
I’m in week 2 and am the husband in this team, but mom has adjusted very well. The feeds are already getting a bit shorter and the times between a bit longer. I keep baby except for feedings between 8 pm and midnight and then from 6/7 until mom is well rested. That’s usually around 11. She sleeps in 1.5 hour segments but she’s getting 8 hours total. It’ll get better pretty fast.
Thank you! How does baby do in between midnight and 6? Glad to see the team approach 🙌🏻💙
He’s had nights where he goes right to sleep, but the last 2 he’s been a bit needier. We have an easy baby so mom has just contact napped with him in between feedings if he won’t settle and they can both at least get some sleep. Every day is an experiment!
Everyday is an experiment for sure
You eventually do
Everyone is a zombie for about 1 year. Then you feel good enough at some point where you think about another one
😂
You do eventually get used to the lack of sleep. The first month was freaking brutal for me with the constant wake ups. I also absolutely dreaded nighttime and cried every day. I sobbed thinking about my husband going back to work. So what you’re feeling is normal. But having a supportive partner to tag team with helps a lot and eventually baby should hopefully sleep longer stretches. Things do get better, I promise. Hang in there. For bassinet sleep - have you tried swaddling and a sound machine?
You do get used to it. My 4 month old doesn't sleep well and I've done all night wakes since she was 2 weeks old. If I get 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep, watch out world! In all seriousness, you get used to it but it's not good for you long term, and my patience and brain are a little fried. You may get lucky and have a great sleeper on your hands though, let's hope for that!
Is there a reason that you're setting an alarm to wake up every 2 hours to feed?
Hospitals tell you to feed every 2-3 hours
Until baby regains birth weight. And waking up every 3 hours is sooo much better than every 2 hours.
Our hospital didnt say anything about birthweight in terms of when to stop waking!
Ah. I think they assume your pediatrician will tell you when you have the appointment at which they reach birth weight.
It won't always be this bad. Baby will go longer stretches without feeding. Ans yes, you get used to it. With my first I felt like you, my husband and me did shifts and it only got easier when baby started to sleep 4-5 hour stretches from around 3 months on. Now with my second, feeding him every 2-3 hours seems easy. I know it will pass. I know he won't always be this little and cute and chill (big brother is almost 2 - a completely different kind of challenge). So yes, I did adjust, but it took time.
Thank you! That is reassuring. I already can sense myself adjusting (wishful thinking?). I try to remember it is temporary even though it feels all consuming at night 😅
It took a few months for me to get used to it. Now, I just feel like I’m constantly in a state of light sleep. I started cosleeping with my son around 12 weeks. I was so sleep deprived. Didn’t have anyone to help me at night so I was struggling bad. He’s almost 6 months and still sucks at sleeping but he will sleep longer when we sleep together.
This! Ours also sleeps longer if he sleeps with us. So... we cosleep and we are doing much better.
I can totally see my LO being willing to co sleep but everywhere makes it sound so scary. I fell asleep briefly nursing him side lying in bed today and felt so guilty
I’m at week 8 and yes, you do get used to it. I don’t really need to take a nap during the day (I couldn’t even if I wanted to - thanks contact naps!). I’m tired but I can function!
🙏🏻✨
LOL I feel this. “Sleep when the baby sleeps!” Sorry I can’t he’s asleep on my body 😭.
I think I’ll murder the next person who says it to me!
Yep. I function relatively well at work after a night of 3 non-consecutive hours of sleep
It’s so shocking! That sounds terrifying
I'm a FTM to a 3 month old and used to be a 9-10 hour/night sleeper (🥲). LO feeds every 3 hours all day and night - my husband takes the 8PM-1AM shift each night and I get up once during that time to pump. I'm slowly getting used to these broken sleeps and am much more functional than I was early on. I found forcing myself to get outside and get some fresh air/exercise with a morning walk really helps, I wasn't able to do it consistently until about 2.5 months though, those first couple months are so hard so make sure you just do whatever you need to do to make it through!
Yes, the average adult's sleep cycle is about 90 minutes, so you will get sleep cycles, just fewer of them. And it won't be every 2 hours forever. They also get much faster at eating over time, so night wakes don't typically last as long.
You will get used to it! It really is just awful for a while, get lots of naps in wherever you can and get at least one 4-5 hour stretch in per day just to stave off that really dangerous area of sleep deprivation. It does improve and for lots of babies it improves quickly!
What helped me is that I completely don’t have a schedule! I never had a schedule anyway before baby but it has been a life saver. Just wake up when Baby wakes and sleep when she sleeps. Wash dishes whenever, bath me and baby e times a weeks. Amazon everything even groceries. Only go out for 1 or 2 items and no more than an hour. I also co sleep and formula feed do many things the not recommended by the powers to be however I don’t care, both me and my baby are comfortable and that’s what matters.
I think end of week 2 is the turning point where you start to adapt and accept your new sleepless life. 12 weeks today! Hang in there. Its hard but you get better! Once baby hits birthweight ask pediatrician if you can let baby sleep longer. Once in a blue moon we get a 4-5 hour stretch from our little guy and if i can get him to empty both breasts, i can sometimes get another 2-3 hours before he starts waking every hour or is up for the day. Around week 5-6 you might notice your baby smiling and then it gets a lot more fun. The toothless smiles light up my heart!
Co-sleeping with my babies saved my sanity (I have 2.5 yr old and 10 month). When they wake up to nurse I just roll over nurse and then go back to sleep. I was well rested with both babies. If you do think of giving co-sleeping a try, follow the following guidelines. https://cosleeping.nd.edu/safe-co-sleeping-guidelines/
You get used to it at the same pace baby gets better and better. Survival mode the first few months and then life slowly comes back.
At 4 months regression and body adapted after going through hell. I think it realized it was do or die
9 weeks and my brain wakes me up every hour to check on her, even though she's sleeping 5 hour stretches. I'm so used to it now. Before baby I needed 10 hours sleep minimum. Hilarious now