FTM w/ a 4WO that won't sleep for longer than 2 hr stretches

[whitj77]

I have no idea what changed but it began a few days ago... my LO began refusing to sleep for anything longer than 2 hour stretches, and began waking up every hr and a half or so. If we're lucky she'll sleep for 2hrs maybe even 3.

She used to sleep so well but as soon as that 4 weeks hit she's been more fussy and not sleeping well.

Additionally, she isn't nursing long/well (10mins at a time before releasing the breast on her own) and sleeps best with contact and not in her crib. She's also wanting to nurse more often as well. Is this usually what happens at 4 weeks old? I've seen so many things on google and posts in general that say that babies should be increasing their sleep stretches at this age... why does it seem like my LO is regressing?

I'm so exhausted from constantly bfing. I get little sleep and I have so much anxiety from hearing any noise my baby makes (it makes sleeping so hard).

 

[birdbrain27]

@whitj77 It’s normal, babies have development leaps that affect their sleep and need to feed. I noticed a change at 6 weeks, it was exhausting.
Until 10 weeks he was very inconsistent, then got better but everything went to hell again now at 12 weeks.
Babies are hard

 

[whitj77]

@birdbrain27 This is another reason why I have concerns most sources claim that babies will have their growth spurts around 2 weeks, 6 weeks, x months, so on and so fourth but nothing ever talks about the in between. So I just worry that something is off

 

[birdbrain27]

@whitj77 Unfortunately we can’t always rely on the textbook I thought I would have a break after he settled at 10 weeks but I was wrong, and I have a very fussy baby! He’s high needs and only wants me to hold him and comfort him, refuses dad and grandma.
And this boy hates it when I try to get him to sleep, the last 3 nights have been horrible… I’m at my wits end with the stress it gives me

But don’t worry, your LO is just discovering the world and that gets them excited which affects sleep. Hope it gets better!

 

[whitj77]

@birdbrain27 Thank you for your insights!!

I hope it'll get better soon too.. for both of us

 

[deborahinhighlands]

@whitj77 We co-sleep, I have a bedsite bassinet but it's also hit or miss sometimes so I feel you. My baby is 8 weeks and I am JUST starting to get to 3-4 hour stretches overnight. Up until 8 weeks she was waking every 2 hours to feed, short feedings too!

 

[dman2718281828]

@whitj77 My baby was born small and she does this. She's growing and that's all I think it is. She 4 weeks as well.

 

[phoenixrisinggirl17]

@whitj77 I think that’s pretty normal. My little guy did the same with sleep and it’s because he had to eat every 2 hours sometimes every hour due to us exclusively breast feeding. It just gets digested quicker so they need to feed more often. My son will not sleep in his crib or bassinet for longer than ten min so his naps are always contact naps. We also decided to safely cosleep and thank goodness we made that decision because we are both getting decent sleep and it’s just easier for me to breast feed. We’re starting to get five hour stretches at night but sometimes it’s still 2-3 but I can just feed lying down so plop him on the boob and we both dose back off. I’ll just say my son is 11 weeks tomorrow and he still eats every 2 hours like clock work.. sometimes every hour in the evenings (cluster feeding) .. still contact naps but it’s gotten easier with time. The first 8 weeks were pretty overwhelming.. hormones, lack of sleep, new baby, adjusting to everything but it gets better. Hang in there, you got this!

 

[kaysee]

@whitj77 I went through that in the beginning he was 3 weeks and wouldn’t sleep for more then 2hrs and he had to be sleeping next to me and he had to be soothing on the breast all night. Like i felt bad because he was born tiny and would grab the breast like he is holding on to dear life.

Needless to say i was severely sleep deprived because of the soothing and contact sleep.

But around 2.5 months he started sleeping for longer stretches 5-6hrs, stopped soothing on the breast all night, and stopped screaming his lungs out when i put him in his bed. Now he is 4.5 months and sleeps for like 10-12hrs.