How many naps should my 6 week old be having during the day?

[Jacksonla]

He's only been having 1 or 2 long naps during the daytime & he must be over tired because of it. He is awful at night, I feel like I'm continuously feeding (i am BF) and he hardly ever goes down for more than an hour. It used to be every 2 hours but I'm thinking he probably slept more during the day during the early weeks (I can't remember!).

If they sleep more during the day does it help them to sleep at night coz they are not over tired?

He just doesn't show me that he's tired much during the day so I think I need to just put him to sleep somehow myself.

[Hidden]

My daughter is 7 wks tomorrow & "honestly" changes every day. a few nights ago I even woke up 1st to check she was O.K as she didn't wake up in the night for her usual 3 hr feed.

It's definitely common for most babies to sleep more during the day "than night" but babies are funny little things & can't bare staying awake for longer than a 4 hour stretch anyway so I don't think it interrupts their sleep during the night too much.

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has he always just slept for an hour at night as he might b having a growth spurt...my son whose 13 weeks now naps whenever...some days 2 naps some days 5 or 6. x

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Oh you are so lucky....my baby did not nap in the day until he was about 10 weeks old!! He was so sodding nosy and lively he didnt like to sleep except maybe two 10min snoozes. He did sleep through the night from young though so can't complain. Ice found as he gets older and does more, he gets more tired and now naps twice a day for about an hour a time. Apparently sleep helps them sleep more so maybe encourage naps. James responds to a way I hold him....he knows when I hold him that way that I'm trying to get him to sleep as I think he's tired so will go off. Maybe your baby has that with you? Babies are so different it's hard to judge lol x

[Jacksonla]

Thanks for your replies! The more I read on the internet the more confused I get about what is right or wrong when it comes to baby sleeping! I think it's safe to say there is nothing "normal" and every baby is different. He is 6 weeks tomorrow so still very young. He was 2 weeks early & weighs between 8 & 9lbs (haven't had him weighed for 2 weeks).

He's been particularly bad at night for a good 5 or 6 days now. Maybe it is related to a growth spurt? Before that he was going down for about 2-3 hours between feeds at night but now he doesn't even get an hour, then he feeds, then gets fussy, then gets trapped wind, then won't go down in his Moses basket at all & will only go back to sleep on me. I'm so tired! I'm starting to get concerned that he's getting used to falling asleep on my chest but then I still think he's probably too young to get into any bad habits just yet?

I thought it could have been because of his lack of daytime naps but after doing some more reading I'm not sure that necessarily makes a difference.

Its just such a learning curve, I have no idea what I'm doing really!

It's just nice to hear from other people xx

[Hidden in reply to Jacksonla]

Lol join the clueless club haha! People do tend to overact about stuff at times that in turn scares you and makes you wondering if you are doing the wrong thing...like I ended up going to bed with my baby quite a few times throughout his life so far, even recently when he had a few bad nights and there are people that say don't do it as they'll get used to it and not go back to bed alone. But he does go back to bed alone in the end. Sometimes babies just need extra holding, extra cuddles, extra feeding, etc. When they don't need the extra anymore, they soon let us know lol. I feel for you being so tired at the mo. It's so hard when you're exhausted isn't it!

It could very much be a growth spurt....really disrupts their little routines! x

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Sounds Like he has got his nights and days round the wrong way. ... its hard to try and change it. ..I know u must be knackered but try getting up and hour earlier getting baby up and awake.. lights on a much daylight... my son day starts at 8 of ur getting up early anyway then try and get him up and awake for a while. .. if he'll happily suit in his bouncer for a while so that play music...and doing what u can to keep him active and awake as much as u can also very hard! But they do need to nap sometimes frequently is just u want the longer times at night and the frequent ones in the day Keep him cooler don't cover him over just leave him in his sleepsuit and say from 7 start his Evening routine bath let him have a good kick about dry nice moisturising session and a feed the keep lights down no tv in ur room and try and settle.. my little one will cluster feed from 7 ish and by 9 ish is on a good sleep... if u need to wake him in the day u could also stick him in the bath it Wakes them up for a bit... just trying think of different things for u... it is so hard I do feel for u we are sleep deprived already but not settling at night is really hard x

[Hidden]

I think as Fattyboom has mentioned it's prob a good idea to try and recognise when your baby is tired and put them down for a nap. Put them in the same place each time so they start to understand that a certain action or environment means time to nap. Sleepy signs are yawning, red eyes, staring into space etc...

Maybe chat with your HV and see what they suggest? I don't always agree with mine but is always good to hear their thoughts.

Have you got Moses basket propped up one end? Also try to keep the same nightime routine. Try to keep the room dark all the time and I avoid nappy change during night unless it's a dirty nappy. Sorry if you've heard all this already!

You'd be surprised how they change their habits in just a few weeks so don't despair it really will get better!

[xanon]

When he has a feed does he have one boob or two?! My LO started eating every hour and I was losing plot but she has both at every feed now and goes 2 hr+