Hi there!

My 4 week old daughter, is generally very content. I breastfeed her every 3 hours, and try to get her to nap about 1/2 hr to an hour later. At 10-10:30 pm I give her last feed, and she sleeps until 4am-5am. I then wake her up at 7-7:30 to start the day again. At her 10pm feed and 4-5 am feed, she is fast asleep by the time I finish.

However, during the day I always try to keep her up, just so that she is not used to sleeping at my breast, and to give her some activity. She is always super happy and content. She rarely cries, whether she is lying on her back in her crib, or in her chair, or during tummy time. BUT…she usually screams bloody murder when I swaddle her and get her ready for her naps throughout the day. Best case scenario, she only cries for 15-20 minutes before she falls asleep in my arms, worst case scenario she does not sleep at all b/c she is crying so much, and I give up and she stays up perfectly content (cooing and checking out the scene around her). I then feed her again (b/c 3hrs have passed), I burp her and she’s fast asleep in her crib.

I guess I have several questions:
1. Is it normal? I feel completely useless when she is crying hysterically.
2. Is she getting enough sleep? She seems perfectly happy if I let her be, until I prep her for sleeping?
3. How can I facilitate her naps?
Sorry about the length – I just don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.
Marisa

Dear Marisa:

First of all you are trying to schedule her life. She is 4 weeks old and she has no sense of time let alone a schedule.Try letting her eat when she is hungry, go to sleep when she is tired and not swaddling her when she is screaming. NOW is the opportune time to teach her that listening to her body is a good thing. It is more important than her doing what she needs to do to get with someone else’s schedule or program.

I think the only thing you are really doing wrong is trying to hard. Relax, have fun with her she will only be this little once and you can’t get these days with her back. Build lots of good, fun memories for both of you!

M Kay Keller

Hi there!

My 4 week old daughter, is generally very content. I breastfeed her every 3 hours, and try to get her to nap about 1/2 hr to an hour later. At 10-10:30 pm I give her last feed, and she sleeps until 4am-5am. I then wake her up at 7-7:30 to start the day again. At her 10pm feed and 4-5 am feed, she is fast asleep by the time I finish.

However, during the day I always try to keep her up, just so that she is not used to sleeping at my breast, and to give her some activity. She is always super happy and content. She rarely cries, whether she is lying on her back in her crib, or in her chair, or during tummy time. BUT…she usually screams bloody murder when I swaddle her and get her ready for her naps throughout the day. Best case scenario, she only cries for 15-20 minutes before she falls asleep in my arms, worst case scenario she does not sleep at all b/c she is crying so much, and I give up and she stays up perfectly content (cooing and checking out the scene around her). I then feed her again (b/c 3hrs have passed), I burp her and she’s fast asleep in her crib.

I guess I have several questions:
1. Is it normal? I feel completely useless when she is crying hysterically.
2. Is she getting enough sleep? She seems perfectly happy if I let her be, until I prep her for sleeping?
3. How can I facilitate her naps?
Sorry about the length – I just don’t know if I’m doing the right thing.
Marisa

Dear Marisa:

First of all you are trying to schedule her life. She is 4 weeks old and she has no sense of time let alone a schedule.Try letting her eat when she is hungry, go to sleep when she is tired and not swaddling her when she is screaming. NOW is the opportune time to teach her that listening to her body is a good thing. It is more important than her doing what she needs to do to get with someone else’s schedule or program.

I think the only thing you are really doing wrong is trying to hard. Relax, have fun with her she will only be this little once and you can’t get these days with her back. Build lots of good, fun memories for both of you!

M Kay Keller