Barely napping and not sleeping through the night

[L'sMommy]

DS is 10 weeks old and I feel like he's having major sleep issues so I am posting here to see if this is normal or whether I need to be concerned. During the day, I try to keep him on a 3 hr schedule: eat, change diaper, stay awake for 15-20 min and down for a nap. Unfortunately, he sleeps only for 20 minute stretches during the day. At this point, I've read that they are supposed to be tired much earlier, like 7:30pm. Well, that's not happening. He will not go to sleep in his crib that early. The earliest we can get him down is 10 pm. He will sleep for a long time in my arms but as soon as I put him down he's awake. I've also tried putting him down tired, but awake. When I do that in the day, he stays awake and won't fall asleep. At night, he starts crying. So, I'm not sure what to do. He is inconsistent at night...sometimes can sleep in 3-hr stretches and sometimes he's up every hour.

[twowhat?]

Since he's only 10 weeks old, he's going to be inconsistent with sleep - I think he's too young to get on a schedule. It already sounds like you're heading in the right direction with him sleeping longer stretches some nights. Just try to encourage any wakeful periods that he has during the day, and let him sleep when he needs to (though I'd wake him if he sleeps any longer than 3 hrs during the day). If you aren't already, you might try swaddling him (tightly!) - it will help him sleep longer. All babies that young will sleep perfectly in someone's arms, so swaddling will help mimic that.

[L'sMommy]

We do swaddle him, which he likes. It does help him sleep better. We must not do a good job of transitioning him to the crib from our arms because he's up 10 minutes later. When can I expect him to get on a somewhat consistent routine?

[SnuggleBuggles]

6m is about the time things usually fall into a routine. Sometimes a bit sooner. I really think of long naps starting around 6m, vs cat naps.

Beth

[Melaine]

I think what you are describing sounds normal and about what you can expect at that age. I know my girls didn't go to bed until late for a long time. They were fussy in the evenings until about 11 or so, then they would sort of go "to bed" (although still waking up for feedings). Does your LO take a paci?

[purple]

Is the room dark when you are trying to put him down earlier in the evening? I've learned that my baby is very sensitive to light cues, and will only go down for the night if it is very dark. Around here at 7:30 it is still a bit light out, so you may want to try room darkening shades.

[L'sMommy]

Yes, he does take a paci, but I'm not a fan of it. Reason being, once he is asleep in the crib it falls out of his mouth and when it does, he wakes up screaming for it to go back in his mouth.

Regarding the room being dark...we dim the downstairs lights around 7:30pm do its darker than normal, but not totally dark. His room is totally dark (very soft night light in the corner so I can see a little bit around the room). We've tried both (dim light and very dark) and right now we haven't noticed a difference. We'll keep trying to put him down when it's dark.

I think right now he feels most secure in our arms (can't blame him for that as the crib must seem vast to him). When he wakes up at night between feedings he goes right to sleep as soon as I pick him up. It's as if he wants to know we're going to come to him when he needs us and when we come and hold him he gets comforted and goes right back to sleep. I hold him for a couple of minutes and then put him down again....that usually works and gets him to stay asleep until his next feeding.

[LMPC]

It must seem like forever since you have had a decent night's sleep ;) but you seem to be doing some nice things that will help LO fall into a routine. I think consistency is the key -- don't give up! He'll get it soon! DD started sleeping more consistently through the night (waking 1 or 2x versus what seemed like 20!)...and yes, I did the paci dance (up and down putting the paci into her mouth a million times!). I agree that you should maximize his wakeful times during the day and keep things low key at night. At that age DD was "staying up" until about 10 or 11p. Not sure what my ped or other moms might think but at that age DD was also sleeping lots in her bouncy seat...she loved it! ( I mention that only since you talked about in your arms and the crib as places your DS sleeps)