Post by bocaburger on Aug 23, 2016 14:34:11 GMT -5
Ok I feel like I'm not doing this newborn thing right. They pretty much just eat and sleep. There is a lot of fussy time from 12-6am but almost no awake time during the day. They fall asleep nursing and then we just put them down. Am I somehow stunting my kids' development by not doing enough with them during the day?
Specific questions:
- When should we not swaddle? Right now they are pretty much always swaddled because it helps them sleep. But I realized if they are always swaddled they won't learn to use their arms and legs.
- How do I get them to sleep more at night and less in the day?
- Anything else I should be doing to work on their development? We manage about 5 min a day of tummy time on the mat. Otherwise I have no idea what to do.
Ok I feel like I'm not doing this newborn thing right. They pretty much just eat and sleep. There is a lot of fussy time from 12-6am but almost no awake time during the day. They fall asleep nursing and then we just put them down. Am I somehow stunting my kids' development by not doing enough with them during the day?
Specific questions:
- When should we not swaddle? Right now they are pretty much always swaddled because it helps them sleep. But I realized if they are always swaddled they won't learn to use their arms and legs.
- How do I get them to sleep more at night and less in the day?
- Anything else I should be doing to work on their development? We manage about 5 min a day of tummy time on the mat. Otherwise I have no idea what to do.
Please don't worry. My handouts from my pedi for 2 weeks-1 month says up to 22 hours of sleep a day is normal. Every baby starts quiet alert at different times.
I basically only don't swaddle during feeding for now, but as she adds awake time I'll not swaddle. It does end up more than they recommend, but my other option is container sleep (swing/car seat) or stomach sleep, so...
Wake for feeds every 3 hours if not waking in their own. Keep day bright and noisy and night dark and quiet. Nurse at night or give milk pumped at night because it contains melatonin. By 6 weeks their bodies start to figure out day and night.
ETA: the waking applies to daytime so the "long" stretch happens at night.
Interacting and reading whatever you want are great at this age. It really doesn't take much, honest. Love them and talk during routine stuff (diaper changes, when they wake up), and you are truly golden.
Newborn phase IMO is all about survival..for both the parents and the child(ren). You are doing nothing wrong.
Specific questions:
- When should we not swaddle? Right now they are pretty much always swaddled because it helps them sleep. But I realized if they are always swaddled they won't learn to use their arms and legs.
>maybe swaddle less during the day, but contribute to swaddle at night basically until the lose the reflex or when they can roll over.
- How do I get them to sleep more at night and less in the day?
>I used to try to keep lights on during the day and do only a loose swaddle. I also didn't try to keep noise down. And around "nighttime" I would change DD into her "PJs" and turn down the lights. I also then swaddled.
- Anything else I should be doing to work on their development? We manage about 5 min a day of tummy time on the mat. Otherwise I have no idea what to do.
bocaburger DD sleeps every bit of 22 hours a day at this point (3w4d). I plunk her on her tummy forva few minutes when she is alert or talk to her, but I don't stress about her development right now.
I stop swaddling early bc my kids roll early. There's no reason to stop swaddling if your kids like it.
Day/night confusion is common. Make sure to expose them yo light during the day-- open the curtains first thing in the morning, take them for short walks outdoors, etc. Then gradually darken the house in the evening.
As far as cognitive development, no, there's nothing you need to be doing. Talking, singing and reading to them are great, but don't stress over it. In a few weeks, their vision will improve and then you can start usingbthings like mirrors, or toys/books with lots of contrast but for now their job is to eat, sleep and poop.
Post by spicysalmonroll on Aug 24, 2016 1:10:52 GMT -5
bocaburger trust me I want to punch my husband every time he tells me to keep him awake during the day so that he sleeps at night. I'm like he's supposed to sleep all day ....and he wakes at night because he's hungry or crapped himself, not because he's not tired!
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