What happened to my good sleeper?

[joker]

The last two nights Alison has been up every hour or so and it is wearing on me. She has been home for four nights. In the NICU they had her on a three-four hour feeding schedule, which we were advised to try to keep...ok. sounds good to me.

saturday night I wound up feeding her twice after just an hour and a half and she only took about a an ounce both times, so last night I was determined not to do that again, so she would fuss, I would pick her up, she would fall back to sleep, and an hour later it would start over again...then, like clockwork she would be hungry at the three hour mark and I fed her.

But the frustrating thing is that inthe NICU she would actually sleep for the three hours in betweeen feedings and now, during the day, she is sleeping for the hours in between feedings like she needs to, but just not at night. I am just not sure what to do to get her to sleep the three hours at night like she does during the day. ugh. Plus, now I am exhausted from two nights of little to no sleep. Any suggestions or thoughts?

[amanda]

One thing that I was told was that their surroundings are just so different. For example: Alison got use to hearing the beeps, hearing talking, etc - that was her norm. Now, it's quiet - that's what I noticed at least.

Plus it sounds like you have a little night/day syndrome going on. One thing that I did was to keep it really really bright during the day and quiet and dark at night. It took a few days but eventually worked.

[heather j]

I'd aim for about 15-30 minutes of wake time with her during the day immediately after a feeding (you could just hang out and talk to her, walk her around, let her enjoy watching the pups, anything but sleep). You may have to work really hard to keep her awake, and her age I wouldn't expect a lot more than 15 minutes or so before she's thoroughly exhausted :). At night, I'd keep the lights as low as you can while still being able to see what you're doing, change her, and feed her. She may be ready to start taking a smidge more at a feeding. You could make extra and see what she does.

It will get better. It really will. The first six weeks are the hardest.

ETA: And oh, yeah! Swaddle that baby girl as tightly as you can. Works like a charm, but it needs to be vice grip ;).

[fancy19]

swaddling saved our sanity and we wish we started earlier.....we also bought a white noise (sound machine) which might help you as well.

[lilliputianmama]

I second the swaddling. Sleep is soooo tough with the wee babes. Our first daughter would only sleep while being held.

[fancy19]

For at least the first month home after the NICU ours would only sleep on our chest....oh how I don't miss that, along with having to feed her every 2hours 24hr/day to get her weight caught up.