Does this sound like a normal sleep pattern for a 2 month old?

[evasimone]

My DD is breastfed and sleeps from around 9:30-4:00 and then from 5:00-8:30 or so. She doesn't take naps basically she'll fall asleep while breastfeeding for 15 minutes or so but that's it. I believe she's tired because as the day progresses she goes from happy to clingy and miserable. By my calculations she's only sleeping 10.5 hours out of 24 hours. Should I be concerned? Is their anything I can do to encourage a nap?

[sarahtee]

Does she fall asleep nursing in your arms or laying down? I would always nurse my ds laying down in bed and sneak away after he was asleep. He never slept that well at night though, I hope she keeps that up for you!
I'd also recommend a book called 'the no cry sleep solution' by Elizabeth Pantley (library should have it). She has some good tips. Good luck!

[sarahtee]

Originally Posted by sarahtee Does she fall asleep nursing in your arms or laying down? I would always nurse my ds laying down in bed and sneak away after he was asleep. He never slept that well at night though, I hope she keeps that up for you! I'd also recommend a book called 'the no cry sleep solution' by Elizabeth Pantley (library should have it). She has some good tips. Good luck!

Eta: I am referring to naps when I ask if she is sleeping in arms or in bed

[EmilytheStrange]

Do you try to put her down for naps? If so, how often and how?

Normally it could be a short nap every 2-3 hours.

Do you try swaddling and laying down?

[Kelsey5783]

Yeah that's similar to us. If you're only getting up once or so during the night then consider yourself lucky- many people are up more than that. As for daytime, when my LO falls asleep after breastfeeding and I try and lay him down in his bassinet I usually get about 10 minutes (at which point I make a game of seeing how many dishes I can wash or loads of laundry I can do in that length of time). If I hold him in my arms he will sleep longer. You can try side laying while BFing in an area you can leave her if the movement wakes her up.

As for the fussiness, we used to get it in the evening and would fondly call it the witching hour- and I would feed until he slept, put him down, he would wake up, and repeat. This would go on three or four times before he stayed asleep. Now when gets fussy and refuses the breast, I walk around and sing him to sleep. Pacifier helps him calm down too, but he spits it out when he falls asleep.

Double swaddling (swaddle blanket and a tight blanket over tucked in the bassinet helped us too.

Maybe a swing? Music? Try different things.

Good luck mama.

[Kelsey5783]

Originally Posted by Kelsey5783 As for the fussiness, we used to get it in the evening and would fondly call it the witching hour- and I would feed until he slept, put him down, he would wake up, and repeat. This would go on three or four times before he stayed asleep. Now when gets fussy and refuses the breast, I walk around and sing him to sleep.

Oops did I say used to get this. Happening as we speak except its DH who walking him around. Ugh!

[evasimone]

Thanks everyone. Glad to hear she's not too abnormal.

Originally Posted by sarahtee Does she fall asleep nursing in your arms or laying down? I would always nurse my ds laying down in bed and sneak away after he was asleep. He never slept that well at night though, I hope she keeps that up for you! I'd also recommend a book called 'the no cry sleep solution' by Elizabeth Pantley (library should have it). She has some good tips. Good luck!

I nurse her in my arms and then try to lay her down. Maybe that's part of my problem because she always wakes up. I am grateful for how she sleeps at night but when I do the math it seems like she could use at least an hour nap (or at least mama could lol) .. thanks thanks for the book recommendation I am going to see if my library has it.

Originally Posted by EmilytheStrange Do you try to put her down for naps? If so, how often and how? Normally it could be a short nap every 2-3 hours. Do you try swaddling and laying down?

I do try to lay her down about twice a day. I've had some success with getting her to sleep in her swing but that's about once a week where she'll dose off. I'll usually nurse her and put her in when she's drowsy and if I am lucky she'll start to fixate on a spot in the room and she'll fall asleep. I also will take her for walks in the stroller and I can usually get her to sleep mostly for 15-20 minutes occasionally she'll sleep an hour. I only swaddle at night which is sort of silly when I think about it

Originally Posted by Kelsey5783 Yeah that's similar to us. If you're only getting up once or so during the night then consider yourself lucky- many people are up more than that. As for daytime, when my LO falls asleep after breastfeeding and I try and lay him down in his bassinet I usually get about 10 minutes (at which point I make a game of seeing how many dishes I can wash or loads of laundry I can do in that length of time). If I hold him in my arms he will sleep longer. You can try side laying while BFing in an area you can leave her if the movement wakes her up. As for the fussiness, we used to get it in the evening and would fondly call it the witching hour- and I would feed until he slept, put him down, he would wake up, and repeat. This would go on three or four times before he stayed asleep. Now when gets fussy and refuses the breast, I walk around and sing him to sleep. Pacifier helps him calm down too, but he spits it out when he falls asleep. Double swaddling (swaddle blanket and a tight blanket over tucked in the bassinet helped us too. Maybe a swing? Music? Try different things. Good luck mama.

Thanks for the ideas, I'd read that babies are usually fussy at night but she'll start getting Crabby around 1:00 and then it progresses until she manages to fall asleep about 8 hours later. Thanks for the ideas, maybe she is sleeping so well at night because she rarely naps. Hmmm...