CASE STUDY: 6 weeks old, catnapping all day
*this is a case study from a real-life mum who reached out for help. We share our case studies in the hope it may help other mums who are in the same, or similar, situations. Not everyone parents in the same way, so please do not judge, criticize or demean these mothers and the parenting choices they have made in the best interests of their babies and their families.
Baby: Max
Age: 6 weeks
Mother: Leah
Room: Dark room, white noise, swaddle, baby hammock
Naps: Short catnaps
Nights: Some good, some bad. No two the same!
CASE:
Little Max was Leah's second baby and she was really struggling with his sleep right from the get-go. She had learnt from her first baby that newborns get overtired really easily and this affects their ability to fall asleep and stay asleep, so, based on advice she had been given that babies this age can only stay awake for an hour maximum, she was putting Max down for his naps after an hour of awake time. He had to be settled to sleep each time with rocking or bouncing, however once asleep he would only ever sleep for 30-45 minutes. Leah started to feel incredibly frustrated as she was constantly either feeding the baby or getting him to sleep, then barely had any time to spend with her toddler, have a shower or grab something to eat before Max woke up again.
Leah got in touch with Little Ones and we quickly ascertained that, desperate to avoid an overtired baby, Leah was was actually putting Max to bed too early, after not having had enough awake time to make him ready for a decent sleep. We told Leah to follow our Sleep Program closely and stretch out Max’s awake time as per the Guide. It only took two days before Leah was able to put Max in his bed, awake but definitely ready for sleep and he happily drifted off by himself in record timing! He started sleeping for longer than 30 minutes at a time and mum was able to get a much needed break.
CONCLUSION:
Max was simply not awake for long enough between naps, which meant he then wasn't tired enough to sleep for more than one sleep cycle. Being ready for sleep at the right times meant Max was far easier to settle, able to go to sleep on his own without Leah needing to rock or feed him to sleep and he then slept for longer periods, getting good quality naps. It also meant that Max and his toddler sister were having good long naps at the same time across the middle of the day, allowing Leah to have a really decent rest herself.
Leah contacted us a few weeks later to say how much Max’s day sleep had improved and his nights were more predictable and had started to consolidate!
"I really can't thank you enough! I had no idea about the importance of awake times in a baby this age - all the generic advice I had was leading me to think there was something wrong with my baby or my parenting skills, when all I needed to do was keep him awake for longer between his naps! This Program has literally saved my sanity."
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To get your baby sleeping better, our Baby Sleep Programs have everything you need.
For more baby sleep advice, read:
OVER & UNDER TIREDNESS: your sleep enemies
