The Best Tips And Tricks For A Newborn Fighting Sleep

Is your newborn fighting sleep, when all you want is to get some sleep yourself?  These are tested and approved tips and tricks to help your newborn (and you) get some sleep.

Bringing home your newborn is the easy part, but what happens when you have a newborn fighting sleep?  If you’re anything like me, you are looking for all the help you can get so your baby can get some quality sleep.

As a mom of 4 myself, and a home daycare provider, I am giving you my top tips for combatting your newborn fighting sleep.

You are going to learn about all the newborn fighting sleep tricks from the bedtime routine, newborn sleeping must-haves, and more.

After learning about all of these newborn sleep tips, you are going to be able to help your baby get some sleep, and get some sleep yourself.

Let's jump into the best tips every mama should know when you have a newborn fighting sleep.

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Why I Know So Much About Newborn Fighting Sleep!

My 3^rd baby had an extreme case of fighting sleep.  But not every baby that is fighting sleep will have it that bad.

Story time!

My first baby was like a dream baby.  Got on a schedule right away.  Slept through the night by 3 months.  If she did wake up, she would sing herself back to sleep.  Ahh, bliss!

I thought having a baby was so easy, if all babies were like this, we should have a bunch.

Baby 2 came along, and after we figured out what he needed to eat, he fell into a great routine as well.

But then, WHAM!!!  Baby 3 came along and those rose-colored glasses we were wearing got ripped off and stomped to pieces.

He had this fussy time for at least 2 hours every evening – all out-scream crying is more accurate.  This went on from about 2 weeks old until about 7 months old. 

Did I mention it was every day? EVERY DAY!

There was nothing we could do to prevent this or make it stop, and after some research, I knew we weren't alone in this.

But with all that fussing, we think it affected his ability to get onto a decent overnight sleep schedule.

He would wake up in the night crying (thankfully not every night but a lot) and nothing seemed to do the trick.  And we tried everything.

Eventually, we moved a pack and play as far away from our bedrooms as we could and let him cry it out. 

He got through it, and we got through it.  Now he is a great sleeper.  He also has a great booming voice with a jolly disposition.

And not to leave my 4^th out, he was a lot like my first. 

Before you move to the cry it out method, try these other newborn sleeping must-haves, tips, and tricks.  Save the cry it out as a last resort.

Swaddle

Sound Machine

When your baby is in your tummy, the noise he hears is amplified all the time.  Even when he is sleeping.

I found that my babies, and daycare babies, sleep so much better with a sound machine.  Use it for naps and at night.

It gives them something to focus on while canceling out everything else.  And you don’t have to be as quiet as a mouse whenever your baby is sleeping.

Night Light

When your baby is new, he usually cries in the night to tell you something – he is hungry, he needs a diaper change, or sometimes he just needs a snuggle. 

Don’t turn the top light on!  This will let him know that sleep time is over.

Instead, have a night light that gives off enough light so you can see what you are doing.

Crib

1. Knowing When to Get Your Newborn Ready For Bed

You need to be aware of when your baby is tired.  He will show you cues.  This is when you should be getting him ready for bed.

As time goes on, it will be easier for you to know what to look for.  It just takes practice.

Here are some tired cues to look for with your newborn, found on Raisingchildren.net.

• Pulling at ears
• Closing fists
• Yawning
• Fluttering eyelids or difficulty focusing
• Jerky arm and leg movements
• Frowning or looking worried
• Sucking on fingers

When your baby is over tired, bedtime may become a struggle and it can turn into your newborn fighting sleep.

Here are some signs to look for when your newborn is over tired, found on Whattoexpect.com.

• Has a hard time settling down for sleep
• Only takes brief catnaps
• Doesn’t get a lot of sleep at night
• Very cranky or fussy
• Less able to hand frustration or pain

2. Have a Bedtime Routine

Now that you know what cues to watch for when your newborn is getting tired, let’s talk about how to get him ready for bed.

Starting a bedtime routine when he is about 2 weeks old or so key, even though he won’t sleep through the night right away.

By doing this you are teaching him that bedtime is near.

A simple routine may include a bath, feeding, a little snuggling, then laying him down when he is almost asleep.

Try to not let your baby get into a deep sleep in your arms.  He will always want to sleep there and cry when you put him into bed.

3. Sleep Train Your Baby

You need to help your baby get on a sleep schedule, and it is going to take a while.  This takes patience and practice so don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work in a day or 2.

What is that saying, do something for 21 days and it becomes a habit?  This is true for your baby too.

So, start working with your newborn on getting great sleep when they are about 2 weeks old.  And stay consistent with his bedtime routine and where he sleeps.

As I said, it is going to take a while!

Some people say newborns don't need to be trained to sleep, and to that I say – they are dead wrong.

Sure, your baby knows how to sleep but they don’t know how to be on a schedule for great sleep.  

And all kids thrive on a schedule.

If everything just isn’t working, and your frustration seems like it may be getting the better of you, put your newborn down in his bed, close the door and let him cry it out. 

This is the worst to listen to, but sometimes you need to take a break.  And this is OK!

You can have your baby monitor on him to make sure he is fine, just turn the volume off.

When to Talk to Your Doctor

If your newborn has been fighting sleep for more than 2 weeks, or you may think there is something to be concerned about, contact your baby’s doctor.

They have heard way more questions and stories about newborns than you can imagine and can be a wealth of knowledge for you.