[redbonec]

Our new baby is 4 weeks old today, she has been with us for 2 weeks. My question is on sleep.

Do you ever wake a little baby?
She has been taking 4 hour naps during the morning the last three days, and now has been sleeping 4-1/2 hours, and it is 8 p.m. Kind of worried about how this will mean for tonight--will she be partying in the wee hours?
SHe does wake once or twice at night to eat, but around 4:30-ish she wakes to eat and then is wide awake, and does not go back to sleep well until 8 a.m., just when our 3 year old is waking up! Which means my day goes from 4:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. with no nap break (3 year old no longer has naps).

Should I try to change anything at this point or is she too young? Just let her sleep whenever for how long?
This long sleep is new to me--our older daughter never slept long like this!

[anilorak13ska]

I'm no expert, but if she's up for good at 4:30 am, I would try to alter her nap schedule. I'd wake her up from her late afternoon nap so that she has a few hours of play/excitement in the evening before bedtime. My niece (who's now almost 5) used to nap whenever, and her mom never messed with it. But she also didn't get to bed until very late, 11pm, sometimes later.

I've heard of influencing sleep patters with mealtimes, but with such a small baby, I don't think that works since they still feed so frequently.

But I wouldn't let her nap past 6pm, and then keep her up until 9 or so. You don't mention if she's got a little longer stretch of sleep at night. If so, then if you can just move the start time, it should also move the wakeup time to a more reasonable hour.

Again, I'm no expert, but I've noticed that with our FD, she's started to go to sleep sooner in the evenings once she started daycare. Apparently all the excitement wears her down. She also sleeps better after having been outside, or even falls asleep in her stroller while outside. The fresh air seems to wear her out. You could try that.

Best of luck! I can't imagine how you're operating trying to juggle both of your DD with their different sleep schedules! wow. I'm pooped just thinking about it!