-
Hi Paven,
It sounds like you’re doing a lot of great things for your little one, and I completely understand how challenging bedtime can be with an 8-week-old.
There are a few factors that might be contributing to the bedtime challenges you’re experiencing:
1. Newborn Sleep Patterns
At 8 weeks, your baby’s sleep patterns can be quite unpredictable – meaning their bedtime can and often does vary from night to night. This is because their circadian rhythm—the internal body clock that helps regulate sleep—isn’t fully developed yet. As your baby’s circadian rhythm matures around 4 months, you’ll notice bedtime becoming more consistent, typically falling within the same 30-minute window each night.
2. Late Bedtimes
Many newborns naturally have later bedtimes, often around 9, 10, or even 11 PM. Based on the timing of your baby’s last nap, it seems like you’re aiming for a bedtime around 7:30 or 8 PM. If your little one isn’t falling asleep at this time, it might be helpful to track when he actually settles into a deep sleep each night—the point where you can put him down and he stays asleep for a few hours. While the exact time might vary, tracking this can help you identify a pattern, even if it’s later than you expect.
3. The Period of PURPLE Crying
Another important thing to keep in mind is that at 8 weeks, your little one is likely reaching the peak of the Period of PURPLE Crying. This is a completely normal developmental phase characterized by increased fussiness, where your baby may sleep in short bursts, feed frequently, and want to be held almost constantly. (Not sure if you’ve had a chance to watch the video on this in Peaceful Dreams?)
During this time, it’s common to interpret these signs of fussiness as cues that a baby needs to go to bed, leading to what we call “bedtime false starts.” This is when your baby appears to fall asleep after being rocked, only to wake up shortly after, and this cycle can continue for an hour or a few hours before they finally settle into a deeper sleep.
Given that you’ve been finding bedtime challenging for a few weeks, and considering that the Period of PURPLE Crying typically begins around 2 weeks of age, gradually increasing and peaking between 6-8 weeks, it’s possible that this could be contributing to the difficulties you’re experiencing.
Does this sound like what you might be going through with your little one?
Emma