How to Get a 2 Week Old Baby on Any Kind of a Schedule

If he was normal birth weight, you can let him sleep past 2 1/2 hours, just beware that they usually only have 1 long stretch, and if you want that to be at night, I wouldn't let him sleep too long of a stretch during the day. Also, my kids "cluster fed" in the evening and that helped get them though the night easier... try feeding at 5, 7:30, 9 and 11 pm - might get him to 3 or 4 am.... I used to pump and go to bed at 7:30 after the feeding and have my husband bottle feed at 9 and 11 -then I was ok getting up at 2 or 3 am....
also, Get the book "the baby Whisperer" it is a modified "babywise" (another book) schedule. basically it is the E.A.S.Y. method stands for Eat, active, sleep, you (your time). 2 weeks is pretty early to start on a schedule, but this book will help you to think about it. You do not need to read the whole book - it is easy to read in short bursts - perfect for a new mom. My only other advise is hang in there - once you get to 6 weeks things get easier!!!

They don't call it the fourth tri-mester for nothin'. Sorry it feels so rough right now. It does get better or you wouldn't see so many kids running around :-)

A two week old can't nor shouldn't be scheduled. However you can start them on a routine to help them transition into longer sleep cycles:
E- eat. Feed them when they first get up. No need to wake them unless they are going over three hours.
A- activity. Keep them awake with a diaper change, and some snuggle time with mom.
S- sleep. Lay them down for a nap and let them sleep at the first signs of tiredness.
Y- you. take some time for you to sleep, take a shower, mamasource, etc while they sleep.
The above routine should be roughly 2-3 hours in length from start to finish. My DD went 1.5 hours between feeds for the first 4 weeks, so our schedule was just 1.5 hours with EASY. She gradually lengthened to 3 hours when she ate solids at 4 mos..

I'd also recommend reading The Baby Whisperer by Tracy Hogg. It was a lifesaver for me.

GL and it will get easier!!

I have a 6 week old and a 4 year old and a 2 year old and let me tell you the 6 week old is on his own schedule and I remember that with the other 2. Just know that it gets better. Your sanity and health are not a consideration with a newborn. Best I can tell you is ask for help so you can take a nap. I can't wait until my #3 is on a schedule too, but until then I know he's the one calling the shots. My other 2 were sleeping through the night at 3 months so I hope I'm almost there. He is also fighting reflux and gas. Good luck and hang in there.

As young as he is this young, no need to worry about schedules at all at this stage. If he is healthy and a good weight I wouldn't wake him if he is sleeping well, he will let you know when he is hungry. If he goes longer then three hours then maybe if you want him to sleep more at night then during the day. He will sleep a lot during the day at this age though. Some babies are different and sleep longer right away, others need fed more often. Lay him down too in a bassinett in the living room now too to get him used to sleeping with noise. That will save you big time later.
You kind of follow his cues right now.

If he is on the smaller side he needs to eat more as it doesn't stay with him that long. My daughter was very small and ate every two and a half hours until she started solids at 5 to 6 months, then it was every four hours, then it was six hours then at around the year mark she would do a 8 hour stretch! :) My son was a larger baby and could go three hours with each feeding until five months, then it was five hours straight then it was all night at around 10 months.

At 6 mos you can start more of a schedule, two or three naps during the day at the same time each day, lay him down for bed at the same time. He will figure it out. When he is older lay him down awake and teach him to fall asleep himself, that will help you a ton if he wakes at night and can fall back to sleep.

After 6 mos don't rush to him at the very first noise you hear, make sure he is truly ready to wake up and needs something. They wake several times a night and the difference is if they need you truly or can go back to sleep themselves. I never did crying it out until my babies were over 6 mos.

Hang in there and relish the newborn stage. I miss it so much. As sleep deprived as you are it does truly go by fast. Just lot's of love and cuddles and enjoy it. It gets easier as each month goes by, promise and CONGRATS! :)

Try laying down when he does, don't worry about the things in the house right now, you need your rest too.

L., I'll post just my experience which has only been with 2 babies. A 2 week old will probably not get on a schedule for a bit longer. You can try and try and they will do what they want. Things I have learned however-put them in the same place to nap and sleep. Do not nurse/feed them to sleep, feed them when they wake up. If you can get them to eat every 2 1/2-3 hours during the day, chances are that will help at night but you may not see if for a few more weeks. About 2 months is when I started to see a more consistent pattern in my babies and they created that pattern, not me. Once they were about 3-4 months old, I started to "change" things up a bit to fit "my" schedule. I also like Kimberly's advice on the book. It is great and has great ideas for sleeping babies. I SO know how exhausting it can be but before you know it, they will be smiling back at you and you will wonder how they got so big!
Good luck-things will get better with time. Get any rest during the day that you can. Laundry, dishes, whatever else can wait!
Lisa

Hey there I feel for you I remember those frustrating early weeks all too well. I have an 8 month old. We had our problems too. My mother suggested to me to get her to sleep longer in the night, keep them up for the last 2 hours before you and your baby go to bed, feed him right before you go to bed and then he will be full and sleepy. And then that night just let him wake up when he's hungry. Thats a small step but a relativly easy. It worked for us my daugther started sleeping through the night at about 5 weeks old. So hang in there sister, you have some restful nights a head of ya!

B. O
Helping Moms Work from Home
www.4ellise.com

We did Babywise with all our kids and it worked great. Basically, yes, get him to eat every 2 1/2 hours until he is sleeping longer at night, even if you have to wake him up during the day. I think the reflux makes it a bit harder. My two with reflux took a bit longer to sleep longer at night, but they both had other issues, too. We did the video "The Happiest Baby on the Block" with our 2nd and it was a huge help. The first is by Gary Ezzo, the second by Harvey Karp. GL!

At 2 weeks they do what they want, they eat when they want, pee when they want, sleep when they want. At about 2 months you will start to see a pattern to thier schedule, that's the point where you can start to tweek it. Before that you are setting yourself up for a lot of frustration, the first 6 weeks are usually the roughest. Hold on it gets a little better. I have 7 kids and have survived :), you will to!

With some exceptions, I believe in the adage, "Let sleeping babies lie!"
Let him wake up on his own. He'll wake up if he's hungry. It'll take a while until he sleeps for a long time at night, but it'll happen. And he'll do it on his own. For sure, never wake him up at night! He needs to know that nighttime is for sleeping in long stretches.
As for getting some sleep yourself, sleep when he sleeps. It's really hard to do, I know. But do it at least for a few days. You'll feel so much better!