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Babies: 0 - 3 Months
lmharts
member
vent/need advice
lmharts
member
My 6 week old LO is not on anywhere near a schedule for feedings or naps. At 6 weeks I'm pretty desperate to at least be somewhat close to one of these things happening soon! I'm breastfeeding exclusively and he still falls asleep while nursing quite a bit and then an hour later is hungry again. I try everything between changing his diaper, taking his clothes off, cold wash cloth...
And then the sleeping situation...ugh! His nap schedule is all over the place and he HATES sleeping in his bassinet or in his crib. Even when I do get him to sleep in his bassinet next to our bed he is kind of a loud sleeper and will wake up and get fussy or be stretching and grunting so then my DH and I are constantly waking up even when he is asleep. Lately the only time that he will sleep for more than 20 min is when he is being held or in his swing. Last night we decided we were just going to start to break this before it even became a habit and would put him down only in his crib or bassinet and yea...baby took us two adults DOWN! No sleep, crying for hours and hours. I wound up crying on the couch with a much needed glass of wine. And by 2:30 am what do you think happened...he ended up in his swing. Poor thing was absolutely exhausted as were we. Now today he has been so tired and sleeping all day and now I'm really scared for what's ahead tonight. I dont know if DH and I can take another night of this. I really really do not want this to be a habit. LO needs to learn to sleep on his own. He didn't do this until just recently at week 5/6. So I dont know if this is just something he's doing this week or what but I need some tips/advice.
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Re: vent/need advice
Yeah, don't do this.
Your baby is likely in the 6 week growth spurt. This behavior is a normal part of his development. He "took you down" because he had a need that you were not responding to. He's still not capable of forming bad habits right now. His own schedule will emerge with time. I'd focus just on meeting his needs, and really getting to know his hunger and sleep cues so you can attend to him before he becomes hysterical. His only means of communication is crying - he's not doing it to manipulate you, or piss you off. His cries escalate because he doesn't understand why you don't understand him.
Putting him on his belly is not a smart idea. Babies WANT to sleep on their bellies, that's the position that's most comfortable for them, but it increases the risk of SIDS exponentially. Have you tried a pacifier? I never wanted my son to use one but they've been a lifesaver. I plan on starting to break him of the habit once he's reached the three month mark.
We have a three week old-- and I let him do his thing. I figure at this point he knows what he needs better than his father and I do. He eats when he's hungry, sleeps when he's tired, and DH and I are catnap ninjas. There's plenty of time for my baby--- and yours--- to form a schedule. I agree with jennyann.
I agree with jennyann.
My /Chart; BFP 3/8/11 CP 3/16/11; 7/11 HSG & S/A both clear;
Cycle 12~ 50 mg Clomid=BFP 9/9/11, Beta #1=280 & Beta #2=1513, 6w3d hb=122 bpm/ 8w2d hb=186 bpm/12w2d could not hear hb had a 3rd u/s and got to see the hb. 16w2d heard the hb! 156 bpm. A/S 1/3=girl
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Yea I don't feel comfortable with placing him on his stomach until he can roll over by himself. I have heard that week 5-6 weeks is the "peak" for crying. I don't expect my LO to be on a schedule but I want to at least try some kind of routine and see if it helps with a sleep and eating pattern in the next few weeks. If he falls into that naturally then great, otherwise he will eventually tell me what kind of routine he needs but I guess it is still to early to tell or see any results. I'm just a little at my wits end which I know all moms on this board probably are. We are exhausted and just looking for some reassurance.
Let him sleep in his swing. Move it into your room if you need to, or move a monitor by it. Please do not feel like your only option is to let him cry and cry for hours again tonight. He is too young for self soothing -- babies truly are not capable developmentally until closer to 3 months.
Here are a couple articles of the 5 S's. Hopefully something there is helpful for you!
https://www.drphil.com/articles/article/274
https://www.happiestbaby.com/book-dvd-excerpts/the-happiest-baby-book/
Your baby is way too young to start on a schedule and is way to young to develop bad habits. Just go with the flow and you will feel much better...if he needs to sleep in the swing right now, let him sleep in the swing. As a PP said, you will both be happier. Right now you and your baby are figuring things out and are in survival mode. He has only been in this world for 6 weeks and needs his mommy and daddy close right now. There will be plenty of time later to help him learn to sleep on his own. Even when they are older and can self soothe, there will still be "regressions" when they are sick, teething, reaching a milestone, etc.
Btw do you swaddle and have you looked into the Rock n Play? The RnP was a life (and sleep!) saver for us the first three months.
Something happened to my DD around 6 weeks and she completely stopped napping predictably - for the last couple of weeks it seems to change every few days, honestly!
I think that it's just another phase and they'll grow out of it - I've heard that things often start to straighten themselves out around 3 months (and then of course there's the 4 month wakefulness, but that passes too).
Stay strong - you're almost there