5 week old daytime sleeps

[mazzamoo123]

Can anyone help? I don't know what I'm doing wrong! At first I wanted to put my baby into a routine from very early on but that has just got me really stressed so I'm trying to forget that idea.

But my issue is that my DS won't go to sleep when he's tired! He does the morning nap without too much fuss but it's the lunchtime one that's the issue. I see the signs and put him down to sleep at this point - he initially seems calm but then starts crying and can't be settled unless I put him on my boob (even though he's had a good feed) - he then gets drowsy so I put him in the cot but the same thing happens. The only thing I can do is put him in a sling but even then he doesn't fall asleep unless I pace around the house for hours. I've tried sssh Pat, pu/pd (but don't get to put him down because he doesn't settle unless I feed), swaddling, a dark room etc etc etc. but nothing helps.

The other issue is that I have a 19 month old baby as well so can't leave him for long to persevere with too many strategies. But the sling is killing me - I have such a bad back.

My husband says I should just relax. if he doesn't sleep he doesn't sleep but if he doesn't sleep, he cries!! So I'm really stuck. What did anyone else do in this situation?? Will it get easier? Help!!! I'm going mad and have lost all confidence.

[FATEdestiny]

If he likes sucking, why don't you try a dummy? You might need to hold it in for him at first, but at least you can put hin down with the dummy still in.

Bouncy chairs are great for daytime sleep when you have another child who need you too (I'm a mum of 4). Position it by the sofa and you can use your foot to bounce it, freeing your hands for toddler interaction. Or sit on floor and bounce baby (reinserting dummy as needed) with one hand and you're on thr floor to play with toddler at the same time.

Bouncy chair means you can manually bounce baby to sleep. Keep bouncing if baby is particularly over tired and needs to stay asleep. And gently bounce to kill back to sleep at first stirring awake.

I see the signs and put him down to sleep at this point

By the time you see tired signs he's already over tired and needed to be asleep at least half an hour earlier.

It's awake time you want to watch. A good approximation for awake time at 5 weeks would be 20-40 minutes. I'd start putying baby down to sleep half an hour after last waking (to allow 10 mins for settling to sleep).

That's very little time. It might be a case of wake, feed, nappy check, little floor time for a kick, first grumble and back into bouncy chair with dummy and bounce back to sleep. Wake and repeat.

[FATEdestiny]

And gently bounce to kill lull (inappropriate autocorrect there) back to sleep at first stirring awake.

[mazzamoo123]

Thanks ok much FATEdestiny. I tried a bouncy chair/dummy this afternoon and he slept for 45 mins before toddler woke him up but I definitely see potential! Thank you! I will persevere with trying him in the cot for the lunchtime sleep but if it doesn't work, I'll move him into the bouncer. Thank you again!

[mazzamoo123]

ok so!