Newborn sleep - please help

[Mississippilessly]

DS is 5 weeks old . Up until last thursday he was a great sleeper. Then he just stopped going down in his crib.
Tonight it has taken us 4 hrs to get him to sleep. He was then aslerp for 40 mins in his cot before esling up.

.i have sent DH to the spare so we can co sleep.really didnt want to do that

I am broken.

The Wonder Weeks book/app says there's a growth spurt at 5weeks and they get fussy, clingy and struggle to sleep alone. If you've ruled out the basics - hungry, gassy, etc, then a growth spurt is a safe bet.

During her five week fuss, it seemed like my LO learned something new after every bad night - including how to smile.

It will get better in a week or so (and then it'll get worse again, then better again, etc).

5 - 6 weeks they go through a massive growth spurt (I believe the biggest they ever do). I remember it as being particularly awful. But after it happens they sleep for longer periods.

Agreed download the wonder weeks app. Sounds like you're going through a wonder week which is a massive growth spurt, baby needs more milk and skin to skin during this time. Here's wishing you well

I hope u r all right.
I got 3 hrs sleep and now he wont be put down so he is sleeping on me. No more sleep for me I guess.

@Mississippilessly do you have a carrier? It's really handy to have a carrier or wrap for the leaps.

Hope you get some sleep today! Don't bother with any house work. Just sleep when baby sleeps. Xx

I really didn't want to co sleep. It was the one thing I swore I wouldn't do. Everything else was I was really relaxed and fluid about, but could sleeping was a huge no-no. DS on the other hand, he had other ideas. So after almost falling asleep on the sofa with him (THE most dangerous place to sleep with a baby) I looked at safe cosleeping and gave in. Sleep was still scarce, but went from 1.5-3 hours a night to 5 or more.

Unfortunately some babies will not sleep unless held.

Co-sleeping is the biological norm; for almost the entirety of human history, families slept huddled together.

I co-slept with both of my babies and loved it, DS2 is 2 and still with me at night, DS1 is 6 and sleeps through in his towering high cabin bed gets up at 5.30 every morning

Enjoy your baby 

Gosh, he's TINY!

Sleep waxes and wanes in my experience. It's best not to decide that you have a "great" or a "terrible" sleeper. Some weeks they sleep, some weeks they don't!

Look up safe co-sleeping guidelines - he just wants to be close to his mum and will probably settle better than in his crib.

Is he hungry/hot/cold/nappy changed etc?

My first DS slept with me until he was 7 months, DS2 was a really bad sleeper, the only place we could get him to sleep was in his pram. The Moses basket never had a baby in it! But it does get easier, rest when you can. And accept any help that’s offered to give you a break, it’s totally exhausting being a new mum. Good luck OP.

Thanks everyone.
We have a sling and he goes in that in the day. Prob is it doesnt help my sleep! After 4 this moring the only place he would sleep was on me. He is v bunged up which makes it all worse. I am sitting up in bed holding him, have been here for 3 hrs. So desparate for sleep.

It breaks my heart seeing him distressed!

I would honestly cosleep.

Hugs. It gets better.

ftf i did co-sleep - but once it got to 4am he was so bunged up he couldnt get to sleep on his back anymore.
ah we have a snuzpod so it is right against the bed - i tap a heartbeat on him and 'shhhh' but to no avail.

Snot sucker? Baby vicks or whatever it’s cslled? Head of the cot up?

ftf ive done saline drops - cant actually see any snot to suck.
Ive put a rolled up blanket under one end of the crib to elevate. He is too young for any vapour rubs but i have rubbed Vicks on to a t-shirt of mine and tied it above where his head is.

The Calpol plug in that makes your room smell like a spa? Get through these next two weeks and it will get better. You will sleep again.

I found 'Your Baby Week By Week' really useful for showing when this would happen.

Thanks need. Too young for thr calpol.
Poor wee thing, he seemed so distressed on his back.

Humidifier with eucalyptus drops in it should clear up his nose. And you can get baby Vick's (can't remember the actual name) which is specifically for babies: a wee trick I learned is to rub it on the soles of their feet and put socks on. Works a treat. He won't be able to each properly if he's all bunged up. So that might explain as well why he's so unsettled at night time.

The baby vicks is snufflebabe. Wonderful stuff.

Snufflebabe says for 3 months up only

Gosh OP I'm sorry to hear your baby is not sleeping and you're that tired. My ds2 is now 3 days short of 6 weeks and I'm counting down the hours till the 6 week mark. He's going through a massive growth spurt and glorious leap 1, wants to feed all the time and extremely fussy and clingy. Ds1 was never such a cuddler so it's all new. My dh and I are splitting nightwatch so both of us get 'some' sleep - I was watching TV on the sofa from 2 to 4am and then we swapped. We do combination feeding so do realise that won't work if BF. I hope you get something that works for you, it is tough!

Have you tried white noise? My DD was an absolute nightmare at times and all that would soothe her to sleep was YouTube hoover noises .

Yep white noise is a permanent feature!