7 week old will not nap

[Soitis83]

My son is almost 8 weeks. He will not nap in the day and gets so incredibly over tired. With my first I could lay with him feeding almost constantly to help him sleep, problem is now I have a 4 and 2 year old, I obviously can't do that now. I foolishly thought my third would be like my second born and just sleep whenever I put him down. I'm finding the days so hard because I'm constantly caring for a screaming over tired baby and I feel like I'm ignoring my other two or getting snappy because I'm stressed.
Any advice please from anyone who has been through similar?

My son was the same. Wouldn't nap at all during the day from very very young and he was incredibly clingy. I couldn't get anything done and didn't get a moment to myself. So I really sympathise. And I only had the one whilst you have your other wee ones to look after as well.

I didn't have any one to help as we had no family or friends in a new area and the neighbours were all elderly. DH was at work all day. I ended up being so fraught that I went to my GP. She arranged for my baby to have 2 afternoons a week in the local authority nursery just to give me a break. That was enough to give me enough respite to be able to cope.

Do you have any relatives or friends who could come in and give you a helping hand for a few hours, just to give you a break?

If he has silent reflux he can't sleep on his back, thats what DS had. If there is any position at all that works then ditch "best practice' guidelines and go for it. I wore DS on me upright in a harness all the time eventually after trying and failing everything else.

Thanks for your reply.
Unfortunately I don't have any help. I'm borderline no contact with my dad (who would be useless anyway) and my mum has passed away. I have a sister but she works full time. DH is great, but he's at work 7-6 so those hours in between I'm completely on my own.

So, the sling was working wonders for a while, until a few days ago he decided he hated that too. I've tried him on his belly (I've got a video baby monitor) but he seems to hate that even more. I just feel lost at what to try next! He will not go in the pushchair either. He'll only sleep while I'm feeding him once DH is home and I can go upstairs and sit with him in a dark, white noise filled room. By then he's absolutely exhausted so falls asleep almost immediately. He won't fall asleep feeding downstairs in the day when the others are playing and it's light and noisy though.

This is so hard! I know how tough it can be with no. 3 having to fit in with not one, but two older ones. If he's not liking the restriction of the sling could you get a big wrap over cardigan? I sometimes found holding them on my chest and using the sides of the cardi to block out all the stuff going on around helped sometimes. (Ideally if he would go back in the sling I did the same, wrapping the cardi around over the top of the sling..) really hope things improve.

That's so hard, I feel for you. I sometimes left my car engine running with baby asleep inside in the drive out of desperation, I know he would wake once the engine cut and then cry all day. If I think of any other tricks I'll post again. It's many years ago now and I think I've blanked much of it.

Possibly stating the obvious but have you tried a soother? I regretted not introducing one sooner, it didn't make DS sleep but it helped him calm down