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Original poster

7 week old will not sleep please help 😭😭😭

96 replies

PonchoIsNotMyName · 20/09/2024 22:20

Tonight has been the worst night yet, he's been wide awake and miserable since 7pm and DH has just taken him for a drive in the car as a last ditch resort. He settles to sleep during the day fine - pretty much only in the sling. At night it is a different story, it takes hours to settle him, even in the sling, even co sleeping. He's been swaddled, white noise, dummy, sleeping bags, dark room, on me, not on me, pram, bouncer, all the colic relief type meds - literally EVERYTHING you can think of and he will not settle, he just screams and you can see how exhausted he is but he will not sleep. I have tried shorter wake windows, longer wake windows, nothing. He is EBF but will not feed to sleep (neither would my eldest, I don't know how I have managed to produce two EBF babies who won't fall asleep on the boob!!!).

The only thing I haven't yet tried is a bottle of formula which I'm loathe to do in case it upsets his tummy.

Any words of wisdom? Thus far he settles OK DURING the night but getting him to sleep in the first place at night is awful.

OP posts:

Original poster

PonchoIsNotMyName · 20/09/2024 23:13

TheBeesKnee · 20/09/2024 23:09

It's he gassy? Have you tried bicycle legs, round the worlds etc to fart the baby? They can't move much themselves and movement is key to relief.

I can't tell you how many hours of my life I've spent doing this!!

I genuinely don't think he's in pain, I think he's totally overtired but for some reason he just can't be settled at night like he can in the day.

OP posts:

jennywrites · 20/09/2024 23:14

It's not at all helpful to you op, but mine was just like this. For some reason at 7/8pm just got really wired and would not be settled to sleep. Just had to ride it out. It passed in the end. Feel for you though. Take turns if you can whilst the phase lasts so you can rest yourself x

Crispynoodle · 20/09/2024 23:14

Oh! And get a blanket taggy thing with ribbons and push it in to his hand as he drinks a bottle so that eventually he will associate the feeling of stroking the ribbon as he falls asleep. Yes I know it's classical conditioning but if it works....

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

0-3 months old Babies & sleep Children's sleep Families

Glasscabinet · 20/09/2024 23:14

Have you tried any baby massage?

DD would refuse to settle between 7-2am.

In a moment of insanity DH found that she liked to have her legs peddled (as quickly as possible) like she was on a bike.

Are you drinking enough water?

SunsetSkylane · 20/09/2024 23:14

When my daughter was like this the only way for her to calm down was to be Left The Fuck Alone. She's cry a bit and I'd sneak in and keep an eye, but she wanted to stop being handled and fussed and fed and bounced and burped more than anything else.

She's 14 and hasn't changed 😁

Original poster

PonchoIsNotMyName · 20/09/2024 23:15

Tel12 · 20/09/2024 23:12

Could you take him around the block in a pushchair?

Tried. In my pyjamas and crocs so I looked like a lunatic. He got very quiet and stared around for a bit and I was hopeful, but then reverted to screaming.

Anyway I'll get some formula tomorrow and try that before bed. But I can't see it helping as honestly I don't think the issue is hunger.

OP posts:

Crispynoodle · 20/09/2024 23:16

Let us know how it goes might take a few nights mind

SunsetSkylane · 20/09/2024 23:16

And for the record this is really really common, and it definitely will pass. Just so you know and don't entirely lose your minds (tough, I know).

CurbsideProphet · 20/09/2024 23:16

We went through this. EBF baby v unsettled in the evening. It was just a phase, like most things are. People will swear by giving formula/ white noise / Euan Dream Sheep / some other thing that definitely works. We were given a leaflet about baby crying and I can't remember exactly but I'm sure it starts ramping up around 2 months before dropping back down again.
Sympathies as it's really grim at the time!

LillyLeaf · 20/09/2024 23:17

We had this with my boy. I used to cuddle and rock him while under the extractor fan above the cooker, the noise would send him off. Then when he looked like he was about to nod off I fed him too so he would sleep longer.

Lotsofpots · 20/09/2024 23:18

My youngest was the same. From 4 weeks he just screamed every evening from
7.30-midnight. I pounded the streets for hours with him in a sling because I was less likely to kill him in public.

Our (lovely, supportive) GP grimaced and diagnosed colic, which she clearly hated as it doesn't do justice to the hell being endured, and it has no cure.

He stopped by 13 weeks. But that probably doesn't help when it's six weeks away!

Moonshiners · 20/09/2024 23:18

My first was like this until 2.5 months. Wouldn't sleep between before midnight. We did a very strict bath, massage, singing routine and then darkness minimal stimulation routine from 5 weeks and eventually he stopped crying and started sleeping. I would take turns if you can. One of you go and chill out somewhere else (we had a car!) and get a bit of respite.

Original poster

PonchoIsNotMyName · 20/09/2024 23:21

With my eldest it was easier as obviously we only had him to focus on, it's harder second time round I think because I also have to be making sure the older one gets attention and have his needs met.

OP posts:

converseandjeans · 20/09/2024 23:22

@PonchoIsNotMyName

Tonight has been the worst night yet, he's been wide awake and miserable since 7pm and DH has just taken him for a drive in the car as a last ditch resort

Well he's obviously not shattered as you say he has been wide awake for ages.

My DS was like this - he wanted to nap all afternoon & then would perk up around 8pm. So I made a conscious effort to keep him awake as much as possible in the afternoon.

It's up to you though - not everyone wants to wake them up. Try working out how much sleep he has had & if he's been asleep all afternoon then he will want to be awake later on.

Has he got a sleeping bag? .

Original poster

PonchoIsNotMyName · 20/09/2024 23:24

converseandjeans · 20/09/2024 23:22

@PonchoIsNotMyName

Tonight has been the worst night yet, he's been wide awake and miserable since 7pm and DH has just taken him for a drive in the car as a last ditch resort

Well he's obviously not shattered as you say he has been wide awake for ages.

My DS was like this - he wanted to nap all afternoon & then would perk up around 8pm. So I made a conscious effort to keep him awake as much as possible in the afternoon.

It's up to you though - not everyone wants to wake them up. Try working out how much sleep he has had & if he's been asleep all afternoon then he will want to be awake later on.

Has he got a sleeping bag? .

No trust me, he's zonked - heavy, red eyes, yawning, nodding off and then jerking awake. He's not awake and alert, he's awake and exhausted.

Yes, he has a sleeping bag.

OP posts:

Blossombaby99 · 20/09/2024 23:28

Could it be colic?
Try colic drops before the late afternoon and evening feeds?
At 7 weeks it might be combined with an uncomfortable growth spurt as well.
My DD had colic, napped well in the day but screamed for 3-4 hours from 6-10 every night for at least 8 weeks. I think the drops helped (when I could get her to swallow them!).
I didn’t really try to settle her during these evenings, just held her and tried to comfort as best I could until she fell asleep. Once she finally was asleep, she went into her cot next to my bed and slept well the rest of the night, just waking for two more feeds.

One more thought, could the baby just be over tired? Try no naps from 3pm and start to settle at 6pm or earlier? They could just prefer an earlier bedtime.

i hope you find something that works.

izimbra · 20/09/2024 23:28

Crispynoodle · 20/09/2024 23:11

As a mum of 4 breastfed children and one who worked in maternity I say give him a bottle of formula after a bath just before sleep

Why?

Is there any evidence that formula makes babies sleep more?

Or is it just that it's something people feel obligated to suggest to a mum who's exclusively breastfeeding?

Hoorayharry · 20/09/2024 23:30

You have my sympathies OP because my baby gets like this, he’s so overtired then can’t settle at all let alone sleep. I try to approach this in two stages, one is to calm him then try to get him to sleep. A walk in the pram/car/bath usually calms him enough. Then I can rock him to sleep or sometimes I have given a bottle. It’s so hard though.

Franjipanl8r · 20/09/2024 23:30

Have you tried different burping techniques after a feed? A midwife friend said often parents don’t get burping techniques right for newborns - it’s more about letting the baby’s body stretch out than patting it on the back.

SleepPrettyDarling · 20/09/2024 23:31

My DC3 was like this. It was terrible. I eventually figured out that with two older (3 and 1.5yo) children, I hadn’t the time to devote myself to just sitting and feeding feeding feeding. He’d fall asleep on the boob exhausted, but hasn’t had enough to quell the hunger. So we were in a cycle where he’d doze, I’d run around doing tea and baths, he’d wake starving; snack doze wake yell over and over. I got a lactation consultant to come to the house, and then gave him my total focus, cosleeping in the spare room, packing in my own calorific meals when I could, and getting help for the older two.

Happygogoat · 20/09/2024 23:36

Hang in there OP. I’ve had two like this…. Settled all day and then like clockwork at bedtime it’s like all the discomfort of the day catches up with them and they seemed in pain despite feeding and being well winded all day! And then they get overtired and go nuts. It was bewildering! But it really will pass. Don’t overload him with milk/formula - just do whatever it takes to keep him (and you!) calm and ride it out. You might find he now does a good stretch so get your head down! Hugs.

Autumn1990 · 20/09/2024 23:42

Have you tried gripe water or infacol? I found gripe water slightly better.
I wouldn’t give a bottle as if it’s even slightly CMPA related formula will then make it worse and you’ll either have to go dairy free or try and get baby to drink the dairy free formula or both. Both mine had CMPA but my eldest was worse at night and didn’t have symptoms from birth, it developed a bit later. I blame the formula top ups I had to give.

Whatspots · 20/09/2024 23:43

@PonchoIsNotMyName i would trust your instincts that he isn’t hungry ..some people say that the witching hour can be worsened by parents presuming the baby is hungry and actually the babies digestive system has become a bit overloaded , so perhaps think about the earlier part of the day and if there’s been enough space between the feeds and sleeps and wake periods to allow for digestive transit. Do try baby massage , this worked really well for mine.

Tel12 · 20/09/2024 23:45

A dummy?

Awishcometrue · 20/09/2024 23:46

Sounds like he could be suffering from reflux to me, one of my girls were exactly the same, gp can prescribe baby gaviscon...unfortunately didn't help for us so ended up on omeprazole but after that she was a different baby x

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