AIBU?
5 week old very unsettled
Lydiatennick · 14/10/2018 12:57
Hi all, I’m new to this need advice really.
I’m a first time mother and my daughter is 5 weeks old. She’s at the stage where she is sleeping most the day then when it gets to 6/7 pm she will had a feed (formula fed) then towards the end of the bottle she will start crying as she’s feeding. She will have been burped and nappy changed, not too hot or cold and still no good, she will cry like there is no tomorrow unless we are walking round the house, stop and she’ll start again sometimes she won’t stop. She makes the suckling reflex as if she’s hungry but put a bottle in her mouth she’ll take a few gulps then cry again. She won’t take her dummy either when she’s like that.
Eventually when she settles 9/10pm she’ll fight her sleep a little then eventually fall asleep. She will then sleep for a solid 6-8 hours wake up for a feed then go back to sleep again and it starts all over again.
Can anyone shed some light on why she’s like this and what I can do to help her settle. Her daddy works away so it’s not like I can give her to someone else while I have 5 minutes.
Any suggestions would be great. Sorry for the essay it’s hard to try explain any of this.
Whatdoyouknow2 · 14/10/2018 13:15
My little one is always like this after his bedtime feed. It's like he knows he's going to bed and really fights it. Try persisting with the dummy and rock her close to you, that's what I have to do. He does eventually give in and take the dummy and nod off but not without a fight. My mum and husband really struggle to settle him when he's like this and it sounds just like your little one.
I assume there's no reflux issues or anything like that as you would have issues after each feed? She's probably just been a little fussy and wants your attention I know that's what my little one does. Sometimes if he really won't settle I put him in bed awake but with light dimmed so e can see, he will lay kicking his legs and making noises but he will eventually stop spitting the dummy out and go to sleep.
It is really hard especially if you've no support but if you find it getting too much just put her down and go downstairs for 5 minutes she will be fine and it makes all the difference x
AhoyDelBoy · 14/10/2018 13:18
I think this is pretty normal, reflux or colic aside. They go through a fussy time at roughly 6 weeks IIRC so this could also be it. You should look at the ‘wonder weeks’ app. It’s very helpful 
User12879923378 · 14/10/2018 13:30
Her first little leap! She's just grown a whole load of new brain. Seeing further, more alert. It's freaking her out a bit. I agree that the wonder weeks app (and the book you can buy) is fab for explaining sudden fussiness /clingyness
MatildaTheCat · 14/10/2018 13:34
Colic? Have a chat with your HV. Exhausting but normal to have very unsettled periods, usually the evening.
It will pass.
CountessVonBoobs · 14/10/2018 13:40
The evening fussies. Extremely common. Nobody really knows why it happens but it doesn't mean anything is wrong and it passes by itself. Try wearing her in a sling, bouncing her on an exercise ball, whatever works. My DH did a lot of pacing the living room in a circle in the evenings.
Isadora2007 · 14/10/2018 13:44
It doesn’t even sound that fussy- sorry. 2/3 hours of fussing then 6/8 hours of sleep? Surely that’s actually pretty good going for a tiny baby?
(Or am I just bitter as I got to bed at 8am today due to an actually unsettled baby?)
Lydiatennick · 14/10/2018 13:49
It's mostly the feeding I'm worried about. She used to be really good with feeds after the first week, but the other day from midnight till 6 in the evening she only had 3 bottles 4/5oz.
I have tried giving her a dummy but she just constantly screams, screams so much it's hard for her to catch her breath. I suppose it's something I'll have to try wade through. I'm hoping my other half is back this week to help out a bit
Cornishclio · 14/10/2018 13:49
That sounds pretty good if she then settles for 6-8 hours. The evening colic/fussiness is very common. She will grow out of it.
SpagBowl99 · 14/10/2018 13:54
Hello Op, I would get her checked out my Dr. Is she otherwise ok, temp ok? My youngest had at diff points: silent reflux, bacterial meningitis and thrush in mouth or throat infection. Don't panic, I'm not a dr, just a worrier. I would get her checked out to be safe, all the best
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