Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

What should my six week olds days look like?

2 replies

Linren · 09/01/2023 21:08

For the first five weeks of life, my baby had reflux, constipation and issues with wind so was in pain and screaming constantly.

We finally got the GP to listen to our concerns about potential CMPA and our baby has been on nutramigen for a week which has really helped.

His symptoms are really improving but he does still have reflux so we still feed him upright then keep him in an upright position for 30 minutes after feeding.

Usually if he's eaten enough he falls asleep after his bottle and I hold him upright for thirty minutes and then transfer him to his Moses basket. He then sleeps until he wakes up hungry and we change and feed him and repeat.

We are managing to get a few minutes of tummy time here and there, usually after changing him while we make his bottle or sometimes if he hasn't settled after the 30 minutes upright and he's crying, tummy time distracts him.

He has a swing and we put him in there every now and then if he's fussing too.

I've been reading about people having bedtime routines for their six week olds as well as having play time while they're awake.

It might be a stupid question but I'm wondering what our days are supposed to look like.

On the whole, our baby still basically just eats and sleeps and doesn't do anything else. If he's fussing or windy he gets some tummy time/ swing time/sling time, out of desperation on our part more than anything. If he feeds well, he just eats and sleeps.

Am I supposed to be doing something with him after he eats and before he sleeps? I talk and sing to him while he's feeding but that's it.

I feel like if I stimulate him after feeding he won't fall asleep and gets overtired but I don't know when else I would give him "play" time. I can't do it before feeding because when he wakes up it's because he's hungry and he doesn't appreciate having to wait for his bottle.

I'm still in survival mode and the idea of a night time routine is also laughable. Even trying to fit in baths is difficult.

He still does not seem to know any difference between day and night and the length of time he sleeps (between 3 and 6 hours) seems completely random.

Is this normal for six weeks and when does it change?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PritiPatelsMaker · 09/01/2023 22:25

Oh God don't stimulate him after a feed! Babies are programmed to go to sleep after a feed. I don't think that's anything you should be worrying about at 6 weeks.

If your baby has CMPA and is 6 weeks old, I think you are exceptionally lucky to get them to sleep in their Moses Basket at all. I don't think you need to worry about a routine just yet. Both of mine naturally fell into a fountains without being pushed Wink

MattieandmummyandIs · 10/01/2023 21:08

Agreed, way way too young for any kind of routine. Just go with eat, sleep and a bit of playing and singing as and when. You're doing fine as you are.

He will find his own routine in time and from bitter experience forcing one will only stress you out. It's seriously not worth it in my opinion. Help him sleep if he's tired and feed him when he's hungry and you'll start to see a pattern which of course will then change as he grows but that's babies for you x

New posts on this thread. Refresh page