6 week old is sleeping 5-6 hours a day - I’m at breaking point!

[MellyXar]

My 6 week old is sleeping for a maximum of 5-6 hours a day. I’m at breaking point. I’ve tried everything to get him to sleep during the day, but he just won’t. I’m literally glued to my bed with him and can’t get anything done, I’ve not ate a cooked meal in over a week and have only been munching on snacks when I get a second. Every time he starts to sleep and I get him down he’s awake instantly again or a few minutes later. I cannot cope.. I don’t know what to do anymore. He does not sleep AT ALL in the day.. he’s awake from 5:30-6am until 9:30-10:30pm at night. Even then he doesn’t sleep through the night, he wakes up for a feed and takes 1-1 & half hours to go back to sleep and then again wakes up in less than 2 hours for a feed and again the long time to get him to sleep. I’m breaking down crying I don’t know what I can do... I’ve tried everything, I’ve tried a sling, I’ve tried getting him in his pram for a little, I’ve tried to just leave him but nothing is working please someone help me.

Do you mean 5-6 hours during the day, and then whatever he sleeps at night on top of that, or 5-6 hours total over a 24 hour period?

Why on earth are you glued to the bed?

Hrs in his fourth trimester still, up to 12 weeks and they need a lot of cuddles, warmth etc, google the 4th trimester I think it'll help you understand him abit better. It's quite rare for them to sleep well in cot or basket at this age, I did dd2 naps at this age all in a sling so I then had my two hands to grab some food etc. It's not you or your little one, all abuse at this age are the same and he will grow out if it xx

Have you got a partner or anyone who can give you a hand so you can get a break? It's such an overwhelming time. Like PP I just gave up trying to put baby down during the day - I just watched loads of TV both times, I used a sling a lot (especially with my second) and went on long walks and both would sleep in the buggy.

I used to put mine down after feeding tonsleep but it required a military level of planning. Warm basket up with a hot water bottle. Use a sheepskin or fleece blanket as the sheet. Sheepskin is better because it feels warm and radiates warmth back. Warm blanket up that you are going to cover baby with
Wait until baby is well asleep, about 5-10mins and carefully trasfer to warm cot.
When pushing them out in the pram you may have to walk for an hour. They do train up quite quick. Mine always slept better if I left them in the garden.
I do co sleep but like a couple of hours to myself at the beginning of the night

At that age, I would get myself ready before DH left for work, as he could hold ds. I’d have plenty of snacks on the go.

Sorry hit send by accident. Ds was a sleep demon and didn’t nap in his cot.

I wasn’t trying to do stuff around the house at all, I had family visit once a week and did lots of walking. I remember feeling excited when I managed to load the dishwasher!

OP, take it easy on yourself.

Sending love! Babies are hard and it sounds like yours is particularly difficult at the moment. Many have a huge growth spurt at 6 weeks so that could be the cause of things being so bad right now.

You will muddle through and find something that works for you and your family from everyone’s suggestions on here and as the days and weeks go on your baby will get much easier.

I used a sling for naps with my newborns. DS would cry into my chest as I bounced like a lunatic to send him off. At 5 months old we used the Ferber method of sleep training which was life changing and I stand by. Use this time in bed to read the books, research baby sleep and when your little one is old enough (5/6 months) you will be informed to use a method which works for you. Things may have improved so much by then that you don’t even need to.

This might not be relevant to you, but my DS was similar to your DC. I was exclusively BF and was sure it was going well (he was my DC2). The only time he would not be crying when not on me, would be in a moving pram. And I had a 3y old, too. My Mum spent a day with us and said that my baby was hungry all the time. That same night I introduced some formula milk and my DC changed overnight. My BF was simply not enough for him.
Good luck. Really feel for you, as I can still (vaguely) remember how tough it was.

Forgot to say- I lasted 9 weeks.

@Swingsandroundabouts123

Sending love! Babies are hard and it sounds like yours is particularly difficult at the moment. Many have a huge growth spurt at 6 weeks so that could be the cause of things being so bad right now.

You will muddle through and find something that works for you and your family from everyone’s suggestions on here and as the days and weeks go on your baby will get much easier.

I used a sling for naps with my newborns. DS would cry into my chest as I bounced like a lunatic to send him off. At 5 months old we used the Ferber method of sleep training which was life changing and I stand by. Use this time in bed to read the books, research baby sleep and when your little one is old enough (5/6 months) you will be informed to use a method which works for you. Things may have improved so much by then that you don’t even need to.

Afaik the Ferber method is no longer recommended?

'The most recent claim that letting kids "cry it out" without reassurance may cause lasting damage is the finding that when a baby is left to cry alone, her cortisol level shoots up, indicating distress. That's not surprising. What is surprising is the research study* showing that on subsequent nights even when the baby is put into bed and does not cry her cortisol level still shoots up. Researchers interpret this as an indication that she is distressed. So why doesn't she cry? Because she has been "trained" -- she knows that no one will come.

Margot Sunderland's The Science of Parenting cites many studies that Sunderland claims support her view that repeated, sustained crying without adult reassurance causes babies' brains to develop less than optimally.'

www.ahaparenting.com/Ages-stages/newborns/case-against-ferber-sleep

This source also says Ferber himself regretted coming up with this method.

Is there anyone that can give you a break? A relative or friend that can come and hold the baby for a few hours a day so you can shower/cook and rest.

Remember this will pass and as the baby grows things will change quickly.

I second the comments that you should seek medical advice. It could be something like silent reflux and if that’s the case, baby may be in pain when lying flat. Sleep is so important developmentally for them, not just for your sanity. Good luck, you’re not alone.

I have a 6 week old too OP abs in the exact same boat - feel free to DM if you’ve like some solidarity and to vent!

My DH has just taken him out in the sling - baby has been awake since 3.30am. He’s been rocked, put down, swaddled, sling in house, taken for a drive, walk in pram... nothing is working!

He is fed expressed breastmilk from a bottle (need to find a more concise way to explain that 😂) and I’ve also tried formula in the hopes it would knock him out for a few hours. Didn’t work.

I do know that he has silent reflux however, and hoping against hope I can get another Gp appt tomorrow to get omeperazole as the gaviscon has done sweet FA.

Look up reflux/silent reflux and CMPA, just in case any of those are an underlying cause x