Newborn won't sleep during day

[Crystyclear]

Not sure what to do, as I'm completely unable to get any household stuff done, including cooking or eating, during the day.

From waking at 7am until bed at 10.30pm, my 6 week old is awake all day long. He doesn't nap for longer than 20 minutes at a time.

I can put him on his playmat and he'll be occupied for very short periods of time, but he hates his bouncing chair.

He's EBF on demand and feeds regularly during the day - every 1-2 hours for 10-20 mins, but he does get horrible wind - burps and farts which disturb him. I've tried gripe water and Infacol, massage and baths etc, but he can get quite upset by it.

I'm not sure if it's wind that is waking him up, or colic generally. When he's awake, I can't leave him in his moses basket or on his mat for any amount of time before he cries. I've tried using a sling, but he's not a fan if we're not out and about.

At night we co-sleep and he sleeps in 3 hour blocks with short 20 min feeds in between. We both sleep very well, but he wakes up with terrible trapped wind at 7am.

I'm a lone parent, so can't rely on anyone else to help out and not looking for a break from the intensity of it, just some general advice/tips/ideas for how to ease his distress or work out how to get him to have a decent length of nap at least a couple of times a day.

I feel really rotten that he's not getting the sleep he needs and I can't get anything done.

I used to take DS out for a walk in the sling then when he fell asleep, came home and had lunch etc.

Also his bedtime sounds really really late - with no naps - he's probably very overtired so difficult to nap. I suggest you work on his naps for a week and try a much earlier bedtime of 6.30. He probably can only stay awake for an hour at most before getting tired (then going past this, getting wired then won't nap?) - so when he first wakes, stick him in the sling after 30 mins of wake time and go for a walk to get him off to sleep. Same again later in the day - or you could try rocking him in a room with little distractions to loud music (used to work with DS when teeny), or White noise (worked when DS was 3months+). Keep it up for a week - watching tired signs etc etc and hopefully that'll get him napping. I did that with DS and he fell into a routine (which all went to pot when he hit sleep regressions). From there you can work on naps in Moses basket etc etc but you need to get him napping in the first place.

thanks iggly

i'll try the sling walks.

i start bedtime at 6pm with a bath, massage, pjs on, quieten everything down, dim lights etc, but no joy. he'll fall asleep on me, but wakes when i transfer him to bed or moses basket.

hoping this is just a phase!

Yes it is a phase! We had the same thing. Maybe when he falls asleep on you at bedtime, let him stay on you for 20 mins then try moving? I think it takes about 20 mins for them to fall into a deep sleep. Other friends have tried moving bedtime gradually earlier but that could take ages! Once naps are better it should get easier but it's hard at first.

Also try complete darkness at bedtime or a very very low nightlight with a talky radio station or music on very very quietly - too quiet usually spooks babies out.

Oh poor you how horrid and i'm sure very frustrating.

At 6 weeks, he really should be going longer between feeds. How big is he?

IOM you could try not feeding him on demand and waiting for him to be hungry and then feed him. He might be snacking and not getting enough milk in one sitting to 'knock him out' sleepwise. You could try giving him a top up feed of formula, in order to give your boobs a rest.

Also agree with Iggly about the music, helped us out.

I'm sure it's just a phase but nevertheless it's very annoying. Good luck.

xxx

Highlandgirl - "he really should be going longer between feeds" what absolute rubbish!

crystyclear - I second the overtiredness. Keep watching for his tired cues. Sometimes it can be such a short window that it can be easily missed. My ds is now 16 weeks and can only stay awake for 1 hr 20 mins max! Remember, it will get easier!

my 13 week old son starts winding down for bed at about 8.30pm if I am lucky and really only sleeps properly from 10pm then wakes at 2am and every 2 hours after that, he's only just started regular naps in the day. He feeds every 2-3 hours.

I think you need to give yourself a break as your baby is only 6 weeks old so still very young.

I agree with iloveeatingbogeys about the feeds, your baby sounds like a normal 6 week old.

Agree highlandgirl talking rubbish.

I had same prob with ds1 - I bought a swinging chair and that worked a treat - got him in habit of daytime naps then was able to use cot.

Agree that earlier bedtime essential - it may take a while but try to stick to routine. Tough but hopefully worth it.

Was hard enough for me with husband to help, so I really admireyou doing this yourself. Very good luck x

sorry, re-reading your post I realise I have offered very little help I remember feeling exactly like you. It does get better honestly. My ds suffered from wind a lot and wanted to be upright so also wouldn't lie down for long. He hated the sling too but I have perservered and he likes it more now. I ended up doing a lot one handed.

Re food, I made a huge bowl of mixed nuts and fruits and ate it with oats if I was hungry.

thanks everyone!

have manged to get him to have an hour's nap this morning through a variety of your ideas!

he's currently in my bed, it's dark and the radio was on before he went to sleep. i gave him a feed there and stayed for 20 mins til he was properly asleep and then moved away.

i might not have managed to get dressed(!) but I do now have a toasted sarnie to eat, the washing is on the line and i've even navigated my way through evil automated phone services to pay bills. Previous attempts involved "what is your account number?" "it's 6432 oh bugger...." clunk. so, major improvements.

is there a food you can make and eat one handed section in recipes? i think i might start one if not! and thanks for the fruit and nuts tip - very much my kind of food.

that's great!

Glad to hear things are a bit better. Not sure about the recipies thing but I do know I also stocked up on those 'go ahead' biscuits and made pasta/lasagnia in bulk to freeze. Hope things continue to get better. My DS will entertain himself for a little while while on a mat now so it does get easier.

Congrats on the nap today! You've been given excellent advice and the situation will get better, truly. Just wanted to suggest that you could also try swaddling him if you're not doing that already - for naps and nighttime sleeping. It REALLY helped us. Good luck :)

evening sleep was not so successful... but after four hours of feeding on and off, shushing, two nappy changes and one cold dinner (mine, P.S peas should definitely never feature on a list of food easy to eat with one hand), DS is happily asleep in a grow bag.

clarejane thanks for the swaddling tip - i tried it previously with little success, but might be time to give it another go, as he was below average birth weight and likes his hugs!