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Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

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Original poster

Please help, I've been trying to get my 5 week old to sleep since 6.30pm

32 replies

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 22:58

I've fed and fed and fed, tried taking him out in the pushchair, tried going to a darkened, quiet room, tried cuddling him. He will not sleep. I have a toddler who will be up at 6am. I need to go to sleep now and try and get a couple of hours before I'm needed for another feed. Please please please help me I think I'm not coping very well with this.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:00

I thought they weren't meant to be awake more than a couple of hours at a time (he was awake for quite a bit before 6.30).

He's still feeding now. Is it just some sort of growth spurt?

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Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:02

He never goes down 'til about 10 or 11. How am I meant to catch up on sleep when I can't get an early night?

OP posts:

AtAmber · 08/09/2013 23:04

Can you or dh take him for a drive? That's the only thing that would get ds2 to sleep when he was really tiny. We used to drive round for an hour or so every night.

IHeartKingThistle · 08/09/2013 23:04

Poor you

You're doing fab. Are you on your own?

justabigdisco · 08/09/2013 23:04

Have you got a car to take him out in?

iwasyoungonce · 08/09/2013 23:04

Didn't want to ignore. Sounds like possible growth spurt. Are you BF? Could he be suffering from colic and just be looking for comfort?

Sorry, not very helpful.

I wasn't very good at this with my own babies either! It's really stressful isn't it?

QueenBoudicea · 08/09/2013 23:05

Is he ill do you think?
Is Co sleeping an option?
Do you have a partner that could do evening settling do you can get your head down for a few hours?

iwasyoungonce · 08/09/2013 23:07

YY to co-sleeping. This did work for me with both of mine.

Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:11

He is breastfed, we do have a car but once I take him out of carseat he wakes up again, and I don't want to leave him to sleep in carseat. Don't trust myself to drive this tired anyway.

Dh tries to take him in the eve bit he just cries until he gets back on my breast. Think he could have tongue tie and possibly that's why he's feeding for so many hours in the evening, waiting to see hv to ask them to refer.

It will get better won't it? I'm so fucking tired I'm not enjoying it much at the moment.

Amazingly, he seems to have fallen asleep on me just after I sent my last post. Going to try and put him in his Moses basket. God I'll be so happy if I just get to close my eyes for a bit now.

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User3433399 · 08/09/2013 23:12

Mine didn't go down until about 11ish at that age. I'd cluster feed until 9pm, then hand DD over to my DH for a cuddle (or in the sling) and go to bed until 11pm when the next feed was due. Can you try something like that?

She never slept more than 2-3 hrs at a stretch though so we did that for quite a long time (he'd also take her after the 6am feed so I could get an hour's sleep or so before he had to go to work). It nearly killed me so I feel your pain, but it does get better! If it's a new thing could well be a growth spurt and may be over soon.

PolyesterBride · 08/09/2013 23:12

Have you tried putting him in front of the washing machine (or other white noise)? That used to help mine fall asleep. Otherwise I remember waking backwards and forwards while gently rocking in a monotonous way, that worked sometimes too.

I think the main thing is not to panic or stress too much about it. You might be totally exhausted tomoro but if your toddler watches loads of tv it doesn't matter and babies change all the time so just because he's going down at 11 this week doesn't mean he'll never go to sleep earlier. You will sleep again!

Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:14

Thank you all for replies. It's so lovely to have mn and be able to reach out and get instant support from others. Makes it feel a bit more bearable straight away. I knew when I chose to have this one I wasn't signing up for lazy lie ins but bloody hell the sleeplessness has shocked me again.

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Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:17

Yes dh will look after things in the morning so I might be able to grab an hour after dd wakes up.

Fantasising about this time next year when dh and I can have 1 night away in a hotel when both dcs are ready to be babysat. A whole night's sleep! It's awful to be wishing this time away though when a tiny baby is so special and dd's at such a cute age. Need to remember to be grateful!

OP posts:

Maryz · 08/09/2013 23:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:17

I'll be reading this thread again tomorrow night when I'm no doubt struggling again

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Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:19

Maryz that's a good point, my breasts have felt quite deflated this eve.

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User3433399 · 08/09/2013 23:20

Sorry cross post. I was going to suggest tongue tie. Don't wait, ask for a referral tomorrow even from the GP if you can't get hold of the HV. The sooner you get sorted the better. Hope you get some sleep.

Btw DD used to cry with DH too but was OK if he snuggled her in the soft sling so she could doze - have you tried that? You may have to accept if he's fed and otherwise well that you have to put earplugs in and let DH worry about the crying. If you are that tired (which it sounds like you are) as long as DS is safe, get your head down any way you can.

Original poster

PrincessRomy · 08/09/2013 23:21

Wow he's asleep in his Moses basket! I think that's the collective result of mn good vibes. Thank you

OP posts:

Maryz · 08/09/2013 23:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ModreB · 08/09/2013 23:22

I used to put Classic FM on for DS3, another non-sleeper, and hum along to help him. He never slept in the car, only in his cot after a lot of stress.

He is now 13yo, an insomniac, and still uses Classic FM to go to sleep.

It was a shock after 2 DS's who slept from 8-12 weeks on.

mum21boy · 08/09/2013 23:27

Hang in there. It is really tough when you have a toddler to deal with. Can you co sleep? That really saved me although I only managed 2 hrs sleep here and there IF that, before my toddler was up and full of energy at the crack of dawn. It would drive me insane and I cried every day for 12 weeks! But it does get better soon. And don't feel bad if you have days you need your toddler to just watch TV so you can get through it....can someone take your toddler out during the day? Good luck....you're doing fab :)

noblegiraffe · 08/09/2013 23:32

Feeding and feeding and feeding in the evening is really common (you might feel empty but your body never stops producing milk). It's a good way for your baby to boost your supply. Baby going to sleep at 11pm sounds about right at 5 weeks old, he will gradually start to pull that bedtime earlier and earlier without you doing anything. Don't attempt to put him to bed at 6:30pm, that way frustration lies. Keep him downstairs with you and feed and feed, then go to bed when he does. Feet up, DVD on and just go with it. It will pass.

Sunnysummer · 08/09/2013 23:32

For DS the only thing that would work was feeding then putting him in the moby sling on either parent and walking/dancing/exhausted-zombie-shuffling around the house.

Swings didn't work for us, but some of my friends absolutely swear by them, if nothing else they give you some time with your hands free.

CrabbyBigBottom · 08/09/2013 23:36

A health visitor gave me a really good tip when DD was incredibly grizzly and hard to settle during the evenings. She told me that by the evening when I was knackered, hadn't eaten/drunk enough and the baby was feeding constantly, my milk was not as rich and nutritious. She told me to express a bottle in the morning after breakfast (when I was rested and nourished) and save it for the evening. It worked like a charm - DD would grizzle and fuss and then I'd give her the expressed bottle and she'd go straight to sleep! Worth a try.

RememberingMyPFEs · 08/09/2013 23:50

Princess I feel your pain. DD is 6 weeks today, cluster feeds 8pm-1am. I'm starting to think about expressing in the morning to give to DH for her in the evening while I grab an hours sleep.
Hope you get good sleep tonight - anyone who does this with a toddler as well deserves a medal!! No way am I going ahead with #2 no way!!

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