settling a five week old

[saranga]

Some nights he's fine, some he's not. Tonight he is not and is downstairs being cuddled and soothed by my partner while I get some rest in prep for the night shift.
He fed for an hour between six and seven and we are positive he isn't hungry again ( no hunger cues in the build up to cryinh), although he has been cluster feeding on previous nights.
All signs point to overtired, but we can't get him to sleep to remedy this.
Any tips or advice?

Try swaddling?

Sling. My DH would pop baby into a stretchy wrap and do skin to skin every evening so I could get an hour to myself. On nice evenings, he went for a walk outside.

He doesn't like being swaddled, fights it. :(

We have an amawrap but at 6lbs 10 he's still too small for it.

And when he's awake h doesn't like facing in, he wants to look at things.
He's gone from very happy to crying very quickly.

Have you tried cuddling him and singing while bouncing gently on an exercise ball? Or a swinging chair or rocker

It took me ages to realise we had to actively work (20-30 mins) to get my dd to sleep BEFORE she realised she was tired - otherwise she would be suddenly inconsolable.

Putting him down for alone time. Some of mine hated to overstimulation and just wanted to be left alone.

Mine was prone to overstimulation too. Took me too long to catch his tiredness cues. A bit of lying down on his own might help alright. Also he might hate swaddling or facing in but again that feels like potential for overstimulation too. You almost have to shut off his senses for him so facing in or swaddling might meet with wails at first but then he might settle for you.