How can I get my 5 week old baby to sleep

[DisneyMillie]

My 5 week old baby is getting worse and worse at sleeping - she goes down in her Moses Basket after her 10pm feed at about 11 (having been cuddled to sleep) and sleeps until about 1/1:30 which is fine.

But then she just won't settle after that feed until the morning. She goes to sleep on me fine but when put back in her Basket grizzles / cries until she's picked up again.

I don't know how to get her to settle herself rather than being helped to sleep and I think she's too young for cry it out - any suggestions?

I can't sleep in the day as I've a 6 year old to get to school / pick up and look after and baby doesn't sleep well at lunchtime either 😣

I'm surviving on about 2 hours sleep and it's literally starting to kill me. DP works long hours so can't help in the night / with the school run.

(I'm not comfortable with co-sleeping as I sleep very heavily and would panic about hurting her by mistake so wouldn't sleep)

She's 5 weeks old - she's programmed to feed and doze on you. It's tough but you cannot sleep train a child that young; you just have to power through.

Mine would never settle in a Moses basket at all! At 5 weeks she would sleep in buggy, car seat, on me or in her sleepyhead. Have you thought about a sleepyhead or similar? I felt the same about cosleeping but there's no chance of rolling over a sleepyhead, you just have to sleep halfway down the bed yourself to make sure you don't pull the covers up too far! Or you could get a bedside crib and put the sleepyhead in there, which is what we do now. Maybe a fabric sling during the day so she gets some better naps but you can get on with stuff too? Mine would nearly always sleep in a sling all cosied up. Hope you get some more sleep soon!!

Also I agree too young for sleep training and too young to expect her to settle herself! My DD is 16 weeks and can only manage to self settle occasionally!

How do you manage without sleeping yourself though? I'm scared I'm getting dangerous to drive on 2 hours sleep a day - I can't imagine being able to do it for months.

I've tried a sling - she just screams in it - she'll only sleep lying flat on my chest. She sleeps well then but obviously I can't at the same time.

I'll have a look at the sleepyheads thanks.

Mine was the same - sleepyhead is your answer as a safe way to cosleep. They grow out of it, he soon went back in his Moses basket again and now cot.

Oh and your body adjusts to the lack of sleep. Weird but after a while it just becomes normal and you don't feel so bad.

I had a cocoonababy and it really helped my son settle. The shape kind of hugs the baby so they feel secure. You can get one from John Lewis and they can sleep in it up to about 4 months.

Have you tried swaddling? It was the only thing that worked with DT2 who wouldn't settle unless she was being held. I still cuddled her to sleep but then put her down already swaddled and she'd generally stay asleep.

5 weeks is very very little though and you're right that she won't self-settle at that age or cry it out. Those long days and interminable nights are really tough, but you will get through it and it will get better... so comforting, I know!

Take care.

Hey, just wanted to let you know you're not the only one going through this if it's any consolation.
My 5 week old also hardly sleeps during the night, he will only sleep on me and does not want to be put down. He doesn't like sleeping on his back and makes these awful grunty noises like he's struggling to breathe, is yours the same? I sleep upright holding him on my chest, but am too aware of him to sleep myself

Also like you I don't feel safe driving when I'm feeling so sleep deprived so I've hardly left the house. I cant imagine doing this with other children to look after so you have my sympathies. Is there any family or friends who can help you out and lend you a hand?

It's tough but I keep telling myself it won't be like this forever as a way of getting through each day (prays to God!)

Its so fecking hard isn't it??? Like everyone has said it does get better and faster than you think.

In the meantime I second sling - what have you tried? My LO cries for a min or two when I put her in stretchy wrap but after a little bouncing/walking/dancing she settles and sleeps well.

At nighttime swaddling works for us to (and co-sleeping from about 4am when nothing else works!)

Good luck!

Hi op, mine is 5 weeks too. She was doing the same thing as your little one and it was exhausting.
My mum suggested giving her a bath every night before putting her down to sleep. We use a lavender bubble bath, give her a feed in the bedroom, completely in the dark and then into pjs and bed. We also play her 'womb sounds' from a video on YouTube if she doesn't seem to settle (I thought this would be a load of crap but it works).
Obviously everyone is different but this works for us and she'll now sleep from 9pm until 4am so I'm not a total zombie during the day anymore!

I'd like to join the 5 week old no sleep club too! Envious of 9-4am - mine feeds every two hours! On a good night he'll feed, spend 30 mins upright on me squirming and burping and dozing then in swaddle and put in sleepyhead in Co deeper crib and then get about an hour or so till next one. On a bad night he'll just sleep upright on me meaning I only doze. I think as others have said, it's normal at this age! I have 2.5 year old so feel your no sleep in day pain. 5 week old spends a lot of day in sling though and does sleep there although won't really sleep anywhere else which is whole other story!
First DS was same. A resigning myself to it being a myth that if you have a crap sleeper first time, the second is better !
It helps that DH takes baby from. 8 ish when he's fed till around 10 and I go to bed so at least get a bit of sleep then. Might not be possible with 6yo though X