overtired 5 week old HELP!!!!!

[Pegler]

Hi, this may be a long and rambling post but I'm at the end of my tether and I need some advice!!!

My 5 week old will not sleep at all during the day no matter what I do. which then leads to her being so overtired she hysterivally screams from 6 to 9 every might until eventually after hours of holding, rocking and shushing she falls asleep.

I have tried everything to get her to nap during the day. I have walked for miles with her in the pram, to which she just screams and cries the whole way. I hold and rock her for hours during the day to try to get her to fall asleep long enough to nap, she just sleeps for 10 mins then back awake again. I have driven around and around but she get completely hysterical in the car seat for some reason. I have read endless articles online, tried white noise, swaddling, given her a dummy, feeding her to sleep.

I ended up cring my eyes out today after a very challenging 2 hour walk. She literally screamed and cried the whole way.

She is very visibly tired, red eyes yawning all the time really grizzly, she just won't give in.

I'm starting to doubt myself and think I'm doing something very wrong??

Someone please tell me that this is a phase? I can't cope with this every day for much longer it's really exhausting.

Because she doesn't sleep and constantly needs to be held by me I don't get to eat or drink or do anything at all while my partner is at work during the week. I'm exhausted.

Anyone have any advice or in a similar situation to me?

Oh feel for u both love
Have u taken her to see gp just to rule out that she hasn't got colic,ear infection etc...
How is her feeding routine going?
& how is her sleeping pattern in the night?

We have to appointment in just over a weeks time. I'm pretty sure it is not colic as she doesnt struggle with her wind.

Feeding is 4oz every 2-3 hours. At night time shebis actually really good. Once you eventually get her off to sleep she sleeps all the way through till 2 on the dot then wakes up and feeds and goes back to sleep until 5ish.

It's just during the day/evening she's a nightmare I can't take her anywhere or do anything because all she does is scream and cry no matter what. I'm really struggling with it.

I'm so sorry, it's so awful when they don't settle and leave you feeling tired and overwhelmed, if you have tried everything you can think of and nothing's working I suggest feed her, cuddle her make sure she is ok stick some headphones in and take baby out in the baby carrier sometimes hey pick up on your stress this may help you, if you can't hear the crying. If you need five minutes make sure baby is ok and just place her in her cot for a few minutes. It will get easier I know it's not great help now but things will settle this stage isn't forever. Good luck.

Does she feed to sleep?

Have you tried putting her in a sling this knocks my one out after a ten min or so grumble?

IT IS A PHASE! Things will get better. I couldn't see that you mentioned a sling? That was always the magic solution for our two DC when they refused sleep or wouldn't stop crying. DH walked miles during those first months. The witching hour from 6-9 when all they do is scream might not be necessarily caused by the lack of sleep. Our first DC did that maybe four nights out of seven then just miraculously stopped after about three weeks. DC2 had just started doing it now.

Agree with PP, if they are fed and changed, put them somewhere safe and go take five minutes to eat/shower/cry into a cup of tea. Don't forget to look after yourself too.

Sounds like you have her in a good little routine then that's the main thing, could be a number of things, maybe try uping the ounces in a single feed to say 6 ounces every 3 hours fill her belly up abit more maybe 4 isn't enough for her although that is roughly what's recommended at 5 weeks she may just be a greedy baby, at five weeks they are having they first growth spurt which may be upsetting her mind they also recommend starting little 10 minutes play time, stimulate her as this is a week her brain is developing eg sing songs to her, play mat etc, walks in the pram has always been the top advice I hear but sounds like you've been doing plenty of that maybe she's got a little bit of the separation thing my nephew had when my sister put my nephew down or would leave th e room he would do nothing but scream, you may find its just a faze she is going through love & nothing works but u have to look after yourself too & make time to have meals & that, so pityful when you know they exhusted but just won't settle isn't it

As well as the GP could you talk to your Health Visitor. Mine was really good for things like.

I have had this with both my children. Please don't think it's just a phase or you have an unhappy baby. I was told this with my first dd and got myself in such a state. Babies this age should be sleeping comfortably if you think she appears in discomfort speak to gp or health visitor. I left it 6/7 weeks with dd after she screamed all day wouldn't sleep and appeared in pain it transpired she had cows milk protein intolerance and severe reflux.
My 5 week old son was showing the same signs as not able to sleep and crying through the day (along with me) and he has now been diagnosed with both the same and medicated and is improving. So please follow your mothers instinct if you feel it's more than speak to your healthy visitor. They will be able to help x