Newborn won't be put down from 4/5am

[TBC45678]

I'm struggling slightly with the early mornings with my 5 week old (I'm aware he's so young, so just want any tips for now, I know he'll change soon). During the day he can sleep in his bassinet and for the first couple of sleeps of the night he does 3 or 4 hours in the next to me crib - I know I'm very lucky with this! But after the 4 or 5 am wake up he will just not be put down, even to bed-share right next to me. He instantly starts crying and has to be re-settled by feeding. I have to hold him and a few times I've fallen asleep and given myself a real shock waking with him in my arms which I know is so dangerous. Anyone experienced the same? I guess I should just get up with him and go onto the sofa to watch telly to keep me awake... But would love to hear if anyone managed to find something that worked for them!

If you are breastfeeding you could try it lying down.

If he’s awake at 5am I’d be amazed if you could get him back to sleep straight away. Basically he’s ready for his day. Afraid you just have to get up. Tv sounds like a good idea.

Are you feeding him lying down? My newborn sleeps in the next to me until somewhere between 3-5am and then I open the all night snack bar for one. She feeds from me lying on my side and we both sleep, it's bliss. I don't sleep deeply but well enough to function during the day.

Thanks for the replies! I've been considering the lying down breastfeeding, but he's quite gassy so I'm worried it will make him uncomfortable. I generally have to hold him upright for 15/20 mins after feeding. I might give it a go tonight and see though!

The thing is if he's in my arms he'll happily sleep till past 7, so I don't think it's that he thinks the day is starting. I also know this isn't that bad a problem in the grand scheme of newborn sleep! I have a 2 year old though so the whole sleep when the baby sleeps in the day doesn't really work for me and those last hours of the night before the toddler wakes are very precious!!

@TBC45678

Thanks for the replies! I've been considering the lying down breastfeeding, but he's quite gassy so I'm worried it will make him uncomfortable. I generally have to hold him upright for 15/20 mins after feeding. I might give it a go tonight and see though!

Both of mine fed lying down and didn't need winding. I was amazed x

I have a really windy baby too - if feeding her in my arms I need to keep her upright for 20 minutes or more. She goes mad if you try to put her down, arching her back and very uncomfortable. For some reason feeding lying down doesn't have the same problem at all, no idea why, but she manages to somehow feed to sleep lying down without needing winded. Definitely worth a try!

I have a 5 and a 3 year old so can't sleep during the day either - need all the night sleep I can get!

Oh amazing! I'll definitely give the side feeding a try tonight then 🤞

Sad to say we still have this at 4 months. He comes into bed with me now at least I'm horizontal and my eyes are closed!

No advice but watching with interest because my 7 week old is the same!

This has sadly become a habit for my 18 week old. I’m not bf, but after a 4am feed she just will not be put down. I have to wait till she’s gone off deeply enough, then slide sideways until she’s lying on the bed pressed into me and just doze there in perfect stillness. I’m aware that this is crap sleep for me but my 3yo wants in depth conversation all day long, so I’ve got to rest where possible!

So I tried the side feeding this morning and it was so much better! He woke at 4.30 for a feed so I did that one sitting up as normal and burped him etc, he fell asleep in my arms as usual and I laid him down next to me. As always when I lay him down at this time he was a bit wriggly and grunty but getting my boob out really helped and we both managed to doze pretty well until 7! In fact just having my nipple next to his face kept making him fall asleep, I only actually fed him once 😂 most importantly it was so much safer than my usual trying to keep my eyes open while holding him.

Thanks so much for the advice! Hope it helps anyone else struggling.

I could have written this about my 6 week old! I’m going to keep trying to putting her back in her bed but for now just going with it snd co sleeping for the last bit of the night. Everything is a phase with babies I’m sure this won’t last forever. She’s my final baby so I’m enjoying the snuggles.

That's great OP! I find the same, just being near my boob is enough to make her sleep...

The only problem I have is that her nappies have started leaking the last few days, so between her weeing the bed and my boobs leaking, this morning I was dozing in a rather damp patch

It's winter, they don't feel cold exactly but they do feel cooler away from you, wouldn't you shout if you were given a nice hot water bottle and then it was taken away
Safe cosleeping is the way to go for that part of the night. Dd2 was a January baby, it was the only way to survive.

@SomethingBeginningWithX I know what you mean about the damp - I have such leaky boobs so wake in a pool of sour breast milk every morning 🤢 the side feeding definitely made the leaking worse! Though I have a very fast let down and my baby usually really struggles with being drowned in the first few minutes of feeding and I found that was much better lying on my side.