6-week old doesn't sleep during the day

[Monkey'sMummy]

Just looking for some tips/advice on how to help my 6-week old to have a day sleep?

I know he's tired, but he just won't go down for a sleep. The only time he sleeps during the day is if he falls asleep in the capsule in the car!!

Any suggestions would be great! Also just curious as to how frequent & for how long other similar aged babies sleep for?

Thanks :)

[decemberbubba]

Hi OP, it's been awhile since DS was that age, but from memory at that age he could only handle around 30 - 45 minutes awake time and he only slept from around 45 minutes.

It sounds like bub likes to fall asleep to movement - how do you try to get him to sleep during the day? You could try rocking in arms, rocking the cot/ basinet or taking a walk in the pram and trasfer to bed. Do you follow his tired signs and try to put him to sleep straight away? I found at that age I was terrible at reading DS's tired signs and always tried putting him to sleep too late, so he'd end up being overtired and it was much harder to get him to sleep.

Another suggestion is to use a carrier/ sling during the day. They are lifesavers! Bub can sleep and you can get done whatever you need to.

Good luck :)

[Monkey'sMummy]

Thanks for the reply, I may have to try a carrier :)

Does anyone else have any feedback/advice/suggestions?

[Sevven]

A carrier has been a lifesaver for me! I personally love the sleepy wrap (less than $30 from nursing angel website). Once you figure out how to use it, which can take a couple of goes, it's great!! Then if my DS's having a really bad day I put him in the wrap and bounce on the fit ball!
Works nearly every time :-)
Good luck!

[DewDanni]

Sometimes my 6 week old won't sleep because he is too busy looking around... So I just get a light weight but dark coloured blanket and drape it over his face so there is nothing for him to look at... I will then rock him for about 5mins and peek under the blanket and if his eyes are closed I will put him down into his bassinet...

Other times, he is just so over tired so I just battle it out with him... Hold him right and rock/shh/sing until he finally gives in...

Are you swaddling? I know that makes a big difference with my DS... He cries while I'm wrapping him but it definitely helps to calm him down

Also, he generally is up for 1 hour and sleeps for 3ish... However, I know that 6 weeks is common for a growth spurt so he might wake/feed more often and be less settled

Good luck!

[DewDanni]

Also, I should have mentioned that if I make eye contact with bubs at anytime it wakes him up more... So the whole time a swaddle/rock him I don't look him in the eyes... I just glance at him to see if he is ready to go down

[Rose&Aurelia]

My bub didnt sleep much in her cot/bassinette during the day till 6mths old so I used to pop her in the carrier or pram. I fed to sleep and put her down but if she woke up soon after I popped her in the carrier or back in the pram. I then tied a muslin over the carrier/pram so that the light was blocked out and continued my day. Within a few days she worked out that the cover meant sleep time.


The morning sleep she was always in the carrier after she woke so that I could finish housework whilst she napped. the midday one she was in the carrier again whilst i was in the rocking chair so I could rock her and either doze/watch tv. And the afternoon nap she was in the pram whilst I went for a walk to the shops/park/meet friends etc.

Second the PP about avoiding eye contact. the muslin is good for that in case you forget.

Its easier to control light than sound so DD soon worked out that darkness meant sleep time even though the TV/radio/general noise was occuring.

hth

[summastarlet]

During the early weeks our swing and bouncer were our saviours as DS didn't want to sleep! The moment of these helped put him to sleep. I also found carrying him in a sling was a good way to get him to sleep.

[Lansta]

Haven't read the above but my bub didn't sleep longer than 20mins at a time until about 12weeks then he slept up to 40-45mins at a time. To help him go down for naps I would walk him in the pram, cuddle him till sleepy, read to him. Also found a cot mobile helpful. I have one that plays for 40mins with a remote so I can turn it off and on with from a distance if need be. I also found having a mat in the lounge and letting him sleep near me helped as he often didn't like being excluded so would scream if put in the cot. Broke all the 'rules' and was told that this would start issues when older but my bub is now 13mths and self settles fine.

Figuring out tired signs helps before they are exhausted too as I found it really hard to settle him at that age when he was overtired.

[AM]

Slings always worked for us, but i'm sure a friends baby was like this, he simply did not sleep during the day from an incredibly young age...

All the best :)

[Tamlyn]

The book save our sleep by Tazzie Hall- has been a lifesaver to us.. it co-ensides with a lot of sleep school handouts i have recieved on sleep - get babys into a pattern of feed, play, sleep.. Try to get them to fall asleep in their cot in a darkened room with no mobiles.. (Mobiles can distract them from going to sleep) Bore child to sleep with no interaction (some soft music is ok.), pat,rock child to sleep but don't pick up and i know that is very hard to do when your child is screaming .... Put baby to sleep were you want them to wake up... good luck.

[Tamlyn]

The book save our sleep by Tazzie Hall- has been a lifesaver to us.. it co-ensides with a lot of sleep school handouts i have recieved on sleep - get babys into a pattern of feed, play, sleep.. Try to get them to fall asleep in their cot in a darkened room with no mobiles.. (Mobiles can distract them from going to sleep) Bore child to sleep with no interaction (some soft music is ok.), pat,rock child to sleep but don't pick up and i know that is very hard to do when .... Put baby to sleep were you want them to wake up... good luck.

[MissRose1]

The Love to Dream Wrap Me Up's worked a treat for us. I started using them when DS was 8 weeks old and he went from having 30 min naps to 3-4 hour naps! And he hated being swaddled before I used these. Can't recommend them enough :)

[trishalishous]

my dd only ever catnapped in the day, but slept at night so we went with the flow

[25andhopeful]

I also agree with save our sleep. I know alot don't agree but each to their own. I dont follow to the T, but modified it to suit us.
Our 5 week old self settles and doesn't have to be rocked to sleep. She sleeps 12 hours through the night only waking for 1 feed and straight bck to sleep. During the day we wrap her the same as night and sleeps really well. We have followed it since she was 2 weeks and "knock on wood" she is a great little bub.

[Lansta]

Mine barely slept unless in car, on me or near me. After a bit of trial and error i found Rockers, slings, walks in the prams were my life saver. Learning the tired signs helped as he never slept if overtired unless I bf him to sleep.

[looloo711]

The Love to Dream Wrap Me Up's worked a treat for us. I started using them when DS was 8 weeks old and he went from having 30 min naps to 3-4 hour naps! And he hated being swaddled before I used these. Can't recommend them enough :)

I second the wrap me up. Although my DD doesn't have that long of a sleep and still only has one sleep cycle but with a cuddle and a rock she gets drowsy again and will have another 40min nap.
Also agree with other posters. Getting tired signs are the key. I used to confuse her tired signs with hungry ones and was feeding instead of putting to sleep, we have that sorted though now!
Good luck.