6 week old WILL NOT sleep during the day....

[1MOREPLZ]

HELP!!!!
i am at my wits end... Jack will feed well goes off to sleep in his cot and then within 15-20mins he is awake AGAIN screaming!! i resettle and he goes off to sleep again..and then is awake AGAIN....
Right now he is SCREAMING and i am about to burst into tears....
any suggestions???
today i would say he has slept no more than 1- 1 1/2 hours.

[boomba]

Aww hun Its so tough the first couple of months! Have you maybe tried a hammock? It was a god send for us as Ds wasnt a big sleeper either. We could gently bounce as he began to stir. what about a sling or carrier? maybe he just wants to be near you? It may only be a phase and he just wants to be close?

sorry if this doesnt help! Good luck

[~Trish~]

You poor thing, I remember how stressed out I got with DS1. He would only sleep during the day if I held him, otherwise he would just scream and scream in his cot. He'd wake up after 10 minutes screaming and I was tearing my hair out.

I second Amber's suggestion of a baby hammock, we bought one when DS1 was 10 weeks old and it CHANGED our lives! The first time I put him in it he slept for 2 hours. I could bounce him in it when he was unsettled or needed help going off to sleep.

I also took him to a paediatric chiropractor, it turns out he had a dislocated shoulder from birth, no wonder he was so unsettled! I highly recommend trying a chiro if you are at your wits end, they have huge success with turning unsettled babies into happy babies. After we got DS's shoulder fixed he was a much happier baby.

I hope you find something that works for you soon .

[LG]

both my boys would NEVER sleep on their own during the day as little babies. It was frustrating sometimes, but I just got used to the fact that they needed to be on me to sleep. SO a sling was my lifesaver!! I LOVE the hugabub for littlies and ergo for when they are a little bigger. At least that way baby got some sleep and i had my hands free to do whatever stuff i needed/wanted to do.

I know it's hard, but it won't last forever, even if it seems like it right now.

[Leeal]

Hi Katones,

It sounds like your Jack is what they call a "catnapper". It is SUCH hard work, you never get a break - even to do the basics like eating.

My daughter did the same - she is now 4 and a half months old and she has gradually increased those 20 minute sleeps to about 3x 40 minute ones(thankfully!!!!).

My advise would be to not fight it and try to 'make' him sleep. Wearing him in a sling is a good idea. You might have to hold him while he sleeps for a while. Alternatively if you are into co-sleeping lie down with him in your bed and see if he'll have a longer nap with you.

I also found getting out of the house to be important - it's impossible to entertain a baby at home all day when they are awake for nearly all of it. Put him in the pram and get out of that house!

I got a lot out of reading Pinky McKays book Sleeping like a baby.

I hope this helps. Good luck.

[kelebek]

Massive for you. It is so hard when they do this as you don't ever seem to get a break. I don't really have any suggestions for you as my DS has only ever napped for 20 - 40 mins at a time through the day. The only way he would sleep for longer is if I held him while I watched tv or slept with him. At first it stressed me & really got to me but now I just accept that is the way it is & sleep at least once a day with him. I also have an ergo & he will have at least one sleep in that too. Getting out of the house at least once a week will save your sanity as well.
Hope you find something that helps.

[Mum2Willie]

Hi. I completely understand because my bub would never sleep. Now he is still a catnapper. Now he has 3x40mins sleeps a day - sometimes I get some extra bonus time!! It is tough at first. What I did was just lie in bed or on the couch and watch a DVD and let bub sleep on me. I forgot anything else that had to be done! I also used the Baby Bjorn alot. I just strapped bub in and he would fall to sleep while I was doing the vaccuuming. Eventually, I got bub to sleep in the car baby capsule in his bedroom with the music on in the day and he started sleeping longer. He liked to be all snuggled up. But he still had to fall to sleep on me and then I would transfer him to the baby capsule. A friend of mine used the bassinett that clipped onto her pram. Do anything that works. But just give yourself a break and don't expect to do too much!!! I expected to much of myself and looking back I just wish I had given in and slept in bed with bubs. It is very frustrating but it does eventually get easier. I hope you find something that works for you or ask a friend to come over and just hold bub for a while to give you a break (if you have someone). I wish I had someone who could have done that for me.