Getting 6wk old to sleep - witching hour nightmare

[hwill72]

Hi

My problem is getting my 6 wk old to sleep!

For the last 3 1/2 weeks she has given us the 'witching hours' between 5pm until anything up to 10pm at night. Crying, general fussiness, will only take the boob for comfort and quite often ends up being sick because of too much milk, and generally will not settle. The only way we can keep her calm is by rocking her, cuddling and nursing and it is wearing my partner and I out, and I am concerned causing some very bad habits (I am aware that our strategies are not favourable and I am afraid she is becoming used to this 'routine'.)

We try to keep her calm as possible late afternoon, have a bath and change for bed, but to no avail. Please can someone help? My  biggest concern is using the breast as a comforter, this is the eventual way she falls asleep but I am very aware that this is not good long term and feel that it has gone on long enough.

Whether it is relevant or not, I am breast feeding her with supplement of formula for her lunch time feed (if I do a later one we tend to have big sick thrown back by about 7pmish, result of the cluster feed she has starting, surprise surprise around 5pm). I am also trying to avoid using a pacifier.

Does anyone else have/ or have had this problem

[jessmum46]

Oh hugs, the evenings can be so hard with some LOs . My DS was a dream in the evenings but DD we were up until gone 1am some nights!  The good news is this is a normal phase for most, tends to peak at around 6-8 weeks but then is greatly improved for most babies by around 12 weeks . My DD was an indepndent sleeper going to bed by about 7pm by 4 months despite our crazy first few weeks.  Honestly she is so tiny, do not stress at all about 'bad habits'.  This is about survival . So cuddle, rock, nurse her all you need to get through the tough witching hours.  It will not last forever I can promise you and at 6 weeks there is so much time later on to think about indepndent sleeping and solid routine .  Have you checked out the FAQs on getting started with a newborn?

Hugs again and keep posting, we'd love to keep supporting you

[asvbloch]

I was totally there!   Our LO was fussy in the evenings from about 6-10pm sometimes earlier and sometimes later.  It does it better! You're doing a great job.  My best friend told me that when her little girl went through this same thing she loved the sound of the hair dryer.  So we tried it and it really did work.  I would just let the hair dryer run for a bit and hold her and she would fall asleep.  It isn't a long term solution and we didn't do it enough that it became a prop but it is nice for when she is getting really worked up and you know it isn't hunger and nothing else worked.


Hang in there! You're doing a great job!