6 week old won' stay awake for activity in AM...THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!!

[Scubadork]

Hi...I am new to the board and hope you can help me out.  My little one hasn't been staying up for A for the past week.  She's falling asleep at the breast.  Then she wakes up 2-2 1/2 hours later ready to eat!!  I have tried wet clothes, putting her in the swing, laying her on her play mat,  Nothing keeps her awake.  Then come around 6 pm and she doesn't want to sleep at all.  She will be awake from 6-10...not screaming, just hanging out after eating.  Does she have night and day confused??  I keep it bright during the day and quiet and dark at night.  Any suggestions?  Thanks!!

Over 24 hours have passed and not a single response!!  Wow, you all are SUCH a tremendous help!!! I will go elsewhere for help!!

[vadensmommy]

So sorry you haven't heard from anybody yet, I do hope you will check back.  Sometimes the weekends are a bit less active on the boards. 

What does your average routine look like currently?  If you can post that, maybe we can see other areas that will help get things straightened out for you.  Again, I'm so sorry no one has gotten back to you yet!

[shelliz]

Hi Scubadork...

  Sorry you haven't gotten any responses. Alot of times the boards are slower over the weekends. 


It wasn't long ago that we were going through the same things as you.  One thing I have found to help keep my son up was to walk outside.  It would wake him up when he was sleepy AND calm him down if he was fussy.   Is your daughter getitng in good naps? I ask b/c...could she be not sleeping long enough which is causing her to fall asleep while feeding?   If she is getting in a good nap (and is still sleepy) then I would take her off the breast, do something else for a few minutes. She will likely get angry that she isn't being fed and **hopefully** wake up more and take in a better feed.

If you can post your daughters schedule maybe we can help out a bit more.

Again...sorry for lack of responses.  I think since husbands/partners are home from work, etc...people are online less. 


Good Luck!

Shelby

[deb]

Sorry, been sick myself. Just saw this!

Anyway, 6 weeks is a growth spurt for many babies, so all bets are off when it comes to sleeping and eating "schedules" for a few days till things settle in.

[Scubadork]

I want to apologize for my lack of patience...as a new mom, I tend to get a bit frazzled.  Combine that with the hormones, and I can be a bit of a basket case.  Thank you for your responses.  My LO is getting plenty of naptime that is why I don't understand why she is falling asleep at the breast and/or having very little A time before she is showing cues of being tired (ie. yawning).  Here is my schedule from yesterday.  I appreciate any tips/suggestions you may have. FYI...my daughter is 6 weeks old and was born 3 weeks early.  Not sure if that comes into play at all, but I thought you should know.  Again, thank you in advance for your suggestions!!

E  615am
A  No Activity Straight back to bed
S  630

E  915
A  to 1100  (really fought going to sleep) 
S  1105  3 PU/PD

E  1210
A  to 1245
S  1250  (went for a walk/fell asleep in Baby Bjorn)

E  2:20  (less than 3 hours between feedings)
A  to 3:15
S  3:30 1 PU/PD

E  5:45
A  610  (Short activity time/had sleepy cues)
S  615

E  8:15 
A  to 9:00 (Bath time)
S  9:15

E  1:15 am
A  None
S 1:40

E  4:15 am
A  None
S  4:45

E  6:15 am
A
S  6:35 am

[MJMom]

A few things:  PU/PD is too stimulating for a 6-week old.  That is more appropriate or a 4-5 mo.

The 6:15 a.m feed is completely appropriate that she would go back to bed as it often a continuation of night sleep.

It does make a difference that your daughter was 3 weeks early.  Sometimes pre-mature babies cannot go as long between feeds.  Her adjusted age is 3 weeks.  My DD wasn’t early and she could sometimes barely make 2 hrs between feeds.  Since most of the time it is 3 hrs between feeds, I wouldn’t worry about your DD having 2 hrs between feeds once in a while.  Looks like once on the day that you posted. 

For a baby that young, the amount of sleep is quite normal.  Babies that young sometimes only have 30 – 45 minutes of A time and that is inclusive of BF time.  Was the 6:15 the only time she was falling asleep at the breast?

The one thing that stuck out is when she woke at 9:15.  She went to 11:05?  That is really too long for her.  She may have fought going to sleep because she was OT.

Otherwise, I think it looks fine.  They really do eat and sleep most of the time at this age and she will slowly increase in her A times.

HTH.

[RedRoses]

Hi Scuba,

I go through bouts of the same thing with my 5-week old.  This morninghe fell asleep at his second feed and slept right through to his third. He's down for that nap now and I'm wondering what my evening will be like tonight?? 

Things that usually work for me include:
laying him flat on his back without swaddling
diaper change
change his clothes
burping somehow other than over the shoulder, which he finds calming

You've probably tried those things, already, though. But you are not alone!!

[MJMom]

RedRoses- Those are all good suggestions.  And by the time you are done with all of that, it probably really is time for your little one to be going back to sleep!

[vadensmommy]

Scuabork
Sorry I haven't checked back earlier, but I am glad you've gotten some attention with your questions, and I think you've gotten some fabulous answers!  Hope things are going more smoothly for the two of you!!