6.5 week old - night routine and 5:30 wake up, getting hubby on board

[ceuchida]

Hi there,
Now that we are past the first 6 weeks, I am eager to start getting my son on a routine.  He has pretty much been on a three hour cycle since the beginning, but definitely cannot fall asleep by himself.  Here is some info.

How old is your child? 6.5 weeks

What’s his/her daily routine? WOrking on this part.  Eats about every three hours, but sleep is all over the place.  I have to drop off my older son at school at 9, so he naps in the stroller for about 30-45 minutes, which I don't think is long enough but am not sure how to change.  He will nap again after his next feed for 1-1 1/2 hour after I rock/hold him, but can't put him down. I've taken to putting him in the carrier for this nap. Then after his next feed I have to pick up my  other son from school, and this ends up being a long nap in the carrier...sometimes up to 3 or 3 1/2 hours.  Feed when he wakes up, then my husband comes home and baby has not set routine until he falls asleep around 9 in either the swing or baby chair.  I know, not a good habit either bu tthis is my husband's baby time while I look after my older son and my husband doesn't think he needs to sleep.  (A whole other issue).  After this wake-up he usually gets fed between 11 and 12, 3-4, and for the past few nights has been waking at 5:30 and I have difficulty putting him back down in the bassinet.

Do you bottle or breastfed??  Bottle.
How much? or how long? 100mL about every 3 hours.
How many wakes per night? 2-3
What’s your LO like when waking at night? Cries until fed.  Can usually be put right down after feeding and burping
 How long is he/she up? Anywhere between 20-45 minutes
When you go to him/her is she fussing or crying? Always crying.
What have you tried to settle?? at night - soother, sh-pat, pick up/calm/put down, lay on me (only thing that has worked)
What do you do for A time and how long is it? play on change table, play mat, in chair watching me cook/clean, walk in stroller (on way to sons school)
Are there developmental issues such as teething or milestones?
Have you introduced cereal? Why, how much, and how many times a day? (for LO’s under 6 months) - no.
Do they have a prop? If so what is it?  Bathroom fan/rocking/soother

Thanks!

[lauradj]

Hey there!

  As this is your third (?) child, you probably know more than me but here's my two cents.  My DS is 8 weeks today and he's been back and forth with naps.  Two weeks ago he went a full week of only waking up at 3am after a dream feed at 10:45 and then waking up for the day at 7am.  It. Was. Glorious!  That, however, is a thing of the past and he's currently waking at 1am and 5am before 7am wake up.  However, his afternoon naps have returned which is something I was struggling with before and questioned here on the forum.
Basically, it sounds like he's a pretty typical 6.5wk old and the better sleep will come as his little belly gets bigger.  The only comment, suggestion, I would make is the bedtime.  I know how hard it is for Dads because they so desperately want to spend time with their little ones but we have a hard and fast bedtime routine and I do not deviate from it.  DS has a catnap between 4:30-5 or 5:15, then I feed him, gentle activity (ie. watching Mom and Dad make dinner whilst in bouncy chair), bath time, feed again and to bed you go!  He's in bed by 7, which gives my husband and I a chance to eat dinner together which is really important for us.  I would really strongly recommend an earlier bedtime and a bedtime routine and because your LO is bottle fed, your husband could easily do that part and have Daddy/Baby bonding time.
I hope that helps a bit.

Cheers,

[ceuchida]

He is my second child but my first was a horrible sleeper and is5 now so I feel like I'm doing this for the first time. Does your child fall asleep by himself? Mine needs to be on me and rocked )for all daytime naps and bedtime) so I'm looking for a way to break this habit. Thoughts? Shh-pat doesn't clam him no matter how loud I do it.

[Layla]

Hi there,

Your LO is still quiet young so don't be discouraged if there is no pattern to his night or daytime sleep. Shh/pat would be the method I would encourage you to use but it will take time and consistency for you to get there. At 6 weeks we only just started a modified version of shh/pat (shh/patted in my arms and then tried to slowly transition to bed and shh/pat). By 8 weeks things were getting better but still not consistent and by around 3 months, she was able to put herself to sleep.

Night sleep often tends to establish first so hopefully by 8 weeks you should see your LO sleeping a little longer (like 4-5hr stretch). What time are you putting him down for the night? He might be needing an earlier bedtime.. usually early wake ups are as a result of too late bedtime and I found that around 8 weeks, I had to make bedtime somewhere around 7pm and mine would sleep 12hrs (with a 4-5hr stretch at the start of the night, followed by 3hr wake up) - so 7pm-11/12am and then 3am and then 6am and wake up at 7am

[lauradj]

Hey There!  Sorry for the long delay in response, how rude of me! 
My LO is now 12 weeks old.  Most of the time he now goes to sleep on his own.  It depends on how his day has been but he's only been able to truly put himself to sleep in the last two weeks.  Basically after my Mom gently suggested that I stop responding to every little fuss and squeak he makes in bed.  Opps...
Shh-pat doesn't really work for my LO anymore, though it did initially.  Now it gets him all wound up.  I tend to gently rock him while singing a lullaby until he's calm and then put him to bed.  Either that or I rub his itty bitty back.  He hardly ever falls asleep in my arms now which is actually kind of neat to observe.  He falls asleep in his crib though, usually sucking away on his fist.  I hope that helps, are things any better?  Were you able to establish a good bedtime routine?  When DS was really wee, that was the one constant and it saved me every night.

Cheers,