Figuring out my 5 week old...

[cdubs54]

My 5 week old little guy is throwing me for a loop at night. I know things can still be unpredictable at this age, but just making sure I am doing right by him. He typically goes down around 7:30-8 & if he doesn't get a dream feed (because I canNOT get him to wake enough), he will go a 4-5hr stretch & wake up around 12:30. If he gets the dreamfeed (did a 30 min one last night), he is STILL waking at 1230. He then wakes at 3 & 6. I have been dreamfeeding for about a week. Anything I should be doing differently? Of note, he is hardcore fighting daytime naps now too. Fights for almost an hour, but then sleeps like a champ 1-2.5 hrs when he falls asleep. Trying hard to read hos sleepy cues, but maybe I am missing them. I remember naps being challenging at this age with my first son too.

[creations]

Hi there and welcome to BW forums

sorry you didn't get any replies yet.

Yes, 5 wks is still very young and you'll still be getting to know him, learning about his sleep and what he likes etc.  It's probably a bit early to say anything for sure about his nap but if he is fighting maybe try keeping him up another 10 mins and see if he is happier to go down?  I remember working out my DS's A times were super long when he was very little, I was following signs rather than the clock and he did nap well on it...it sounds like yours is napping well when he's had long enough activity.

The dream feed you could try at a different time to catch him at a different stage of the sleep cycle and he might be more willing to take it.  Mine never took a DF or a paci...but I kept the time of the DF anyway and did a normal feed before my BT it worked well, didn't really matter he was awake for it.  Some people do say their LOs don't seem to realise they were fed and wake up anyway for another NF - I'd personally give the DF a go for a bit longer but it's personal choice and there is no strict rule you do a DF, you might prefer to go to bed earlier yourself for instance and just wake up to feed when he wakes for it.  you could go to bed same time as LO then and get a good stretch of sleep in before doing the night shift.

hope this helps