6 week old baby, when does it get easier?

[Anonymous]

My baby is almost 7 weeks old and I love him more than anything but I feel like I am in survival mode. I thought that it would be easier by now. Well, it is definately easier than those first 2 weeks but we still don't get out because he cries so much and he will not nap in his crib or bassinet. He sleeps in the bassinet at night, but during the day if I set him either after soothing him to sleep he is awake and screaming in 2 minutes, I pick him up and he goes right back to sleep. It is so frustrating. He is too little for "sleep training" and all the books say to put them down when sleepy but awake -Ha what a joke! I feel ashamed for relatives to visit because they think I am doing something wrong because he cries so much and nurses so often. When will it get better?

[Anonymous]

I'm sorry! It does get easier, but the first few months can be really, really hard for so many reasons. Hang in there it will get better!

Is he getting enough to eat? How is he growing (birth weight to now)? How is nursing going for the pair of you? Do you have a sling or baby wrap? Perhaps you can wear your baby while you get some fresh air in the cooler mornings or venings or even in an air xonitioned mall b

[Anonymous]

You're almost there! For us, DS was much less fussy starting about 8-9 weeks (he spit up much less, started sleeping longer blocks of time) and he got amazingly fun after his "fourth trimester" (12 weeks.)

I would consider baby wearing, if you haven't tried it yet. I wear a moby. DS loved it! Loved the motion and being pressed in so close to me. I loved being able to leave the house to take walks and buy small errands, getting things done like bottle washing and watering the plants and folding laundry on the kitchen table...

Hang in there! Congratulations

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately, I don't have any advice, but my DD is the same age & going thru the same thing. Maybe it helps to know that you're not the only one struggling at the 6 week marker. So tonight when you're up at midnight, 2am, 4am, 6am, etc. just know that I'm right there with you!

[Anonymous]

Pp here. Sorry for the spelling mistakes.

Why are you "ashamed" for relatives to see you feeding you baby often? This is what babies do, especially babies going through a 6 week growth spurt? PLEASE have them visit and help relieve you a bit with the baby holding an soothing. Have you tried a pacifier yet? That
Might help baby calm down without needing to nurse.

[Anonymous]

week 6 was probably the turning point for me. It was hard like pp, by 9 weeks it was definitely starting to get better! hang in there. DD is almost 6 months old and it feels like just YESTERDAY I was where you are. I have to say until week 9 she took all naps on me. Much to my opposition. She wouldnt go down during the day by herself either. So I took the opportunity to nap with her (on me) on the couch. And we took a lot of walks (and it really helped me lose the pregnancy weight!) so she would sleep there too.

[Anonymous]

5-9 week period was my WORST, then it gest easier and by three months a switch is flipped and it's WAY easier (I think because they are usually sleeping through the night or at least most of the night by then). Just give yourself some credit that you're doing a great job and try to really enjoy this period because it goes by so fast. I didn't get to enjoy it as much with my first as I did with my second because I was so tired and irritated and clueless with my first. With my second I knew how fast it really went so I tried to enjoy it a little more. If you don't have an exercise ball, get one, the largest one you can find and hold the baby in your arms and lightly bounce....soothed my two little ones like nothing else. Would put them to seleep in five minutes.

[Anonymous]

You might consider reflux as an issue. DS is approaching 10 weeks, and we are definitely settling into more sleep. (You described our exact situation at 6 weeks!) You might try a chair/carseat to see if he sleeps on a slight incline. If so, he might be crying because lying flat will bring up some painful acid. My DS would sleep on his back at night, but that might have been from exhaustion. After a few days of taking naps in his chair, and some modifications in my diet--no more caffeine, sniff--he's more calm in general.

I may host a book burning for some of the parenting books. They can create expecations that are unrealistic, just creating frustration.

[Anonymous]

OP here, thanks for the replies, my husband is taking a turn with him now so I can write back. We have a path worn down from the rocking chair to the bouncy exercise ball. DS is in the 75th percentile for weight last time he was checked and is already starting to wear size 2 diapers so the pediatrician and my husband say not to worry. He has tons of wet diapers and 3-4 big dirty ones everyday. Still not knowing how much he is getting is one of the most frustrating things about breastfeeding. My MIL formula fed and I think that that is totally fine but she doesn't know anything about breastfeeding. She says things like "your milk will be creamier soon and he will not need to nurse so often." She is actually a really nice lady and means to be encouraging, but it just makes me feel like she thinks that thinks are not right. When my mother was over she got all concerned and asked if we should call the pediatrician because he cries so much at night. The ped says it's colic and there is nothing to do but outgrow it. My mother is dubious. What is colic she asks. AHH! So the light at the end of the tunnel is around 12-16 weeks? I just need a landmark. Are we doomed with his sleep if we let him sleep on us/ in our arms now?

[Anonymous]

Get the Happiest Baby on the Block, now!! Order it from Amazon tonight, along with a couple of commercial swaddling blankets (Swaddle Me, Miracle Blanket, etc). I think that the soothing techniques in that book will really, really help you.

This also sounds to me like it could be reflux, the clue being that you said DS is fine until you lay him down, i.e. until he is no longer vertical. You don't need to be spitting up everywhere for it to be reflux. Does he nurse for a few minutes and then start screaming? Does he arch his back? Do you have a lot of difficulty burping him? All signs of reflux. If this is the case, talk to your ped.

It DOES get better in just a few short weeks' time, mama ... hang in there, 6 weeks is the worst, and it's supposed to be peak colic time as well. HUGS!!

[Anonymous]

My daughter was a rough baby. It got a little better around 3 months, a little better still around 6 months, a little better when she could crawl, and a little better still when she could walk.

[Anonymous]

Neither of my kids had reflux but both flatly refused to nap laying down until about 3 months old. My DS would at least nap in the swing, but my DD only wanted to be held... so I held her (or took her out in the stroller or carseat) for every nap until about 3.5 months old. Like a PP did, I sacked out on the couch with her, watched bad soap operas, and got some naps in myself. No, you're not starting a bad habit at this young age-- Do whatever you need to, in order to get through it. For both my kids, 3.5 months was when I started to get serious about naps in the crib, and they got better about it too.

As PP's have said, it really truly does get better. For me, the second month was the hardest for both kids, Month 3 was a little better, and Month 4 was when things started to turn around.

Good luck to you!

[Anonymous]

My baby was the exact same way (and as far as I know did not have a reflux problem). To survive, I used techniques from Happiest Baby on the Block (many recommend the DVD), bought a Moby so I could get my hands back, and bought a bouncy chair, which he would sometimes nap in if I swaddled him really tightly. I think every baby is different, but I was able to stop bad crying spells by turning DS on his side, giving him a paci, swaddling him, and running the vacuum (all techniques recomended in Happiest Baby on the Block). For me, the turning point was 7 weeks--it was like DS "woke up" and was suddenly able to be set down without immediately freaking out. 3 months was another turning point--DS started napping in his crib.

[Anonymous]

DS was fussy like that and I cut out dairy and it made a HUGE difference. Cut it all out--traces of butter/milk/cheese/yogurt/ice cream for at least 2 weeks to see if there's a difference.

Also, if he's nursing so often, are you feeding him on one side or switching? Try nursing on the same side for several feedings to make sure he gets enough hindmilk. He can gain a lot of weight just on foremilk, so it's possible that there's an imbalance there and that can make them fussy and eat more often (because they get the volume of milk, but not the satiating fatty hindmilk)

[Anonymous]

You are still in the stage where you do what you need to in order to survive! If he wants to nap on you, let him and take advantage of the much needed rest. I would also look into a wrap or carrier (try different ones on and see what works for you).

As the mom of a reflux baby, I would also ask your ped about that (only because you say it is worse when you put him down flat). If that is the case, this product saved our sanity! http://www.amazon.com/Fisher-Price-Newborn-Rock-Play-Sleeper/dp/B002M77N22