5 Week Old Sleeping During the Night (NOT)

Sounds like a normal baby to me he's only 5 weeks old he's not supposed to sleep through the night those that do are the odd ones. Try feeding him when he first wakes up instead of waiting. You will all get better sleep if you don't let him cry, feed him then go back to sleep. His little tummy is only as big as his fist and they digest food very quickly , they are growing very quickly.

relax and accept that babies wake and need to be fed at night. anyone that tells you different is crazy or lying. I had one that needed to be fed every few hrs until she was a yr old, but then I had one that only needed one feeding in the middle of the night at 10 months old then dropped it all together on his own at a year. They are all different and some need more love , cuddles , food , etc than others.

if you're not swaddling him, please try it. Just wrap him very snugly in a receiving blanket. Young babies miss that cramped feeling they had inside us. Also, if he wakes after 2 hrs, feed him, but keep him swaddled except to change him. Expecting him to go longer than 3 hrs. at this age is unrealistic. Hang in there---it won't last long.

HE IS 5 WEEKS OLD! What do you want? This is perfectly normal typicl sleep pattern for a 5 week old. If he goes down at 9 why not try doing a dream feed before head to bed and maybe that will get him to last until closer to 3. Are you breastfeeding or formula? breastmilk is digested quickly and it is perfectly normal for him to wake every 2 hours. You said he wakes 11-1 why wait until 1 to feed him why not change him (if needed) and feed him when he wakes at 11? Then you make him wait again 2 hrs (up at 3 but not fed until 5) and you wonder why he is fussing during that time period. He is hungry! Feed him! If you feed him when he first wakes he might just last a little longer of a stretch.

On a side not if you are sad about having a second baby perhaps you have a little postpartum depression going on and you should speak with your ob.

he's 5 weeks old mom....waking up only twice a night is AWESOME at that age, it's not bad to only hear him when he's REALLY crying...it's just that your tired, sometimes it takes a little extra to wake new mom's and dad's. Give yourself some time

It actually sounds like you've got a normal lil guy there. For a while, my DS would wake up every 2-2 1/2 hours! He did sleep through the night around 3 months old though. That's so not typical though, like you probably know. Its hard early on, but remember that it does get better!

I really don't suggest letting him really get going crying at this age. They still need to know that Mommy or Daddy is going to come get them and give them reassurance when they need it. By all means, move him to his crib if you want to. You may get more quality sleep when he's sleeping that way because you won't hear every movement and sound he makes. We had to move our DS to his crib around that time too because there was zero quality of sleep even when he was asleep. I'd suggest a monitor though so you know when he wakes up. If you don't let him get too worked up when he wakes up, you've got a better chance of getting him back to sleep more easily after feeding/diapering.

I feel your pain and please take it from a mom who has been there and done that. My son constantly fussed/moved around from day one and lasted for a good 1.5 months(at that time I thought it'll never go away) before he started sleeping sort of quietly. He is almost 10 months now and he still hasn't slept more than a 10 hour stretch.
Your son is 5 weeks old so please give it some time. As an experienced mom, I am sure you know that this is also short lived. I wouldn't recommend moving him into his own crib in a separate room since he is so young and because of SIDS.
Is he breastfed? Mine used to wake up around the same times as yours does. He still wakes up once or even twice - I don't think it's necessarily because he is hungry, just that he doesn't know how to put himself back to sleep. I have accepted the fact that he will sleep through the night when he is ready but I can understand your frustration especially since you have two kids to look after.
If you haven't been to your OB for a postpartum check-up I would highly recommend it. You could be experiencing some sort of PPD and that will only make things worse. If he is bottle-fed, have your husband do one of the night feedings or pump and have your husband feed so that you can get a little more sleep. All the Best to you, mom! Hang in there, things will get better - I promise!

It's perfectly normal to feel regret, despair and certainly tiredness not long after having another one! It's really hard going from one to two children and when the oldest is still a toddler who needs you constantly as well -it can wear you to the bone! I know -been there/done that! Don't feel bad about yourself -the regret and sadness will go away and the sleep will get better -keep telling yourself that, because it's true! If you feel completely overwhelmed, sad and are really having issues, you should call your doctor and discuss PPD -post-partum depression. It's very common and really normal! You may just be exhausted though! For a 5 week old, this sounds pretty normal. I know it's not great news for you, but newborns often get up even more than this. My first was sleeping through the night by 2 months and at 5 weeks had gone to one feeding. OH -how fabulous! NOT my 2nd one! We finally got down to the twice a night waking around 4 months and that continued for another 3 months. Two of those months were spent with me sleeping on the basement sofa while he slept in his big, rocking swing because he would sleep for around 4 hours a stretch that way and I was desperate. He finally got down to 1 feeding a night, moved to his crib in his room and quickly went to sleeping through the night. SO, it will get better!

If you want to try moving your baby to his room, that's not terrible. Many people start out from day 1 with the baby in its own room. Do you have a baby monitor or is it close enough to really hear him? I'm not a CIO advocate, but I AM a big believer in getting infants and toddler to soothe themselves so when they have a moment of wakefulness it doesn't turn into a full-scale wailing/feeding situation. If he wakes up and is really hungry -he'll definitely let you know!

None of my kids ever lasted a day in our room at this age, i can not sleep with a newborn or even my 6 month old in my room. Don't feel bad about moving him. Our 6 month old sleeps in the living room at night we just wheel the pack n play there when we go to bed. she does just fine out there. and then make sure your baby minder is not so loud that you can here him constantly just loud enough to here him when he really is saying i'm hungry. My little lady actually both of my girls were belly sleepers (my son did not like his belly) so that is something to try also if you feel comfortable with that.

i would suggest trying to skip one nap during the day and see how he responds to that. if he takes a nap before bedtime, try to skip that nap. I know its hard to do that cuz that is your downtime also, but see what happens.

Updated

You may have to adjust your expectations. He sounds very normal. Even BETTER than normal, for his age. I wish my kids only woke up that often! Read The No Cry Sleep Solution by Elizabeth Pantley or another book that explains the sleep needs and patterns of tiny babies. Your son is supposed to wake that often to eat. It doesn't matter how much he eats during the day.

After that I would ask family to help. Perhaps offer a naptime for you during the day. No one really functions too well during those first sleep deprived months, but maybe getting or hiring help would benefit everyone. You may have some pp depression or just seriously need more sleep. Either way, seek help. Good luck!

Neither of my kids have ever slept in our room for the exact reason you're mentioning. I don't want to hear the fuss. I can't help them during that phase, it's just gas. So I have them in their cribs. When they really me, I can hear them and go in. I have a 12 week old and a 2yo, so I'm just on the other side of where you are. You're NOT a terrible mom.

My first did exactly what you're describing for weeks. And I got to the point where I had to just leave him be, for my own sanity. I fed him when he was hungry, which was about every 3 hrs. Apart from that, he fussed himself to sleep.

Take care of yourself, so you can take care of your toddler. Right now, he needs you more.

One thing I want to note: people tell you to keep your kids in the room with you because of the risk of SIDS. If you're asleep, and (God forbid) your child should stop breathing, you're not going to notice if that happens right next to you, or in the next room. Keep that in mind. You can't let that be a driving decision for you.

Dear mom, your baby is 5 weeks old, a newborn acting like a newborn. I am sorry to be blunt, but you just have to suck it up and be his mom. Babies wake up a lot and they need to be fed upon demand, not once they crying. Crying is a sign of late hunger and it's painful on a baby. Didn't they tell you this at the hospital? You may think you really need your sleep but you are stronger thank you thin you are. Be there for your baby please! He has no one else to turn to, he can't feed himself, his tummy is small and he gets hungry, no matter how many calories he gets during the day. We don't have babies for convenience, but if it's easier on you, sleep with your baby in your bed or on the floor and tend to him when he needs you, and don't be all mad and tense or he will feel it. Hold your baby, skin to skin, a lot, that is with him only wearing a diaper over your bare chest, whether you are a nursing mom or not,I am sorry if this sounds rude and you are just being honest, but you are this baby's caregiver, too late for wishing you hadn't had another baby. The more responsive you are to him, the better baby he is going to become and the less he is going to cry. He needs to be able to trust you and he shouldn't have to struggle for his mom's care and attention. Good luck to you.

You can start letting him "cry it out" around the 2 month mark. Before that...you are on his schedule!!

Move him to his room and go to him when he cries. I never could sleep in the same room as my infants b/c they kept me awake with peeps, squeaks, and stirs. It'll get better!

The only way I got sleep is using a swaddle (my favorite was the woombie, it still let him wiggle but not enough to hit his face and startle himself) and his swing. He actually only used the swing for a month then I randomly tried to put him in his crib and TADA! He did it! But I know not all babies will do it. But I highly suggest a woombie or any swaddle. I got the $10 one from babies r us and it worked till he got a bit older and could wiggle out of it. 3-4 hours is all the sleep at a time I ever got for 3 months. Good luck!!

babies need to learn to soothe themselves to sleep. My daughter used to stir around but not really be fussy/cry, and I would just let her, because she would often put herself back to sleep. It wouldnt be terrible for you to put him in his crib. I turned off the monitor very soon after installing it simply because I couldnt sleep with all of her stirring around.

Please contact me. I am an Infant Sleep Consultant. He is too young to sleep through the night. However, you can begin to stretch him so by the time he is 12 weeks old he will be sleeping from 7 pm to 7 am without waking. We use very gentle mehods no cry methods. I would be happy to help you.