6 Week Old with Large Shift in Sleep Schedule

I had the same trouble with all 3 of my children. And it didn't go back. So by 8 weeks I was so sleep deprived that the doctor recommended 1 bottle of Similac formula before bed. It fills there little tummies for longer and gave me a good nights rest. I continued that through the first year. It also gave me the opportunity to pump a bottle at bed time to have more stock for emergencies.

My daughter slept through the night until she was ten weeks old. Then she began teething. He also might be ready for a big milestone, suddenly they want to stay awake and work on this new skill. Good luck to you and I hope you get some sleep!

Hi R.,
I have 2 boys (6 months and 22 months) I breastfed both as well and from my experience it is a growth spurt. He eats often just to get your body to produce more milk as his body needs it.
Hope this helps,
Trish

Babies are constantly changing and discovering. Gone are the days and nights of peaceful times.lol Something that my grandma told me. Anyway, it probably is a growth spirt but, he will never be on a completely wonderful to the parents liking schedule for a long time. My kids are 6,8 and 14 and they still don't stick to anything for too long.lol It will get easier and they will sleep better.

I agree sounds like a growth spurt.To help your little one sleep better try infant massage check out the website at www.aspecialbond.org

I agree that it could be a growth spurt. Just make sure you keep your routine as consistant as possible, which will help him realize a little certainty in his ever changing little world!! Also -- with growing comes a little extra hunger. Make sure he's had plenty to eat! If I remember right, it takes your body 48 hours to adjust the milk supply to meet his needs. You've probably already made it through the worst of it!

They constantly are changing. You just have to go with the flow and you will find you won't become as frustrated. My son is 19 months, also breastfed still. Finally got him to sleep through the night in his bed about 3 months ago, would go down without an issue, wave bye and drift off to sleep until about 5:30 in the morning. However, about a week ago he started getting up a 1 in the morning, sometimes 3:30 and won't go down by himself. Don't know what changed--but I just go with it.
Good Luck

He is probably going through a growth spurt. Hang in there...he'll go back to sleeping longer periods in a few weeks. I have found that breastfeeding on demand, soothes the baby easily and of course nourishes. He'll get what he needs and your body will adjust to how much he is taking in. As he gets more at each feeding....he'll go back to longer stretches of sleep. I know sleep deprivation is exhausting. More sleep lies ahead.

Yup, growth spurt at six weeks, like everyone else said. Don't sweat it thinking that the breastfeeding is part of the problem. One book I read (Baby Whisperer) did suggest pumping an ounce or two in the morning before nursing your baby, so you can give him a little extra before bedtime. Your production is greatest in the morning. I didn't do this as I figure you've got enough else to worry about in those first couple months with a new baby. But it might help.

The other book I found helpful was Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child, but I didn't get around to reading it until my son was 6 or 7 months old. (Ironic, huh?)

My son (my first also) is turning one this month, and we're still nursing--though not exclusively. He became a very good sleeper just after six weeks. Good luck! I hope you get some sleep soon!

I am beting it is a growth spurt. At about 6 weeks babies go through one. Just when you think they are getting on some sort of shcedule they up and change it on you LOL. Hang in there it will end soon. As far as gettig him back on his sleep schedule, I have no real advice there. His shcedule seemed more "advanced" than most at his age, so I really am not sure how or if he will get back there right away. He will get on a schedule. I always found around 12 weeks or so is when my babies were on more of a schedule. Hang there and try to enjoy every wakeless night. I actually miss getting up and snuggling with my babies :(

Mom of 3- 5,3,1

This happened to a friend of mine - her baby initially slept through the night and then started waking up at around six weeks. From what I've read, small babies need to eat very frequently to keep up with growth and this need takes precedence over sleep most of the time in the early months. So he probably just needs these extra feedings now - based on what happened to my friend it might last a while. (My little one has never yet slept through the night - sigh.)

He's probably just hungry - growth spurt like you mentioned. That's what happened with our newborn when he started growing. He was born healthy, albeit 5 weeks early, so he was really little for the first 11 weeks. Then all of a sudden my calm little newborn turned into a screaming, non-sleeping, teeny monster! (still adorable somehow though). Anyway, in the span of 10 days, he went from just over 8 lbs to 10 lbs, checked at the dr both times. Once his growth spurt calmed down, so did his sleeping habits, and we reestablished a normal routine just a few weeks later. As with anything, I would check with your doctor before just assuming that's what it is, but that was our experience. ;) Good luck & congrats!

Check out the book -The Wonder Weeks- It discusses the major "wonder weeks" of developmental growth, with 6 weeks being one of them. During these times, infants stop sleeping, eating, get more fussy, etc.

Some good news: there is a chance that after this little glitch, your son will sleep longer intervals at night. Mine was doing 8-9 hours at the end of her craziness at that time.

Now I'm lucky if she does 4.5 hours, but that's another story.

She may be extra hungry due to a growth spurt.
or
she may have an ear infection
or
she may have started being colicky
or

It may be that you are missing her cues for being sleepy. Once a baby gets overtired they get so wound up they can't sleep. It gets beyond their ability. Try these methods and see if that helps:
try using the Baby Whisperer's EASY method for a schedule, and the Happiest Baby on the Block 5 s's method. Those two combined will make cio not be a needed thing (at that age)
EASY - when the baby wakes up it Eats. After you feed it, then it has Activity - bouncy seat, tummy time, sitting up and playing with toys, swing, exersaucer, etc. When the baby gets fussy check the B's - boredom, butt or burp. If it's none of those then off to Sleep. Don't wait for the baby to do more than get the tiniest bit fussy, then see what is causing the fusses - if it's just that they needed their diaper change do that, but if it's not the activity is boring, the butt is dirty or they have to burp, then put them down. This may happen after as short as 45 minutes, don't freak, it really means they are tired.
Now, to get them to sleep use the 5 s's. Swaddle the baby, hold the baby on their side and sway as they suck on something (paci, your knuckle or their finger/thumb) and make a shush noise. This will calm your baby. When the baby is calm, but not asleep yet, keeping them swaddled lay them in the bed. I like to pat them instead of sway after a minute or two cause you can still pat after they are put down but you can't sway, so pat the baby and continue patting gradually decreasing it as you put them in the bed. Also continue the shushing as you put them down, again gradually getting quieter.
If you do these two you will find a well rested, easily managed baby in no time.

N.

He very well could be getting overtired. I made this mistake with mine. At theat age they shouldn't be awake more than about a two hour stretch. Mine got almost colicy, I think partly from getting overtired. Check out "healthy sleep habits, happy child" for scheduling advise. Just skip the cry it out part until he's older.

It is probably just a growth spurt. Your son is getting more and more aware of everything around him and he's curious and wants to be a part of it all. Just stick with it, I swear babies do this just to let us know what we're not in charge right now ;0)

His first few weeks sound more unusual for a newborn :) The book "Healthy Sleep Habits, happy baby" by Dr. Mark Weisblut is fabulous. He may need some swaddling and the 5 s (sucking, swinging, shushing, swaddling, side) to get him asleep and then pop him in the crib. Also if the crib doesn't work, an amby bed is fabulous. They are like a hammock and swing. so when baby wakes and moves, the hammock swings and they frequently go back to sleep. You can get them at www.amby.com They are JPMA certified and recommended by Dr. Sears. Mine is out on loan. I used it, then a sleep deprived friend with her second child used it and now my neighbor is using mine. It doesn't work for everyone but is magic when it does work.

I am also a first time mother to a 4 mth old baby girl. I started by breast feeding also but also introduced the bottle so that she could handle the change ok. I breast feed exclusivly for about 8 wks and found that there were nights were she would only sleep for one hour at a time and she would drain both breasts and still be fussy. When this happened I would give her 2 oz from the bottle and she would stop fussing and go to sleep. She seemed to be going through a growth spurt also, but I eventually asked my doctor what I could do and she had me start her on rice cereal at 8 wks. Since the first day I started her she has been sleeping through the night.

Growth spurt. :) Babies do a lot of growing at 4, 6, and 8 weeks. He will sleep again soon, don't worry. It typically lasts about a week.