6 wk old Baby has trouble going to sleep ?!!?

Question

My 6 week old baby has trouble going to sleep after the last feed for the day (around 10 PM)...she seems to be having no other trouble than the fact that she's sleepy...but for some reason she just can't g to sleep until 12:30 AM or 1 AM when she's just too tired to fuss anymore...this has been happening for the past 2 weeks now and I am completely clueless :((...what can I do to help her...also, I think, because of this, she tends to be so sleepy during the day that she needs to be woken up for feedings and then falls asleep during a feeding

Answer 1

Maybe she is colicky? Mine had colic. She sounds as if she WANTS to sleep but the poor thing is having a tummy ache. I had to SLEEP with them, hold them close, and keep their tummies warm. I would place my hand over their bellies and this seemed to soothe them. Swaddling and rocking also helps. Our rocking chair has LOTS of mileage on it.

Answer 2

I had the same problem with my baby. This is what worked for me...during feedings she was really sleepy and would fall asleep before she was finished, I used a cold washcloth and dabbed her face with it, that seemed to work fairly well. I also would stroke her cheek and this would stimulate the sucking reflex even when her eyes were shut to keep her nursing. The other thing that seemed to help wake her up was to change her diaper prior to feeding her, being undressed and having the cool air on her woke her up more. To get her to sleep better at night I put her on a 3 hour feeding schedule (for example 3,6,9,12 etc.) and would keep her awake for about 15-20 minutes after a feeding during the day and then allow her to nap. For the late night and early morning feedings, I would change her diaper first and then feed her in a fairly dark room so she would only eat and not wake up fully and put her directly back to bed. I would recommend the book "On Becoming Baby Wise" by Gary Ezzo and Robert Bucknam It was quite helpful in getting my baby on a schedule. Good luck and hang in there!

Answer 3

It sounds (unfortunately) as though your sweet baby may have colic. In general, doctors don't have any real definitive answers on what causes this, so there's not a lot of advice on how to help her. My daughter had a severe case of colic. It normally shows up around 4 weeks and then seems to 'magically' disappear around three months of age. There are two theories on what causes this:
1-Over-stimulation too near to bedtime.
Try creating a bedtime routine, starting about an hour before you want her to sleep. Give her a bath (I recommend a lavender-scented baby wash, but many manufacturers tell you not to use them on an infant smaller than three months-I used Johnson and Johnson's bedtime bath on my daughter from 4 weeks with no complications, but every baby is different and this is completely up to you), feed her, sing her lullabies-whatever you do, just make sure to be consistent. Also, avoid bright lights and lots of 'action' while she's trying to doze off... Wait to turn the TV on until after she's sound asleep, if you have other children, have them 'help' you-let them sing to her, let them pick out her pajamas, anything that will help them to feel involved and ultimately cut down on a lot of noise.
2- Under-development of the intestines, causing difficulty with digestion. Something that really helped to relieve my daughter when she was upset was 'Gripe Water'. It's made by Baby's Bliss, it's got all-natural ingredients and is fairly inexpensive. I'll attach the website that I ordered it from in case you'd like to try it, but they did take a long time to get it to me. Lastly, what I can offer you is to try laying her, belly-down on a warm water bottle. You know, the large rubber ones that people often use for headaches. The motion and the temperature of the water both seemed to soothe her.
I hope any of these suggestions will help your baby to feel better so you can relax and enjoy her more! You will get through this, don't get too discouraged. AND REMEMBER! It's OKAY to get frustrated. You have a heavy load taking care of a baby, even more so when you spend hours a day trying to console her without any results. Sometimes you need to just make sure that she's in a safe place, and let her cry alone for a few minutes while you 'take a break' from her-it sounds cruel, but it's much better than letting yourself get to the point where you can't judge wrong from right, and you may un-purposefully hurt your baby. Also, if your baby does have colic, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT! There's nothing that can be done to prevent it, and nothing that you did/didn't do caused it. It just happens. The good news is that when you experience a colicy baby, your far less likely to have consecutive babies with colic.
Hang in there, I know how tough it can be. IT DOES GET BETTER! God bless you and your beautiful baby.

Answer 4

my son wakes up after feedings and stays awak for about an hour each time. i try to feed him between 6 and midnight..of course hes older.perhaps shes got enough sleep by the time shes got that last feeding that shes ready to be up for awhile. try waking her up about an hour before her feeding and keeping her awake until after she eats. maybe shell fall asleep sooner... also you could try giving her a bath after the last feeding. sometimes that will help relax them. at 6 wks theyre still sleeping a lot and can get thier days and nights mixed up. try cutting out a feeding (slowly of couse) by adding an oz to each other feeding. start letting her sleep though feedings. shell wake up when shes hungry. although that might mean more sleepless nights..depending on when she wakes up.

Answer 5

Have you tried having her fall asleep in her swing? Or let her cry herself to sleep, but for longer then 5 to 10 mintues? Does she have gas or needs to burp? My son was mildly colicky and had a hard time going to sleep at night too. It might be too quiet for her. In the womb it is very loud and during the day with TV or radio, people talking, babies usually sleep better than at night when it is quiet. My son slept with a radio on for the first couple months and that seemed help...
You could try baby messages to help her relax and/or a bath with that lavendar calming soap...
or you could take her to the Chirtopractor, they do wonders and newborns are very easy to work on. They will sleep better, poop better... it helps my older kids, ages 2 & 3... they behave better, sleep better, poop easier... even helps them get over colds...

Answer 6

Yeah I would also suggest not waking her for feeds. She will always be fed when she wakes. Also most babies go through these patterns. My baby who is now 6 mnths old wont go to sleep unless she is wrapped up tightly in a blanket so her arms are held tight. Try wrapping her.

Answer 7

She may have her days and nights kinda of mixed up. I would suggest that u not wake her for feedings, sleep is just as important as food. It will take her a while to adjust to her new world.

Answer 8

I know this isn't an immediate solution, but get the book "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Marc Weissbluth. It has been a Godsend to me, and all my friends. We swear by it. The guy is brilliant.

Answer 9

You don't mention whether you are breastfeeding or not but if you are, do you drink a lot of caffeine throughout the day? If so, this could be passed on to your baby and keep her awake. Try drinking decaffeinated beverages and see if it helps.

Answer 10

Lack of sleep in children can cause serious
health problems.If parents follow some simple
techniques for making their children sleep,
it can be avoided. I found useful information
at http://nosleep.in/sleepchildren.html