how to get 6wk old baby to sleep?

Stacey - posted on 11/16/2010

Try gripe water on his soother if he takes one or with a dropper( drop by drop) as well as if just above his top lip is blueish and is pulling up his knees towards his tummy, he has some bubbles When you burp him over your shoulder pat upward to try and aid his bubbles out.

Stacey - posted on 11/16/2010

I have 4 kids, and I highly recommend an excercise ball. You can rock sway, bounce.And it's not so tiring on the back. Also my kids slept a lot in their carseat( can pick up the carseat and rock them if they stir or wake up), tilted back ofcourse so not to restrict their airway.

Kath - posted on 11/11/2010

My daughter was a belly baby- there was no other way she would sleep. We tried wedges and swings and a hammock but she just couldn't get the air out. She would cry & cry until she was rolled over, then she was completely out to it. At first it was only her day sleeps I let her on her belly- so I was awake & could keep an eye on her- but then she would sleep all day and be up all night. We changed her to a mattress on our bedroom floor and from the first night she slept two 6hr periods with a feed in the middle! We've never looked back and now she puts herself to bed!
Have you tried feeding different formula, one that reduces acid reflux? Or is there any possibility of a lactose intolerance? Another thought is constipation? Is he producing regular dirty nappies? Once my daughter was blocked up for days (I was told that was normal for them not to poop for a few days here & there) but by about a week she was irritable, restless and off her food. The following day she drop a brick (I couldn't believe it came out of her!) and she was back to happy self within minutes!!
Please don't give up! Things will get better. Make sure you take a break for yourself and try to relax. Your baby can pick up on your stress and this too will effect their sleep habits. It's a fast spiral downwards when everyone is stressed & no-one is sleeping.
Best of luck, I hope things are better soon.

Jamie - posted on 11/10/2010

Sounds like colic, at 6 weeks they say it is okay to switch formulas, talk to your ped. also, try a swing, The sitting upright may help. I have heard that sleeping on the stomach helps, but I personally wouldn't try that.

Chauntel - posted on 11/07/2010

My son was like that too... he also had acid reflux and we let him sleep on his tummy... it helped alot. He just slept in the bed with us until he was able to lift his own head so we could watch him. Also your baby may just have colic.

Michelle - posted on 11/05/2010

It sounds like to me that your baby is in pain or uncomfortable. I didn't have it near as bad as you but my little girl would cry all afternoon some days and not breastfeed. It took for her to not breasfeed for 8 hours i took her to the A & E and they sent us to the hospital, ended up feeding her thru a tube as she was getting very weak and the next day the doctor prescribed us ranitidine, medicine for reflux, she never spit up so this is silent reflux. A week later she was feeding heaps and very happy. I strongly suggest you wrap your baby too. And it is ok for them to have a cry. don't give up, keep going back to your gp until they give you something to try.

Kyra - posted on 11/04/2010

my son did that as well, why not try getting an old shirt of yours and wrapping him in it while he is asleep then putting him in his bassinet or cot? that worked for my son but it wasnt my smell that he would fall asleep too it was my partners, and now they smell very similar when there all grubby.

Melanie - posted on 11/02/2010

ok call me lazy, but there were times when my children would wake and i was that knackered that i would put a toy that played music under the foot of the cot so it played continuously, remarkably it worked for the 1st baby and he started sleeping right thru because of it... so i also did it with the other 5..... i will definantly be doing it again at about 6-7 weeks of age with my 7th child due in 4 1/2 weeks

Angelique - posted on 11/02/2010

don't give up!!!! Hang in there! I had the same problem with my munchkin. All she would take were little cat naps 20-30 mins. She wasn't crying as much but I figured out it was because she had acid reflux and being on her back made it worse. She wasn't spitting up so it was hard to diagnose. Got her on some Zantac and BOOM! good snoozer. I also let her sleep on her belly:-( yea I know that makes me a horrible mother to some but she wasjust soooo much happier! She HATED sleeping on her back. So because I was so scared of SIDS thanks to our awful first pediatician, I slept on my back on the couch and she slept on me belly to belly. She loved it. And to be honest, so did I. Felt so close to her and I didn't worry as much about her being on her belly. At 4 months she was in her crib (on her belly) and sleeping well. I hope I was a little helpful! Hang in there! You'll surprise yourself at how tough us mommys can be and what we can make it through:-)