Vision is also improving. To top it off, there is also commonly a growth spurt happening at six weeks. A growth spurt may cause a baby to want to eat more often, day and night. All of these things put together means you will likely experience some extra fussiness and your baby waking even more often at night.
Most people find the first six to eight weeks to be the hardest with a new baby. And, although people may not openly discuss many of the challenges in these early weeks of parenthood (if at all), there are a number of common hurdles you may face at this time.
Of course, every baby is different, but many Moms find it's the first 6 weeks that are the hardest. Particularly once the novelty has worn off, visitors are dying down and Dad is back at work. This often coincides with a more alert baby that tires easily, is more prone to fussiness and colic and harder to settle.
Six-week growth spurt and pumping plans
Your baby may be about to embark on a growth spurt this week, and that could mean a fussy period and incessant demands to be fed.
The first three months with your baby often seem the hardest. Sleep-deprived parents can feel overwhelmed, but that is normal and you will quickly learn how to read your baby's cues and personality. Don't worry about “spoiling” your baby at this stage. The more responsive you are, the more secure your baby will feel.
However, many babies tend to get "easier" around 3 to 4 months old. Around this age, infants may begin to sleep longer stretches and feed on a more predictable schedule. You may also start to adjust to your new set of responsibilities as a parent. This being said, every baby is different, as is every family.
Usually by week 10, babies are less fussy, start going to bed earlier, and become more peaceful little creatures. Plan for it. Tell yourself it is coming whether you 'fix it' or not. Know that you can get there…even when it is really hard, tell yourself that you will make it to week 10.
It can last a few minutes to a couple of hours. For most babies, the witching hour starts to occur around 2-3 weeks and peaks at 6 weeks. It will typically completely resolve by 3-4 months.
Colic usually starts when babies are about 3 weeks old. It gets worse when they are between 4 and 6 weeks old. Most of the time, colicky babies get better after they are 6 weeks old, and are completely fine by the time they are 12 weeks old.
How long does the 6-week sleep regression last, and why does it happen? The short answer is, most sleep regressions last around 2 weeks.
6-Week Sleep Regression
Sleep regression at 6 weeks usually happens due to a growth spurt, and it often results in a demanding, hungry, and fussy baby. Your child will be starting to explore and think about the world in more detail, and this can make them particularly clingy. They might want to feed more at night.
Your baby will go through many growth spurts in the first year. They can cause your baby to nurse longer and more often. These growth spurts typically happen when your baby is around 2-3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months old. But your baby's growth spurts may not happen at these exact times.
This can be hard for you, as it's often the time when you're most tired and least able to cope. The amount babies cry tends to peak when they're around 4 to 8 weeks old, then gradually tail off.
“The first four to six weeks are the toughest, then it starts to settle down,” says Cathy. “And when you get to three months, breastfeeding gets really easy – way easier than cleaning and making up a bottle.
Around this time, most babies cry and fuss more. This is a typical part of development and will pass in time. It usually peaks around 6-8 weeks and starts to settle at around 12-16 weeks. Your baby has made a strong bond with you already – they recognise you and respond to your voice and smile.
Some babies' fussy periods come so regularly that parents can set their clocks by it! The standard infant fussiness usually starts at about 2 to 3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and is gone by 3 to 4 months. It lasts on “average” 2 to 4 hours per day.
What time of day is colic the worst? Typically, colicky babies cry most frequently from 6 pm to midnight (a period of time often referred to as “witching hour”). Parents often describe these cries as louder, more high-pitched, and more urgent than normal wails.
Crying, difficult as it is to hear, is a normal way babies communicate hunger, discomfort, distress, or a need for your attention. Most newborns reach a crying peak at about 6 weeks. Then their crying starts to decrease. By 3 months, they usually only cry for about an hour a day.
Growth spurts tend to last approximately 3 days, at which time your baby will reward you for your patience by sleeping well and becoming more alert during his awake time. You may even find that he develops new (and better!) patterns of sleeping and feeding.
A newborn's weight ranges from 2.3kg to 4.9kg, and during the first 6 weeks your baby's weight will increase by approximately 0.9kg to 1.6kg.
The neonatal period (the first 28 days of life) is the crucial period for child survival; as this period carries the highest risk of deaths per day than any other period during the childhood.
In fact, age 8 is so tough that the majority of the 2,000 parents who responded to the 2020 survey agreed that it was the hardest year, while age 6 was better than expected and age 7 produced the most intense tantrums.