The Life and Times of a 5-week old

Has it really been one month since their birth?  The past 30 days has been a series of noisy, smelly experiments that were packed with love, sleeplessness and the occasional jolt of caffeine.  Here are some things to expect from your 5-week old.

The Sleep

The 5-week old sleeps often.  When the 5-week old isn’t crying, eating, pooping or looking up at you with their big, curious eyes, they’re sleeping.

We’re in the process of getting him on a schedule.  He goes to bed at the same time everyday and wakes up around the same time.  In-between those two happenings he’ll sleep some more, eat every three hours and look up at you with their big, curious eyes.

I mentioned that he does baby aerobics in the late afternoon.  We’ve also started a late morning class of baby aerobics, that way he burns some energy and is able to get a good nap in the early afternoon with our 2-year old.

At night More Mojo is still sleeping in the swaddle.  The swaddle is the baby burrito that keeps their tiny newborn arms from slapping themselves at night.  At night the sleeping 5-week old can be a veritable one man version of The Three Stooges.

When they were in utero, their living quarters were cramped.  Birth has given them unlimited space to flail their wayward limbs.  Their tiny arms and sharp fingernails can act like a throwing star that’s stuck on the ends of their wrists and night if they’re not restrained.

It’s a burrito baby.  It’s a miniature straight jacket for the child that will eventually drive you crazy.

The Food

Our doctor said that More Mojo should be eating three ounces of formula each time.  However, nobody told More Mojo that and he’s gobbling down four ounces of formula every three hours.

 The Movements

It’s been said that all a newborn does is sleep, eat and poop but, we’re not talking about those kinds of movements here.

You’ll start watching them when they’re asleep.   When they wake up your 5-week old newborn can move their arms can like a yoga master.  It will be a slow, circular pattern around their chest, ending up with a pat on their head.  Before you know it you’ll spend at least half an hour watching your little person look at you, move their arms and kick their feet.  It rocks.  Put them on your shoulder to relax them and you’ll both end up taking a nap.