Week-by-week library · about 5 weeks old
Week 5: your checklist
Quick answer
What should I actually do at about 5 weeks old?
An evening fussy stretch is common right now and usually passes. 6 concrete tasks below, grouped by what they're for.
What's going on this week
A fussier evening window, sometimes informally called the witching hour, is common in the first two to three months (AAP) and tends to ease with time. It is a normal phase, not a sign of a feeding problem for most families.
Your checklist
Night-shift logistics
- Take the fussiest stretch of the evening off her hands on the nights you can; hands-free carrying or babywearing helps some babies settle.
Feeding support
- Keep the bottle-and-pump-part cleaning routine running on autopilot; do not let it slide because the evenings are harder.
Appointments & paperwork
- If your state requires a separate newborn hearing-screening follow-up and it has not happened, confirm it is scheduled.
Visitor management
- Protect the fussy-hour window from visitors entirely for a few weeks; ask people to come earlier in the day instead.
Partner care
- Trade off evening duty with her rather than assuming she has it covered by default.
- This is a genuinely demanding stretch for both of you; say so to each other instead of just pushing through separately.
Sourced to
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
Last reviewed by the First Dad Guide editorial team.