Mumsnet Talk

Hi, finally got my dd's cot delivered but she won't sleep in it, and is just generally screaming the place down! What can I do? I am trying to follow the baby whisperer method but it really doesn't seem to be working. Please help, oh wise mumsnetters!

*She has managed to sleep in it for a grand total of 20 mins but then keeps waking!

Hi buns
Tried with the cot next to your bed or feeding her to sleep? FWIW, I tried whispering but in the end what worked was feeding to sleep, then shifting to her cot for dd, and sitting holding hands through cot bars with ds. If I had my time over, I would seriously consider a double mattress on the floor and a nice big quilt in their room to save the twisted torso and backache.
Stig

does she normally sleep in a moses basket? could you try and put the moses basket in the cot for a night or 2 to get her used to the bars around her but she still has the security of the moses basket.

where does she currently sleep?

I put my PJ top in with DD as she was falling asleep for the first few nights so that she could smell me. It worked really well. Just make sure that you move it away from her when she is asleep so there's no chance of her suffocating.

feed her to sleep then transfer her?

bear in mind though it takes normally around 10 mins for them to fall into a nice deep sleep, so attempting to move before then will wake her
what i used to do with ds2 was feed him to sleep, then lie there for about 5 mins, then gradually, gradually, slowly roll away from him, replacing where I was with a rolled up t-shirt or something, then about 5 mins after that i would move him into his cot.

Hi,She has been in our bed, it took three months for the cot to be delivered and she grew out of the moses basket.

I bf her until she is asleep, super slooowwwly lower her into the cot. She either sleeps for a little while, or wakes straight up and howls!

She has her nice cosy blanket in there and her bunny, who should be familiars.

I will move her cot next to our bed at the weekend as it involves a lot of shifting furniture.

Not really sure what else to do.

Def have the cot next to you otherwise that is a huge adjustment.

Or you could stop bf her to sleep but that's another thread perhaps?

Sleep with a cot sheet in bed with you, then put it on her mattress - it will smell like you which will be comforting.

i second the cot next to bed. it worked for my ds. also a tshirt what i had been wearing next to him worked.

good thinking bertiebotts why werent you aroung when i had this problem.

I will try that BertieBotts, and will move the cot, it is currently at the end of the bed but she can't see us.

I hope something works! I hate her crying like that.

Not guaranteeing it will work - just a suggestion

Well anything that may help is definitely welcome!

How about a cot bumper? It might be that being able to see all the way across the room is bothering her? This was suggested by a friend of mine to me (worked for her DD who had similar problem). I put a bumper in DS' cot and he went into it with no problems. Obv don't know if bumper was the reason, but it can't hurt, and they only cost about a tenner.

(You could simulate a cheaper version with a sheet, just to see if it does the trick.)

A similar suggestion to stig - can you try transferring her to the cot, and then staying next to her (put a stool next to the cot if needs be) with your hands on her and make "shh" sounds when she stirs and try and settle her back to sleep.

You need to get her used to sleeping in the cot - perhaps start this for day time naps and spend the whole nap time next to her, and then gradually cut it back e.g. take one hand away but still do shhh, then take both hands away and still do shhhh, and finally see if she'll sleep in the cot on her own.

This worked for me, slowly getting her used to it bit by bit.

I wouldn't use a bumper, they are not advised by the sids iirc.

I would try getting her used to day time naps in the cot before trying at night time.

Regarding the sids thing, come on... I did a : search, and found this on Wikipedia: "These products may reduce the flow of oxygen rich air to the infant in the crib."

There is a lot of forum gossip on the subject, but the Department of Health don't mention them at all.

And the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths say this; "... In the past, there were concerns that bumpers might make babies too hot, increasing the risk of cot death. However, research has shown that they have neither good nor bad effects. ..."

In other words - bumpers DO NOT contribute to Sids

I still don't think they are safe or necessary.

You don't think they are safe, but the research has proven they don't contribute to sids. So why don't you 'think they are safe'?

What is 'necessary' is a matter of opinion. Over on another thread a woman thinks ironing her sheets is 'necessary'. I think that's bonkers. Her opinion, my opinion. <shrugs>

But 'safe' is part of the Pregnancy/Breast Feeding/ Baby Paranoia Police remit and I think we should be a bit careful before we go claiming every little thing is dangerous.

I don't feel like answering that tbh.