Mumsnet Talk

my dd is 9 weeks old, and hates daytime napping, but gets cranky if she doesn't!

She will only fall asleep on me, after much effort, but then I can only move about in an attractive crab like crawl, and if I put her down, she immediately startled and wakes. Tried 3 different slings which she doesnt like.

So normally I would say sit and let her nap on me, and enjoy the sitting, but I AM STARVING!

Any tips on how to put her down without waking her even for 10 minutes to grab a piece of toast without her waking and sceaming?

my dd was excactly the same, it can be really hard.
wrap her as tight as you can in a thick blanket, the fleecey ones are best for this.
then with one hand on her head and the other on her bum, hold her close up to your chest/tummy, then bend over until her back is on the cot. slowly (really slowly) pull yourself away. if she is wrapped up she won't feel this and her hands won't jerk and wake her up.
you should still have your hands underneath her (if you try to do both at the same time she will wake up), slowly slip one out at a time.
sometimes i would have to wait 30 seconds in between putting her down and pulling my hands out.
it didn't work every time but its worth a try!

Hot water bottle in the crib for 5 minutes, remove and replace with baby.

My mum suggested it, but ds is only 3 1/2 weeks and I'm just nit organised enough to have tried it yet <glances at sleeping baby on chest>

Mine was the same.. what worked was to take a large blanket and spread across DD + my shoulder, hold DD and the blanket close up to chest/ over shoulder, then put DD and blanket down in the crib, then wrap DD loosely in the blanket, a little like freezing describes.

Again worth a shot - mine was as wriggly as anything (still is) but the loose swaddling approach seemed to work about 70% of the time.

Having got a three and four year old now I would say sit still, enjoy the quiet and the tiny baby cuddles, that stage doesn't last long.
When mine were little and not wanting to be put down, I used to try to make sure there was somewhere warm to put them. I did the hot water bottle in the cot before I put them down, the infant carrier in the Ergo worked well as it kept them enclosed when they were put down. I also had a kangaroo carrier which I was able to take off with them still in and they slept a bit longer. I sometimes just put them on the warm spot on the sofa where I had been sitting if I knew I was going to be staying in the lounge and could keep an eye on them.

I have a stretch wrap sling that lets me get things done - will be hiring an ergo for dp to use at sling meet tomorrow

I'm also a very bad, mean mummy because i let him cry in the basket/crib while i pee/make tea and toast/porridge. I figure if i don't eat, he doesn't either. Makes me feel like shit though

My dd same - in early weeks every morning I made a flask and packed lunch to leave by the sofa for stranded moments. I find feeding/napping on our bed helps - I can then leave and keep checking on her......never found hot water bottle or any other tricks to work: they are too smart!!

yeah also if you know your going to be in living room, lie on sofa to get her to sleep and slowly slide off. then put lots of cushions along her.

Thank you ladies, helpful suggestions. I will try them all in due course.

PurpleP I had lunch while she screamed today- not very good for digestion but better than stomach digesting itself from hunger!

I only eat food if i can shovel it in one handed dp has to cut up my dinner! I live on porridge and toast during the day

I've been living on soup, easy 1 handed. Those breakfast biscuit thingys are great, leave a pack on the sofa for when you're stranded and starving, then you can have a proper lunch when she wakes up.