Tell Fairy Non Bio about your experience of sleep with a new baby - £300 voucher to be won NOW CLOSED

[JustineBMumsnet]

As part of our new partnership with Fairy Non Bio, we’ve produced our first ever Mumsnet Babies Podcast. There are ten episodes in the series and so far we’ve released five. Episode two is about sleep, and you can listen to it here . Fairy Non Bio would like you to listen to the podcast whenever you can, and then discuss your experiences of sleep with a baby.

An unbroken night of slumber is the holy grail of parenthood - but it’s often difficult to actually achieve. Fairy Non Bio would like to hear about your experience of sleep with a new baby. Did your baby miraculously sleep through from 3 months? Or was your experience much more of a struggle? Do you have expert tips on getting your child to sleep for that precious extra half an hour, or perhaps on how to cope through bleary-eyed days when you feel like you didn’t sleep at all?

Whatever your experience, share it with Fairy Non Bio by posting on the thread below.

Everyone who posts on the thread will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Love2Shop voucher.

If you want to rate the Mumsnet Babies Podcast, please go to the iTunes store and add a review!

Thanks, and good luck with the prize draw!

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

[CopperPan]

My babies have tended to be quite good sleepers, but they often didn't like to sleep until late in the evening, often until past midnight. I didn't mind really, I didn't see the point in a strict bedtime for them when they didn't need to be up early for anything the next day. And it meant they were never early wakers, which suited me just fine!

[voyager50]

I just made sure if I was exhausted and he was asleep to I would take a nap too whenever I possibly could - I'm really not good without sleep.

When he finally managed 5 hours in a row at night it was amazing - I started to feel human again!

[123julie321]

I have been lucky with both DD and DS- there were troubled nights but this was the exception rather than the rule. When DD struggled to sleep through the night, I used to play a white noise CD at a really low volume- clock ticking, hoovering, etc., rhythmic and soothing noises which seemed to help her drift off.

[Queenofthebrae]

I have been so credibly lucky with my DD she slept for a solid 6 hours at night from about 4 weeks old and now at 14 weeks sleeps from 8.30pm till about 7am. The only downside is that she doesn't nap at all during the day but I'm not complaining as getting a good nights sleep is such a relief. I think warming her bed before she gets in helps.

[GetKnitted]

be kind to yourself, delude yourself into thinking you are getting enough sleep, and be kind to yourself

[FlukeSkyeRunner]

Mine both slept through fir the first time when they were 9-10 months old. The easiest way is to accept that sleep isn't a linear thing - little babies go through phases and sleep regressions are normal. Ways to cope include sleeping if you can during the day, being as organised as possible with meal plans etc to keep the household going, and accepting any help people offer. And remembering it will pass at some point.

[TJCB68]

Tried everything with my son. Only breastfeeding ever got him back to sleep, even when he clearly wasn't hungry. Went to a sleep clinic who told us to try controlled crying. Hated it! In the end we just ignored the experts and did what felt right for us. He still didn't sleep much but we all felt calmer and happier.

[barbsbarbs]

the first few weeks are always the hardest, when your getting used to having to wake up through the night. After a few weeks, I found myself and baby theo getting into a manageable routine of sorts, there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

[cwalliss82]

When mine were little, they would fall asleep if I stroked their hair. They still find it comforting now.

[flozza42]

My children when they were little were good sleepers last bottle late at night and then up for another at 6am, still like their sleep even now!

[finleypop]

Our son barely slept for the first 7 weeks, I actually thought it might be possible to die from exhaustion. After a small change in his feeding, everything was as it should have been & so that then felt like a breeze!

[renas]

When mine were Little they had a bath bottle bed then up early 6-6.30 for another. They we're both good at sleeping as had a good routine

[devito92]

It was unherad of for 8 weeks until the doctors finally got my DS better.From then on its was pretty good, by 12 months old we slept thru the night every time

[winterpark]

My first baby hardly slept at all, I was constantly feeding him yet my second baby slept through from a very early age, every baby is different :)

[Lisapaige24]

Sleep what sleep we grabbed 10 minutes sleep whenever we can the only one of my children that slept through from a few weeks old is my oldest daughter but other than that I don't think we have slept a full night in over 10 years

[ohlittlepea]

My baby was the ultimate sleep their. In the end we bed shared because she needed that closeness to feel secure and settled. I survived on coffee and cake until then :)

[maryandbuzz1]

My son didn't sleep all the way through until 14 months. My husband and I took it in turns and I suppose it just came as routine in the end. With full time work it was very difficult but it's something everyone goes through and somehow you get through it!

[Elizasmum02]

My daughter was actually a good sleeper, was me that was the issue! i was so worried that i wouldnt hear her wake up i barely got any sleep because i drank toomuch coffee to try to stay awake

[andsoherewego]

I had three children and each was different the first was the worst she would not settle I would be rocking her while she screamed I would get my husband to take her out in the car. The second and third wnet off quite easily - routine is the key

[glenka]

Sleep what's that, please can I have some!

[Sleavercole123]

Most nights I would have to sleep with my daughter lying on my chest. This meant I couldn't move or sleep properly and would wake after about 30 minutes

[Kitsune1972]

My daughter slept through the night fairly quickly, at about six weeks. I really wanted her to sleep in a basket next to my bed, but there just wasn't the space, so for 6 months I slept next to her cot in her room, as I was concerned about cot death and just being with her in the night. Unfortunately - as I ought to have realised at the time - it made my husband feel rather neglected! I'd do things differently if I could choose again, but it's tricky; I'm still not sure what kind of arrangement would have worked best for us. (Fortunately we all got through it and are now dealing with teenage issues!)

[rhinosuze]

Sleep, I forgot what it was, mainly coz mine definitely didn't do it at night despite everything I tried! People always said to sleep when the baby did but I found that hard as the house still needed cleaning etc, I got really ratty with my bf too and we argued a lot. Read all the books and not sure if there is a trick to getting them to sleep or of it just happens or doesn't for each baby

[CMOTDibbler]

Ds didn't sleep through consistently until he was 18 months. It wasn't a problem though tbh as we co slept part time (ie he started off in his cot and would be returned when we thought about it) and was bf. However he went off to sleep with absolutely no intervention from 12 months, has always been able to sleep anywhere, and only ever woke to feed and was straight back to sleep. He's been a rock solid sleeper ever since - illness, fireworks etc don't wake him.