Housebound due to napping issues

[daimbar]

My DD is 8 weeks old and sleeps pretty well in her Moses basket at night but I cannot get her to nap in the day. She screams if I put her in her pushchair, cosy nest or Moses basket. I have tried swaddling, white noise and putting her in a quiet, dark room and 'spaced soothing' (comforting her when she cries) but she will only sleep for maximum 10 minutes. Every nap is a battle unless I give in and let her sleep on me. She will happily sleep in a sling but I have got bad back and hip pain and can no longer carry her around.

As she isn't napping well in the day she is getting really overtired and screaming in the evening.

Do I accept she is still only little and spend all day indoors holding her? Or does anyone have any other tips on how to get her to nap (other than letting her cry it out?) thanks :)

[CityDweller]

Don't let her cry it out. She's far too young.

I was going to suggest a sling, but saw your comment re. back and hip pain. What type of sling do you have? A good, supportive one shouldn't cause you undue discomfort. Good ones for little babies are a stretchy sling (e.g. Kari-Me) or once baby is a bit bigger you can go for a Manducca, etc. Avoid Baby Bjorn slings - they're not great of the baby or the carrier.

Tbh, DD only napped in the sling or on me for the first 3 months or so.

[RatOnnaStick]

I had one of those .. He only got better at about 14-16 weeks. The only thing apart from the sling that worked was a swing baby seat set on high. He would just about drift off after10 minutes in that bad boy. Otherwise I had to justgrit myteeth and get on with my day. No choice really as he is second child. He's 2.9 now and naps beautifully since then

[Girlfriend36]

8 weeks is tiny, at this age i would do anything that works to get her to sleep, if she sleeps on you great keep doing that, rock her to sleep? Dummy?

Definitely don't be housebound by it though you have needs as well! I would have gone stark raving mad if i hadn't gone out to a few groups or to meet a friend for lunch when dd was little!

You may also need to pick some of the things you have tried and just keep doing it, they do eventually get the hang of napping!

[RatOnnaStick]

Also, a dummy helped him settle at night. I think he probably had reflux and the acid was backing up into his throat when he lay down. The act of sucking the dummy seemed to produce enough saliva to hold it back down in his stomach.

[Orangeanddemons]

Patting helped my non napper. Just gentle rhythmic pats on her tummy

[imwithspud]

I can sympathise, I feel similar with my 13 week old. I can usually get her to sleep fine as long as I don't miss 'the window' but I can't miss a nap otherwise she turns into an over tired, screaming mess, she then doesn't sleep as well and the whole day goes to pot. Is being over tired a possibility? They really don't need a lot of awake time at that age and it's easy to miss the sleep cues, maybe try getting her to sleep earlier than you normally would, it can be a bit trial and error.

Do you drive? I find getting out in the car helps my DD2 settle, a swing was/is also brilliant at that age. Didn't have one with my DD1 and I regretted it. Dummy has also helped both of mine massively.

[addictedtosugar]

Is she happy in the pram when not trying to sleep?
I used to go out as soon as baby had woken and fed. If I was really lucky, I got 90 mins before he wanted feeding again (king of the 40 min nap), and he would often drop off in the pram as I was out and about.

But newborn babies not sleeping on anyone other than Mummy is natures way of making sure you don't do too much too soon. So I'd let her sleep on you when your at home, but try and get out and about -even if all you do is walk to a baby group or coffee shop, and have her sleep on you there!! Please don't leave her to cry while she is this tiny.

[daimbar]

Thanks all :)
I have both a Baby Bjorn and Kari-me but finding them both too painful.
Going to research these swing baby seats ASAP - any brand recommendations welcome!

I do drive and she does nap in the car but we live right in the city centre and everywhere is walking distance.

She hates her pram! Even with an expensive sheepskin liner in it. Am hoping she will like it more when she can sit up and look around rather than lie flat on her back.

She likes a dummy but often gets herself so worked up she won't take it. Imwithspud I think you may be right and I am missing the cues, might try putting her down straight after her feeds instead of letting her play a bit first.

[poocatcherchampion]

At 8 weeks you do what the baby needs. They are hardly out of your womb.

But going to a cafe/friends house and letting them sleep on you there is also fine.

[imwithspud]

It's so difficult to get it right. I thought I would have it sussed what with DD2 being my second but I still struggle with the whole getting them to nap before they get over tired thing. It's hard at this age but it really does get easier.

[CityDweller]

That's really tricky that the sling isn't working for you as it was my absolute life-saver with DD (who sounds v. similar to yours). Do you have back/ hip pain generally? If so, probably worth going to see a women's specialist physio or osteo to get that sorted - as the baby will only get heavier!

DD was also a point-blank pram refuser for first 12 weeks. As soon as I switched it to the buggy set-up and she could sit up a bit more she was much, much happier and started napping in that. Made a big difference.

A friend who just had DC2 swears by one of those swings. I think she has a Fisher-Price rainforest one and I plan on getting my hands on it when DC2 arrives in a month or so

But hang in there. It will get better. DD went from an atrocious daytime sleeper to a champion napper

[daimbar]

Thanks CityDweller for letting me know there's light at the end of the tunnel! Had a terrible day today, Saw the doc last week who has referred me for Physio but needed to pick up the referral letter... Decided to chance the pram for the 1/2 hour round trip to the doctor as DD in a good mood after her feed. big mistake. Hysterical screaming so I had to carry her, it then started p1ssing down with rain. Impossible to push a pram, hold an umbrella and a baby. We both got soaked, my back is f*** and she was so upset by the ordeal I couldn't calm her for over an hour! :(

She is now fast asleep for her first proper nap of the day (on me of course) and I'm desperate for the loo! sigh

[waterrat]

Oh I remember being in this phase. .would she take a dummy to settle her in the buggy? That really helped with baby number 2 for me ....it will all pass ...x