Newborn wont sleep

[HollyC255552]

Hi ladies,
My 6 day old wont sleep in her moses basket at all. Me & my DP have literally tried everything from swaddling to raising the head part of the moses. She only seems to sleep on us or very occasionally in her bouncer for 30minutes max. Me & my partner are very tired & dont know what else to do.

I'd be grateful for any tips/advice on how we can overcome this.

Thank you

[TopCivilServant]

Hi holly,

It is awful when they don't sleep my daughter didn't sleep so I feel your pain
Have a look through the talk section- there's a sleep section full of tips. Or just put newborn sleep into search
Safe cosleeping might be worth a google too
Remember this will get better and you're not doing anything wrong!

[HollyC255552]

Thank you Top. I will re post on the sleep section & have a search. X

[TopCivilServant]

Meant to say, if you want to throw some money at it, have a look at the cocoonababy reviews on the John Lewis website. We had one for DS and it seemed pretty good

[Dollyemi]

If you're breast feeding maybe whip your top off and put it on top of the mattress (wrap it round so it's not loose), the smell of you might help. Some put used breast pads in the basket too for the same reason. I used to put a blanket in the basket to warm it up before I laid my baby in it so I wasn't lying him down on a cold mattress. Don't both be awake, do it in shifts so you can try to rest.

[Daffodil1210]

Hi Holly,

I know exactly how you feel. My DS was exactly the same (and still is in the day sometimes at 8 weeks) - it's exhausting!

I think you've just got to go with it. A majority of newborns probably feel a little lost after spending 9 months snuggled inside you and hence need the closeness and reassurance to adjust to life outside. I know the midwives and HVs drum the whole "no co sleeping" thing into you but, as the PP has suggested, co-sleeping may be a consideration and there are so many tips for doing it safely out there. I know that it's massively frowned upon but I found that letting him sleep on either me or my partner at night while we were suitably propped up was the only thing we could do to get some sleep and stay sane in the first few days, and the other would stay awake and watch to make sure he stayed safe. Alternatively you can get something called a Sleepyhead (I think!) which you can put in bed next to you, which ensures baby stays safe while co-sleeping (they are pricey but lots of parents swear by them!!).

Have you considered a sling for the day? My DS still has days where he won't be put down for daytime naps without waking up so I just put him in a sling so I can get stuff done. I initially started off with him in a more structured carrier (Ergobaby) but bought a wrap as I was getting far too warm!! I've now got the Boba wrap which I love. It looks a little bit daunting at first but you soon get the hang of wrapping it around yourself with the help of YouTube videos.

I never thought it would get better but I promise it does! We hit the 6 week mark and it was like a switch flipped and my DS suddenly decided he did want to sleep in his Moses basket at night and we're now managing stretches of between 2.5 and 4hrs a night most nights, albeit it with the help of Ewan the dream sheep for his white noise and swaddling to stop his startle reflex (which is also improving). Something I read while looking for tips on how to make him sleep is that babies usually take 10-15mins to fall into a deep sleep so I now make sure I wait before putting him down, otherwise he'll just wake up as soon as his body touches the Moses basket.

for you, and just remember it won't last forever! X

[HollyC255552]

Ah thank you all. Really appreicate your tips. Hoping in time we will manage to get her down for a couple of hours. X

[Belleende]

I recommend a swaddle pod. I was crap at swaddling and it has been v hot. The swaddle pod just made it all a lot easier. They are only a tenner as well.

[Roseybee10]

Swaddle pod and warming Moses with a hot water bottle then taking it out and putting baby in with dummy. This helped with both of ours.

With dd2 we bought a co sleeping crib and that's been fantastic. I was able to sleep holding her hand with her being in a safe space so I wasn't worried about squashing her.
An electric swing and a sling are also God sends in the early days. X

[nailsathome]

My 11 week old is still like it!