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should I consult a sleep clinic for my 10 week old?

10 replies

ExistentialistCat · 03/12/2010 13:03

Sounds a bit mad, I know. She's my second, too, but it's all so different from my first (not least because I'm EBF this time and was FF first time round) and I'm feeling very unsure of myself.

We've ended up co-sleeping because I just can't get her to settle anywhere but on me. I'm actually getting a reasonable amount of sleep like this and do enjoy the cuddles. BUT there is now no time at all for DH and me alone and I really don't want to be doing this until she's 2, 3 4 (as a lot of my co-sleeping friends have ended up doing).

I've used a sleep clinic before and found them very useful. Do you think it's worth asking them for help again? Or will all this just sort itself in a few months?

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llareggub · 03/12/2010 13:05

Sounds normal to me. Just hang in there! I don't know what a sleep clinic is or does but newborns, EBF and sleep training seem incompatible to me.

Co-sleeping is a great way to get a bit of sleep, and doesn't necessarily mean co-sleeping until they are 2, 3 or 5. Not in our case, anyway.

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booyhohoho · 03/12/2010 13:06

she sounds completely normal. like you I FF first ds and EBF ds2 and found it amazing how much difference there was in sleeping patterns. my mum was on constantly about ds2 not getting enough milk from me (rubbish) and taht was why he wasn't sleeping but upon further research, here and online i found out he was totally normal. she will egt into a pattern. she probably had a bit of a growth spurt in or around 6 weeks and will likely have anotehr around 16 weeks so it will be a bit tough for a while but should settle down afet that. i think you would be wasting money on a sleep clinic tbh. this is normal for a 10 wek old.

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booyhohoho · 03/12/2010 13:07

and i found co-sleeping the easiset aswell. ds2 is now 18 months and i can't remember the last time he slept the whole night with me, it was that long ago, so it doesn't go on forever.

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rubyslippers · 03/12/2010 13:07

Not at 10 weeks

Just to reassure you, I co-slept with my DD for 4 months until I gently transitiooned her to her cot

You won't be doing it forever but if you are getting some sleep, treat it as a short term thing

what you describe is usual baby behaviour

She wants to be near her mum

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SlightlyTubbyHali · 03/12/2010 13:09

I don't think you can really get into sleep training until a baby is a bit older.

She's just forming a habit of sleeping on you. If you want to stop doing it, she is probably going to complain because she is used to having you near. Have you tried swaddling her and cuddling until she's drowsy, also putting a hot water bottle in her bed to warm the sheets before you slip her in?

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neolara · 03/12/2010 13:11

What you've described seems quite normal to me for a bf baby. I seem to remember that all of mine were a bit happier to sleep next to me, as opposed to on top of me, at around 12 weeks.

I co-slept with dc3 for 6 months and got her out the bed pretty easily. To be honest, I wish I'd done it with the other two - it would have made life a lot easier for myself.

Round here, the sleep clinics will only see you when your baby is 6 months at the earliest.

Hang in there. It will get better!

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ginger2000 · 03/12/2010 14:35

hi - my nearly 10 wk old dd2(also ebf) - is a bit like yours by the sounds of it. I think (it was 6 years ago so memories a bit blurry!) dd1 was similar! Last night, she woke hourly either to feed or to poo! I tried between 11.30 and 3.30 to get her to settle in her cot but she just wanted a cuddle - should've brought her in with us earlier! I am trying to go with the flow but like you, sleeping with her doesn't come easily especially as i am a rubbish sleeper!

I wouldn't go to a sleep clinic - its normal even though its bloody annoying!!!! lets hope it gets better soon! I honestly feel that if it was the summer, it wouldn't feel so bad as it gets light earlier and the nights don't feel so long!

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CountBapula · 03/12/2010 15:52

You know all about my DS from the newborn sleep nightmares thread. I got freaked out that he had only slept 8 or 9 hours in 24 and called a sleep consultant called Andrea Grace. She was LOVELY and chatted to me for 15mins without any strings/expecting payment. She basically said the same as the other posters - he is still v little, too young for sleep training, and some babies need more slerp than others etc. So she didn't think we should use her yet (which I thought was v honest of her) but I did think she was lovely and clearly knew her stuff so if we're still having issues in another couple of months i'd definitely use her.

I also spoke to a lady recommended by a colleague of DH's who offerd phone and text suppport service for new mums. She said she'd advise doing controlled crying at 10 weeks Clearly I won't be using her ...

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CountBapula · 03/12/2010 15:53

More sleep than others I mean! Bloody iphone keyboard!

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ExistentialistCat · 04/12/2010 12:35

Thank you so much, everyone. I think I just need to hear over and over again that this is normal, it will pass, I'm not making a rod for my own back, and so on... So I'm very reassured by your replies!

I did do CC with my DD1 when she was 8 months old and have to revisit that technique occasionally, but I hate it and certainly wouldn't do it with a 10 week-old. I was hoping that a sleep clinic might have magic alternatives for settling a newborn to sleep!