Have I gone mad...?

[Pissedoffinsomniac]

Am I being PFB buying stuff to ensure newborn DD will let me sleep when she arrives? Or just mad from sleep deprivation?

I'm 36 weeks pregnant, DD is beech and I am reeeally struggling with lack of sleep already (mixture of physical discomfort from being head butted in the ribs, anxiety and greedy DH bed hogging). I have already bought a sleepyhead, a grosnug and this morning drove 15miles out of my way to pick up some swaddleme wraps from the first Argos I could find that stocked them (had a particularly bad night). I've been toying with a Ewan the dream sheep as well, just in case...

Please tell me one/all of these things are miracle workers and will let me get some sleep when DD arrives? Which of them would you recommend trying first?

[Mycatsabastard]

Ah bless you. I wouldn't buy anything else. Firstly, some babies are great sleepers, others are not. No matter what you do or what you wrap them in.

My oldest slept through from 6 weeks. My youngest is 10 and still gets up several bloody times a night. That's 10 years not 10 weeks btw!

Best thing to do is ensure baby is winded properly as that's the main thing that stops them sleeping. Colic is awful so get some remedies in. Get a dummy in case your baby is the type that needs to be sucking constantly to self soothe.

And make sure your husband stops being a bed hogger and also takes his turn getting up when the baby is here. Hope it all goes well.

My oldest was breech. I was told to get down on all fours on the bed. Then lower arms until I had my forearms flat on the bed and bum in the air. Stayed like that for about 10 minutes and she actually turned on her own. Give it a go.

[Pissedoffinsomniac]

Thanks for the advice cats (Lol'd at your screen name!), been on the spinning babies site and am trying all sorts of pelvic tilts and rolls, DD being stubborn atm though.

Any particular colic remedies you'd recommend?

[Mycatsabastard]

It's been a while since I've used any (mine are 18 and nearly 11 now). DD1 had major reflux when she was a baby and was lactose intolerant. I spent about 6 months wiping up sick and milk. She had bad colic but I just went into the chemist and asked. I tried a couple of things but there was one that you put in the feed or if you are breastfeeding give before the feed.

It's such trial and error. What works for one doesn't work for another. Both my girls were so completely different from each other in terms of sleep, eating, personalities. I thought I had it sussed after one child and then DD2 made me realise that actually I really didn't know everything.

Just don't worry. You'll learn what works for your baby, you'll learn what she likes in terms of sleeping (loose covers or wrapped) and you'll just adapt as your baby grows.

I hope your DD turns soon, that was the weirdest sensation when my oldest moved round, I was 38 weeks at the time, was so weird with arms and legs sticking out everywhere while she tried to find the space to move :o

[Creativemode]

Agree with mycats they're all different, and they change too.

My two were quite different, I don't think there's a miracle for sleep.

One thing that did work for both of mine was a bath time routine, it didn't make them sleep through but it did get them settle down for the evening and that worked quite early on.

[Chequeredpast]

Sleepyhead is ace. That'll be your best buy!

[Cinnamon2013]

It's nice to have some things, but that's probably enough. Nothing is a miracle. DD liked her sheepskin, DS liked Ewan (or maybe we liked it, not sure which). Neither of them slept well, they still don't. Babies just do what they do...

[FATEdestiny]

The best invention for independent sleeping is the dummy

The best solution for daytime sleep IME is a bouncy chair (pref the Fisher Price one)

Bought swaddle blankets aren't tight enough around arms/shoulders IME, a normal cot sheet (cut in half along short edge) is more flexible.

[Chequeredpast]

Mine always refused a dummy and hated the swinging chair! They're all different!

[ImperialBlether]

A lot of people on here use white noise apps, OP. Perhaps have a look at them?

[Pissedoffinsomniac]

Thanks everyone. Looks like a case of trial and error...

[farfallarocks]

Swaddling and Ewan worked for dd, and a dummy but she had reflux and colic. With ds a friend lent me the sleepy head. Sweet Jesus it was amazing! Don't know a single baby who hasn't loved it and settled really well in it

[sambababy]

I would say there are lots of things you can try, some might help, but be prepared for the baby to feed every 2-3hrs for the first couple of months and to struggle a lot with wind. Both of these things are fairly out of your control until the baby matures a bit so it's natural for them not to sleep for long periods when they're little.

[OhTheRoses]

Lack of sleep in the last weeks of pregnancy is nature's way of preparing you for lack of sleep with a new born. They sleep or they don't - there's not much you can do to influence it.

For the time being though, your dh (or you) should be in the spare room. If no spare room your dh should be on the sofa. He should be supporting you through this.

I was no more uncomfy with a breech baby than a,posterior one though. (breech turned at 38/5, just before a planned section and arrived at 41.3, in two hours).

Stop fretting, stop buying and just take it as it comes.

[Chequeredpast]

I've never understood that as a concept - why would a lack of sleep help you cope / prepare with more lack of sleep? It makes no sense