If your newborn won't sleep without being cuddled by you, how do you sleep?

[Melittlebee]

My newborn is 3 days old but won't sleep without being either laid on me or cuddled by me. I can't get any sleep as I darent fall asleep with him in my bed.
I have a bedside crib but he screams if I put him in that. What do I do?

Do you have anyone else who can hold him? DH and I basically slept in shifts while the other held the baby for the first few weeks. It was gruelling but it was all we could do, as he simply would not be put down. There's another thread here with some good info.

Oh, and congratulations!

I shared shifts with DH, and made sure to get a nap in each afternoon. It was tough, but after about 2 weeks DD adjusted to the bedside crib.

We slept in shifts. I also learnt about safe bed sharing and he learnt to sleep lying beside me in the bed.

He hated his co sleeper bed but would sleep lying on my mattress.

Oh and it does get better!! I remember when he was about ten days old googling how long it takes before you die from lack of sleep

Nook of my arm. For 5 months. I made sure I followed safe cosleeping guidelines though. Our snuzpod was a good but expensive bed guard!

Shifts. My DD is like this whereas DS2 (twins) will sleep.

In the early days I survived by taking it in shifts with my DP.
I think at the moment that will be the best option for you.
I was the same as you, really scared to have DD in my bed however she's now 3 months and I co sleep with her every night.
So maybe just take shifts until you find a routine?
It will get better but I know these early days are so so hard!
Also have you looked at getting a sleepyhead or something similar? We have a purflo (I think that's the name) nest. And she will sleep in that on our bed. Makes it a bit safer and may make you feel more at ease.
Hope things get better for you!

I co-slept. Followed all the safe guidelines etc. It was the only way! Learning to bf laying down is a massive help in the long run, especially when they’re going through growth spurts and feed frigging constantly!

I lay flat on my back with baby in crook of my arm. I know I don't roll around in bed though.

DS was the same so we did shifts for the first few weeks and things then seemed to settle down a bit. A Sleepyhead did help with DS, but realise they are pricey (and then you have to wean them off the Sleepyhead at some point). Congratulations!

Buy a Sleepyhead, they feel cuddled in it and it can go in your bedside crib. My first baby was like this, it’s hard. We ended up sleeping in shifts and after a month ended up co- sleeping (not for everyone I know but it worked for us and everyone got sleep). With my second baby though I bought a sleepyhead before he was born and he was happy in that in the bedside crib next to me. Good luck, it’s hard but newborn days really do go by so fast x

Swaddle!

Swaddle and get him to sleep holding him. Wait until he is fully asleep (20 mins to be sure) and gently transfer him to the crib, pat him when you put him down to make sure he settles in crib then you should be good to remove your hand and go to sleep. Keep lights dim and use white noise to assist with him staying asleep.

I dozed half sitting up with my ds wedged between my massive tits when he would only sleep on his front on me. There was a lot of propping on pillows and paranoia, but it only lasted a few weeks before he was happy to just be in close proximity in the same bed. He never slept in his moses basket, or cot!

Buy a sleepyhead. Feed the baby either in a grobag if big enough or in a light swaddle. Put the sleepyhead in the bedside cot. Play low white noise while you're feeding. Warm the sleepyhead with a hot water bottle (v important) and when the baby falls asleep slide her in.

Congrats! You won't regret the money spent on the sleepyhead.

Cosleeping, with their heads nestled in the crook of my arm. Both my babies were dead set on burrowing their little fluffy heads into my armpit. It was lovely.

Our snuzpod was a good but expensive bed guard! i also use this very expensive bed guard/snack and drink holder and sleep next to DS.

I researched how to co sleep safely and made dh look after ds downstairs while I got a few hours in the early evening - he would bring him up for a feed them take him away to sleep on his chest downstairs.