15 week old - very unsettled at night, waking almost every hour, will only sleep soundly in our bed.

[zambooloo]

Any advice on how to alter these patterns would be great. She goes down at about 7 and sleeps fine for about the first 3hours. We change her nappy and feed at about 10, then after that she has started waking almost every hour. She isn't hungry and I can shush her back to sleep quite quickly each time. I usually feed her at about 2 or 3 and don't change her. Then she sleeps so badly that I usually give in as I'm so tired and let her sleep in our bed. She then sleeps fine but is then wide awake at about 5.30 - I can't get her back to sleep after this!

She usually naps for about 1 - 1.5hrs from about 8. She then naps again at about 1.30 or 2 for another hour and a last nap at about 4ish for about 1.5hrs. These times are very rough and often change. She will only nap in pram, car, bouncy chair or on me - the cot is a big no no!! She wakes after about 1/2hr and I can't get her to re-settle.

Sorry this is long - any help or advice would be great... I'M TIRED!!!

IME you have to tough it out with the cot.

She is used to you being near her and can't self-settle yet.

You will need to let her learn how to do it.

There are lots of ways, I did shushing and patting, no picking up with mine. It was 3 nights of NO sleep and then lovely lovely sleeping after that until teeth. we won't talk about teeth

It's friday. Do you have a partner who can help you while it is the weekend? Take her out in the day so you can nap to recover? Help do some patting? We did the 'regime' over a weekend in half term so that DH could help and not be knackered for work.

are you opposed to having her in bed with you? iof not it might be the easiest option all round. You can tackle any co-sleeping issues later.

Do you wake her to feed at 10? Maybe leave her till she wakes up or put her down later? I'm not a morning person so put my LO down about 9.

I second narmada, there is nothing wrong with co-sleeping. It's just not the norm, lots of people do it but don't advertise it. If you think that could be an option for you look up safe co-sleeping.

well what do you want to do basically? your baby is behaving in a normal way they want the comfort and closeness of you!

if you dont want to co-sleep have you thought ofhaving the cot right next to your bed, with one side down so you can reach and pat baby easily without having to get up in the night?

you can get cots designed for co sleeping that go right up against your bed or you may be able to do this iwth the cot you have depending on the position of the base etc?

her napping patterns sound normal and she is waking aftera 'sleep cycle' again totally normal for this age.

i co slept with all of mine but understand its not for everyone, for naps in the day the sling or going for a walk in pram or sling etc was always good, or even a baby swing for if you need to put baby down to have a wee, eat etc!

you will find what works for you and your baby :) see what you feel comfortable with, this is your first? so if you can sleep in the day with baby sometimes, to help catch up on your sleep, you dont need to be superwoman!