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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Moses Basket

26 replies

Bec12 · 23/12/2012 10:45

Hello everyone, my daughter is nearly 6 weeks and we are having trouble getting her into the moses basket at night. She is 6 pounds 9 and quite small and someone suggested we buy something to put into the moses basket to 'pack her in more' as she might feel the basket too big for her. I dont know the name of such a product. Does anyone know this? Thanks in advance Bec x

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mrscrimbobash · 23/12/2012 14:06

Just a rolled up blanket at the bottom and keep her swaddled.

IMHO a lot of children just don't seem to settle in Moses baskets for whatever reason and sleep better in a cot. Experiment to see what suits your DD and hopefully your problem will be resolved.

Original poster

Bec12 · 24/12/2012 11:53

Thank you. I will try that. She doesn't really like swaddling she cries and tries to kick it off. Thank you. Happy Christmas x

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KenDoddsDadsDog · 25/12/2012 20:09

My DD didn't settle at all in her basket but was fine in her cot. Have you tried putting in one of your worn (dirty) tops as a bottom 'sheet' to settle her ?

IveBeenGoodSantaIPromise · 25/12/2012 20:15

Second a worn nightie or t- shirt as a sheet. And a rolled up blanket or towel down side to make it smaller. Mine hated swaddling and it was better once she was big enough for a sleeping bag. To be honest we mostly rocked and fed to sleep the let her sleep on us and didn't put her down till fully asleep. She is 16 weeks now and have spent the last week or so getting her to sleep in the cot!! She loves her basket but it really is too big now!!

sedgieloo · 25/12/2012 20:49

When dd was 4wks we were in hospital. She had a huge cot, the made a 'donut' of rolled up cot sheets and then lay a bottom sheet over that. It provided a shallow cocoon to lay her in. Myum says she has seen something purpose made like this that serves the same purpose but I do not know the name. I used this with my ds and just extended it as he got older. It might be worth persisting with the swaddle. A lot of babies wake themselves up with a startle reflex on the early weeks. My ds did not like the swaddle either but I just kept with it and now as he gets wrapped up he will often close his eyes as he knows what it means - bedtime!

Piemother · 25/12/2012 21:03

It's a sleep positioner you want. They sell them on jojonananbebe I reckon

www.google.co.uk/search?q=sleep+positioner&hl=en&client=safari&tbo=u&source=univ&tbm=shop&sa=X&ei=VxTaUMX8CIak0AX93oGwCA&ved=0CEQQrQQ&biw=320&bih=416

These

jinglebellyalltheway · 25/12/2012 21:08

I though sleep positioners were re-called??, the one I used last time was because a baby using another brand turned and got stuck upside down with its face down

are you swaddling? that'll make her feel more secure, or perhaps she doesn't like flatness so a cot with cot blocks might work better

jinglebellyalltheway · 25/12/2012 21:09

sorry see you've tried swaddling, my skim reading skills aren't up to scratch!

second the worn nightie thing, and white noise can settle them too

KenDoddsDadsDog · 25/12/2012 21:10

I thought sleep positioners were not recommended anymore - I couldn't eBay mine because I read about it. Could have changed since then though.

HoratiaLovesBabyJesus · 25/12/2012 21:18

Second (third?) using a rolled-up towel to make the basket feel smaller.

Swaddling or sleeping bags means the sheet won't feel cold when you put her on. You can get sleeping bags for under 7lb if you look hard.

Congratulations on your new arrival.

Notgrownupinmyhead · 25/12/2012 21:37

What about a lambskin? I've had one in ds3s basket since he was a couple of weeks old and its shaped now where his body lies. He seems to love sleeping on it.

Original poster

Bec12 · 30/12/2012 10:55

Thanks so much for all the advice. My parents left yesterday so today is the start of us trying everything. I bought a swaddle shell so we are going to try this and we have put down the sheepskin from her pram to see if that helps. I think I am trying to run before I can walk. I think I have to be persistant with her as I am picking her up when she cries. Someone said that I might not want to let go and I am giving her the vibe! Has anyone heard that before? Thanks again Bec x

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ILoveSaladReallyIDo · 30/12/2012 12:55

at 6 weeks your not SUPPOSED to want to "let go" TBH, that's you and her instincts to keep her alive! she's only 6 weeks - that is exactly the right vibe to give her - that you are there for her and she is safe!

KenDoddsDadsDog · 30/12/2012 19:53

Ilovesalad is right - there are all these stupid 'rules' when all she wants is you and you want is her. This would have saved me a lot of angst.

Original poster

Bec12 · 01/01/2013 10:37

Thanks so much. We are going to try the moses basket again tonight. To be honest I keep saying 'I will do it tomorrow' but it being a new year we will try! I was thinking of intorducing one formula feed at night about 10pm so she sleeps and that way I can put her in. Has anyone done this? I am breastfeeding exclusivley but not sure she is getting enough hence she is waking alot? Bec x

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yousmell · 01/01/2013 21:02

Swaddle the baby yes but no bumpers. Also the baby has been inside you for 9 months and just wants to be with you now. Is co-seeping an option? Please don't let new baby cry it out. Try resting your hand on the baby or holding it's hand.

Wigeon · 01/01/2013 21:30

I think you need to change your expectations. It is totally normal for a 6 week old baby to want to sleep as close to its mother as possible, and not to want to sleep in a Moses. It doesn't necessarily indicate a problem. Some do sleep fine in a Moses (perhaps all your friends' babies did / do?), but some don't. I agree that you should consider co-sleeping. And you can sometimes co-sleep and sometimes have the baby in a Moses / cot - it needn't be one or the other. With both my DDs I found that they sometimes just wanted to be in bed with me, and sometimes were happy in the Moses / cot.

I would be very very surprised if she is waking because she is hungry. If BF-ing is otherwise going well, with normal weight gain etc, and you are feeding on demand, there is no reason to introduce formula. And if she does wake up, you can definitely offer the breast as a first resort. It's also normal for a baby that age to wake several times a night for a feed.

Finally, you will find many many threads on here from mothers who formula fed, who say their babies were terrible sleepers, and mothers who breast fed, who say their babies slept really well. And vice versa.

Debs3013 · 03/01/2013 12:47

I had the same with my ds - he loathed his Moses basket, most nights for the first few weeks he spent the night sleeping in his graco chair with the auto swing setting on, with me on the sofa. At about six weeks, I decided enough was enough, that he really couldn't get into the habit of sleeping there. I came on Mumsnet looking for advice and spotted a thread where someone mentioned a Sleepyhead (they sell them on John Lewis website). It is bloomin' expensive but I can honestly say it's the best thing I spent my money on. The Sleepyhead goes in his cot and he settles like a dream - he doesn't sleep through the night but I can now feed him, wind him and put him straight down no issue. It genuinely worked from the first night we had it, I think it may be to do with the Moses basket having such high sides that they feel completely isolated from the outside world, whereas the Sleepyhead has shallow sides so he can see around should he want plus he's all snugged up in it. He's now four months and weighs close to thirteen pounds and is still in it - in fact the two nights I tried him recently in his cot without the Sleepyhead were a nightmare (dh thought he looked too snug in the Sleepyhead!). I did look on ebay at the time and there was only a pink one for sale but I've just looked and someone is selling them now cheaper than John Lewis so might be worth a look (search Sleepyhead baby). But having said all that, maybe the thing with with folding up towels and covering with a sheet would have the same effect.

Original poster

Bec12 · 06/01/2013 11:28

Thanks Debs, wow it is expensive! I think the problem lies with me. I am looking for every reason under the sun for a quiet night as I hate to hear her cry! I need to be stronger! Fingers crossed we will get her in.

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Longtalljosie · 06/01/2013 11:37

I'm afraid at 6 weeks she's supposed to feed all the time. If keeping on breastfeeding is your goal I wouldn't introduce formula at this early stage. Possibly in a few weeks' time when your supply's a bit more robust?

CheungFun · 06/01/2013 11:40

The lack of sleep is really hard going, but I don't think most babies sleep through at 6 weeks. I think DS did a 6 hour sleep at about 11 weeks.

I think at this stage just do whatever works for you and don't worry about 'spoiling' the baby, my midwife said 'babies cannot be spoiled'.

With the settling in the Moses basket, I was once so tired I just plonked DS in when his eyes were wide open and practically fell into bed and he miraculously went to sleep with no help from me. I was amazed and carried on putting him to bed with his eyes open.

I think at night feeds if you can do it more or less in the dark and with the minimum amount of noise and stimulation this helps the baby go back to sleep faster as they're not so awake.

It's hard to know though as sometimes they go back to sleep after a little cry and sometimes it turns into a full on scream fest! It's very much trial and error IME :)

NappyHappy · 07/01/2013 00:01

What about warming the basket up slightly with a hot water bottle? Obv take it out before you put her in though.

MrsC1969 · 07/01/2013 00:50

My daughter was fine with the moses basket but son definitely not, your little one was quite small but my son was 9 1/2 lbs and it just wobbled when he so much as snorted....so we took it off the stand. That was better. Swaddling worked quite well for a little while but he was definitely better when he went into a cot (which was quite early, daughter didn't go in until 6 months but son was in by about 12 weeks). Using a sleeping bag was better too. It is difficult for me to advise as I have massive sleep issues with son and he is nearly too but if she's not settling down, I would definitely consider the cot sooner rather than later. Good luck x

MrsC1969 · 07/01/2013 00:51

Nearly "two"...sorry, am so sleep exhausted I can't even type!!

Original poster

Bec12 · 09/01/2013 18:01

Thanks so much. She is 8 weeks now so I might intorduce 1 formula feed. Thanks so much for all your advice. I am now putting her down in basket after feeds during the day and she is getting more used to it. We will get there. I suppose there is no race!!! Thanks Bec xx

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