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when will she let me put her down?

18 replies

mrsmo · 17/07/2007 17:56

3 wk old dd won't be put down! can get her in a sling but wont nap or be put down without screaming. hard to even get to the loo!! 1st baby so no idea if this is normal behaviour. did your baby do this? how long for, and did anything help them get over it. wont sleep on her own either but sleeps v well in with us. bfing if that has an effect?

OP posts:
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Jamantha · 17/07/2007 18:00

no answers i'm afraid mrsmo, but my 4 week old DD sleeps well on her own in basket at night, but is not so good during daytime. Spend noticable amount of time with her asleep on my shoulder. When I do put herdown it's not uncommon for her to sleep another 10-15 mins then go into "baby freak out".

mozzybear · 17/07/2007 18:03

Have you tried swaddling?

slinkyjo · 17/07/2007 18:07

was gonna say that mozzy, it worked wonders with my ds when he was a baby

gringottsgoblin · 17/07/2007 18:09

ds4 did this for 3 months. i was ready for the loony bin by the end, then all of a sudden he was fine. if he had been my 1st he would likely have been my only one! not normal as in not all kids do it, but normal as in there is nothing wrong with her, she just loves her mummy

blueshoes · 17/07/2007 19:14

mrsmo, sympathies. Normal for my dd and ds. They are sometimes called "high needs" babies - Dr Sears wrote a whole book on them: here. Saved my life with dd, as she was my first and no other mum I knew had a baby like her. In fact, the other mothers I know with high needs babies have been on mn!

Sadly, none of the usual tricks, like swaddling or nightie with mother's smell in cot or lovey worked. They knew what they wanted and would not accept anything less. But try anyway, you never know what will work.

The buggy worked. So took them out for walks, if only to get them to sleep. Will your dd sleep in a buggy? The mechanical swing worked as well, for a while.

You are doing great with the sling and co-sleeping.

As for when they can be put down, well it will get better once your dd can sit up (she will be able to play with toys better), crawl, walk. With each milestone, she will get easier and easier, as she is able to do more for herself.

Both of mine were bf babies. I think bf-ing helps, rather than hinders, because of the closeness and comfort it gives. This high needs thing is a temperament thing, and I don't think bottle-feeding makes a difference. hth

Hang in there. Take care of yourself. It will all be worth it in the end - promise.

CristinaTheAstonishing · 17/07/2007 19:18

Can you pass her to your DP to hold? DH and I often found that just a change of hands would do wonders for settling ours. On occasion he'd even ask the upstairs neighbour if I wasn't at home and he needed a break.

nightshade · 17/07/2007 19:19

can sympathise dd now 14 mths and was/is exactly the same.

i only came to terms with it after reading a lot about breastfeeding, co-sleeping etc and realising that new baby extremely vulnerable.

no animal in the wild would leave a newborn alone, unattended for any length of time.

keep doing what you're doing. sling her up, sleep with her etc. it's nature's way.

krispie · 17/07/2007 19:38

what blueshoes said.

ds1 EXACTLY the same. didnt know what had hit me as friends babies seemed much more chilled and easygoing.
Got much better as he could sit, walk, talk etc.

dd completely different. They are definately born "high need" or not. IMO.

callmeovercautious · 17/07/2007 22:33

Bump for Kiskidee - she knows alot about cosleeping that you may find useful.

Oh yes, my DD was the same but it was boobie she wanted constantly!

JoolsToo · 17/07/2007 22:35

if you want a wee you can put her down, she'll come to no harm

Chelseamum · 17/07/2007 22:40

mine was the same... i carried her in the sling constantly for months..... it will get better as the weeks come along... just keep eating healthy food so you are strong as it takes its toll....xx

mrsmo · 19/07/2007 12:08

thanks for all the support and advice. Fortunately my parents are lending a lot of help and support which is great. DD is an angel and will just keep chugging along with her. Nice to know I'm not alone though!

OP posts:
dotty2 · 19/07/2007 12:26

My DD was just the same - and it went on for at least 3-4 months, gradually easing as she got more independent (e.g. able to pick up toys, sit up on her own etc). I completely agree with earlier posts that some babies are just made that way. I personally found it much easier to deal with when I decided to just go with it and stopped reading books that stressed the importance of getting them sleeping in their cot, comparing her with other babies who would coo contendedly in their moses baskets, etc...But it is hard and frustrating some days, so lots of sympathy. I went back to work one day a week when she was 5 months old, leaving her with dp, and I remember the things I liked best about being at work were being able to go to the loo in peace and drink a hot cup of tea!

dotty2 · 19/07/2007 12:28

PS - a health visitor told me that babies like this are often more intelligent than the average (because they both need and get more attention). Not sure whether there's even a grain of truth in that, but I found it comforting!

bellaprincess · 19/07/2007 12:37

Hi Mrsmo
my DD1 was the same. I spent the first 3-4 months with her constantly in my arms - she slept there, fed there and cooed there. She also wouldn't sleep at night unless in my arms, so for the first 3-4 months I was in the sperate bedroom. But like others have said once she starts sitting on her own or even on her belly and can lift her head and look around and play with toys she will get better and you can probably go to the loo by yourself (wait until she can walk and talk - she will follow you and ask many questions )
Anyway it does get better and there are lots of books that will help you through. I have gone on to have another DD and I have learnt from my DD1.
I did swaddling and it helped with daytime naps. I also got a amby nature crib which helped alot. Plus I realised that she was only a little baby who desparetly needed me.
Good luck hope it gets better.

JazzyGsMummy · 22/07/2007 16:53

Ah! this brings back memories for me when my DD was a baby. she hardly ever slept and didn't like being put down, when she did go to sleep it had to be in my arms and as soon as I moved her she woke up. I also bf'd and she seemed to be constantly hungry - not sure whether it was for comfort but she didn't seem overfed and the hv said you can't overfeed a bf'd baby, they just sick it up. it's hard as you never know how much milk they're getting.
anyway back to the point. she was so clingy and I wondered when it would end. Sometimes I wouldn't even be dressed until afternoon as I couldn't leave her alone. I'd pass her to my Mum/friend or who ever came to visit just so I could have a shower.
The good news is: it doesn't last, before you even realise it's happened a routine will set in and you may find that dd may sleep say an hour after waking in the morning (even if it is only 1/2 hr or so like my DD) also in a few more weeks (if you haven't already) invest in one of those playmats with toys that dangle above their head, my dd loved it at 4-5 weeks and would quite happily lie there whilst I went upstairs to the loo, I sometimes took dd and playmat upstairs with me whilst I got showered and dressed. until she started rolling over the playmat was a godsend. by that point she was much less clingy and in a better routine.
good luck. it does get better

JazzyGsMummy · 22/07/2007 17:39

Ah! this brings back memories for me when my DD was a baby. she hardly ever slept and didn't like being put down, when she did go to sleep it had to be in my arms and as soon as I moved her she woke up. I also bf'd and she seemed to be constantly hungry - not sure whether it was for comfort but she didn't seem overfed and the hv said you can't overfeed a bf'd baby, they just sick it up. it's hard as you never know how much milk they're getting.
anyway back to the point. she was so clingy and I wondered when it would end. Sometimes I wouldn't even be dressed until afternoon as I couldn't leave her alone. I'd pass her to my Mum/friend or who ever came to visit just so I could have a shower.
The good news is: it doesn't last, before you even realise it's happened a routine will set in and you may find that dd may sleep say an hour after waking in the morning (even if it is only 1/2 hr or so like my DD) also in a few more weeks (if you haven't already) invest in one of those playmats with toys that dangle above their head, my dd loved it at 4-5 weeks and would quite happily lie there whilst I went upstairs to the loo, I sometimes took dd and playmat upstairs with me whilst I got showered and dressed. until she started rolling over the playmat was a godsend. by that point she was much less clingy and in a better routine.
good luck. it does get better

JazzyGsMummy · 22/07/2007 17:41

Oops sorry pressed "post msg" twice DOH!

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