Getting a newborn to sleep

[Pilki]

Hiya

Our DD is nearly a week old now and was just wondering if anybody had any tips on getting her to sleep.

She is angel during the day but from 10pm until about half eight in the morning she screams and crys and won't settle in her crib.

Any ideas about a routine or how to get her to sleep at night,

Many Thanks

swaddle her
cuddle her
let her sleep on you
feed her to sleep
rock her

it is very young to expect her to sleep on her own

Swaddling is good. With DS we found he needed noise to sleep so we would put some music on quietly for him.

She is still very young. For the first 6 weeks of DD2's life I had the attitude that whatever it took to get us through, we would use it. It made things much less stressful than DD1's newborn stage, and it doesn't set things up for failure - DD2 is now 6 month's old and goes to bed at 7pm in her cot with no problems.

swaddling is brilliant also putting her on your tummy/chest to get her sleepy. Make sure your room is lovely and warm..

Thanks everyone

Think that Im just a bit of a perfectionist and I need to relax and take every day as it comes xx

I found the best thing for sleep is actually the environment in the home. I always have the TV, radio etc on during the day as background noise, and most of the play is during the day. Evening/night is very low key with soft lights, low noise and limited play - but lots of cuddles (you can't spoil a newborn enough can you). We did this from the night he came home and he has been sleeping through since 5 weeks. We may just be lucky but it's worth a try. Hark at me giving baby advice. My DS is almost 4 months now. Such a precious time, the first days

put something next to her that smells like mummy (smelly t-shirt etc..). Also swaddling is good for newborn.

don't worry about feeding to sleep at such an early stage (some people go nuts at the thought just encase they develop a 'habit' !!)

DS always slept very soundly on my chest until he was in a deep enough sleep I'd gently transfer him to his moses basket next to my bed where I'd lie holding his hand (ok so he's a pfb ) I think not rushing the separation is good advice.

have 4 week old DD and sympathise. I also have 2.5 year old DS. I am more or less following a routine with her, as I did with him. we do 8 am to 8 pm. Basically she is woken around 8 and fed, then try and keep her awake a bit, for at least an hour. then a nap 10-11. then wake her up, feed her and play with her again, then big nap an hour or 2 hours later about 12.30 to 3 pm, then feed etc and play, then she naps 5-6, has a bath at 7 with her brother and goes to bed at 8. I wake her at midnight and give her a good feed, then see how long she goes.

I am a firm believer in a routine from the beginning, as for me personally it has led to a more happy baby AND mother, I need my evenings to myself. Even now at 4 weeks we more or less have both kids in bed at 8, so I'm free till midnight to have a nap myself, and personally I need that for my sanity.

I agree swaddling is very good, but I would have the room colder for safety, only 18 degrees max. I also found a hot water bottle good to warm the bed. Also make sure the baby has a bit of time upright after the feed to let it go down. I put an A4 folder at the top of the cot mattress so it's a bit slanting, helps with wind etc.

also keep things dark and boring at night, even from this age and try and keep her awake a little bit between feeds in the day. good luck!