How do you handle 1 month old and sleepless nights!

[NectarMom]

Hi all,

I am in desperate need of help! My 1 month old has suddenly stopped sleeping for longer than an hour in the day time and he constantly wants to be held !

I am tired of holding him constantly and also sleepless nights do not help....does any of you experienced ones have some solution to this situation please?

Thanks a lot!

4 weeks often really tough - they are a new animal at this stage. Can't remember much myself, hope someone else helps more. Have you tried sticking them down for a nap exactly 2 hours after they wake up? IIRC that worked for a while with ds - I spent 2 agonising hours 5.30 - 7.30 propping myself up until I could dump him in the cot and pass out for 45mins

It gets better.

Could someone else hold him for a bit during the day to give you a break? any grandparents?

Perhaps you could get a sling so he can be close to you but you can do other things?

Also try lying down with him during the day on the bed, he'll probably drop off to slepp and you can catch up on some sleep too

Thanks a lot for the advises!

I do not have his grandparents close by and unfortunately he does not sleep on bed either...the only thing that works with him is holdinghim in my hand. I am getting quite cranky actually with this situation .... I have not tried a sling as yet, may be that could be an option...

sling well worth a go.

no grandparents - maybe a babysitter specifically to wheel him round the block for an hour and a half while you sleep? Start asking around in baby groups - at least there, someone with slightly older children who wants another baby is likely to take him off you for a bit

One word...swaddle!

I wish I'd done this from day 1. I found a video on youtube of how to wrap them up and hey presto- 5 solid hours sleep the first night.

I second swaddling. My 13 week old is still swaddled for naps and it really helps. She was like yours at 4 weeks, if I recall correctly (seems so long ago!!). We would have used a sling but she seemed to get hot and bothered in it (August/ September though). My DD won't sleep in her moses basket or on my bed in the day - only swaddled in bouncy chair (or pram if we're out).

I know its controversial but we found co-sleeping worked. Didnt do it with dd1 at all but was a lifesaver with dd2. Banished DH to spare room so just me and the baby in bed. Learned how to breastfeed her lying down she would just drop off next to me and I could go straight back to sleep. Worked for us anyway. At this stage its about survival so wouldnt worry about getting into bad habits etc. Our baby was quite happy to be in moses basket from about 2 months but the co sleeping got us through those early tricky weeks. Good luck with it.

Sling got me through these first difficult weeks (and I remember them being very difficult!).

DS1 would only sleep on me at one stage. The sling made it easier, because I could get on with things, while 'holding' him, and sometimes just sit on the sofa once he was asleep (would often fall asleep with the movement) and snooze too!

It also made it easier when he just wouldn't stop crying, for whatever reason (after checking there was nothing wrong, obviously). I felt like I could do stuff, but wasn't 'leaving' him.

Hang in there. It really does get easier. And don't worry too much about rods and back at this stage. Do whatever gets you through with your sanity intact. A few weeks later, DS just started sleeing in the moses basket again.

swaddling - tick
sling - tick
co-sleeping if all else fails - tick
it's TOUGH at the start and does get better - tick
good luck

DS was like this and I co slept. Just a word about making it safer for you - turn your bed around so that one side is along a wall. You sleep on the outer side whilst baby sleeps at right angles head towards the wall. Put baby on top of your covers with their own cover on them - oh yes - boot partner out onto the floor or the sofa for the next few years

This way the risk of smothering is reduced because if you roll over in your sleep you roll onto babies feet not their head!

I would try the sling and swaddling first though - good luck hun.

Thanks a lot for all the tips momsies ! I love this talk club ;)!