Help - baby not slept all day

[doeseverything]

Our 8 week old has spent the last 2 weeks sleeping on her front (I know, I know, but it was the only way she could sleep due to illness). After visit to health centre today where we were told categorically that we must not put her on her front (didn't realise we were increasing the risk of cot death by 50%!!! :( ) we have spent the day trying to get her to sleep on her back. She has cried for the whole day, occasionally dropping off for 5-10 mins at most. Don't know what to do - should we let her cry it out until she falls asleep (which took an hour earlier and then she only slept for 5 minutes)? We've been soothing and putting her down when alseep, and then she wakes up after a short period. Any advice from anyone would be great. Can't read what she wants / needs as she is crying all the time (I certainly know she is overtired). Usually (both before sleeping on her front and for last two weeks) she slept for 4 hours at a go, would wake for 1-2 hours be fed, changed and played with before settling down to sleep again, and then sleeping for between 4-8 hours at night.
Very worried, and guilt ridden.

have you tried swaddling? my 9w dd2 will not, not, not sleep at all on her back unless swaddled, but will sleep on her front as well. i think both of these ways of sleeping contain her flappy arms.

or you could continue to front sleep. it is an increased risk, but that doesn't mean you can't continue.

She self soothes with her hands so I don't like to swaddle, but you're right her arms tend to flap around a lot on her back and wake her up if she is sleeping lightly, so maybe I should persevere with the swaddling for a little longer.

I couldn't live with myself if anything were to happen if I put her on her front.

perhaps you could try swaddling her with her arms folded in towards her mouth so she can still suck her fingers, rather than straight down by her sides?

thanks cbs, I'll try that.

Have you tried a sling or taking her out in the pram or car?

You could get an angelcare monitor and continue to put her on her front, I know people who do this. Have you tried her on her side? My DD has reflux and we put her on her side,, propped between two rolled up towels. On the odd occasion she managed to roll onto back she wakes up within 10 min. Have a side sleep positioner on order as it's better than the towel. U can get them from baby reflux website. Excuse grammar am one handed on phone due to feeding baby!

Agree with PortiaPony. When DS was ignoring us to the extreme it turned out that he had an ear infection. It might be worth checking out that he can actually hear you

Sorry, not sure what happened then. Posted on the wrong thread.

Must be my extreme tiredness

Can you get her a sling? then carry her for day naps - she'll probably sleep well that way. Also use a pram and the car too if you need.

At night, i'd put her on her side with one arm outstretched then roll gently onto her back once she's asleep. Try raising the head end of her cot/crib/bsaket with books under the feet (not mattress) and this might help a bit too.

Thanks everyone, I think she has reflux so we are holding her upright after feeds for 20 mins, and have inclined the moses basket.

She slept ok last night, but have just put her down for her morning nap (after she has fallen asleep on me) and she has woken up and screaming the place down again.

Might put her in the sling if she can't get down at all today.

I've read a few babies won't entertain sleeping on their back, and those mum's invested in angelcare monitors as a PP said to put their minds at rest and so baby could sleep comfortably x

My DS had reflux pretty bad - we put him on his left hand side at night from 12 weeks (when we realised what it was). One morning he was on his back, woke up and stomach contents had come up and went down the wrong hole so he couldn't breath. After that I didn't lay him on his back for months! Also got medication for him too.