How to change the way she sleeps???

[Cosmo74]

when Eimear was younger the only way we could get her to sleep was across our knee on her tummy - and then we lie her down on the sofa on her tummy - this is the way she sleeps suring the day - well an hour inthe morning and then about 2-2.5 hours in the afternoon.

We use to put her to sleep like that at night and then lift her up to her cot..but now as soon as she is put on her back in the cot she wakens and will only got back to sleep if you hold her hand or touch her face - but this is now getting longer last night after she fed at 11pm I was kneeling beside the cot until 1am holding her hand and touching her face....every time I tried to move away she started crying - I did try to leave her crying but she wasn't for going back to sleep - she does have a dummy and I also tried patting - she eventually fell asleep and I got into bed - then she woke for her 5am feed and we started all over again. She is a baby that really likes contact with you - when she is waken during the day she likes to be carried around or sat and talked too.

I just need some advice on how I can get her to sleep in her cot without holdong my hand - the other night after her 5am feed I give up at about 6am and took her into bed when DH got up and she slept until 8:30am but I know this is bad - but sometimes when you are tired and think you are getting to bed you would do anything to get to sleep.

Anyone any ideas??

nothing bad about it. Follow cosleeping guidelines and get a decent nights sleep. How old is she?
guidelines

my 5 week old also likes to be close
Remember that they can't form "bad habits" at such a young age (I'm assuming that you are talking about a baby, not a toddler)

Good luck

Eimear was 3 months last Sunday - I was wondering if introducing a comfort blanket would help as she likes to hold onto you at least if she has the blanket I could have my finger back and get back into bed - if so how do I do this? or is controlled crying the way to go? I really do not want to do co-sleeping as Dh smokes and I know that is a big no no for co-sleeping.

I think a comfort blanket is a good idea - sleep with it yourself for a couple of nights so that it gets your smell.

DD2 has one and she always plays with it before going to sleep and often pulls it over her face (it's only small so no danger to her).

The one she has is a "Humphrey's Corner" one from Mothercare which has a small Humphrey character attached to one corner and a teether at another corner.

If she has it close by most of the time (ie. when in car, buggy etc.) she should soon become quite attached to it.

HTH

Oh - controlled crying btw is not recommended until at least 6 months.

Also, make sure you put her down when she is awake but sleepy.

A variation on the comfort blanket which works for my dd (although she is a lot younger), is to put the shirt I have worn that day in her cot with her. They are definately comforted by mum's smell.

I know a lot of people advocate the, "put down when tired but not asleep" - but that did not work for my ds. We let him fall asleep in our arms, then popped him into bed - did this until about 11 months old. He is 2.5yo now, and we've never had a problem with him going to sleep on his own since (so putting him down asleep did not form bad habits - anyway, I don't think they can form bad habits at 3months, but that is just my view).

Otherwise, do you have a basket she can sleep in? That way she could fall asleep with you in the lounge, and you could either pop her into her cot when you go to bed, or just move the basket into her room when you go to bed.

Hope you find the answer.

had a nightmare last night - try the controlled crying lasted about 30 seconds and then she was sick everywhere some even came down through her nose - so I ended up nursing her to sleep in my arm with me crying too - he sobs were really heartbreaking and I felt such a bad mother - she is only 3 months why should I expect her to go to sleep by herself - once she did go to sleep she was fine - woke up for a bottle at 2:30am and I was back into bed by 3am with my hand - was seriously thinking about looking to buy a fake hand and put it in with her!!! it may have only be a one night things we will see how things go tonight.

I am trying the comfort blanket things but just realised I should have it with her during the day KiwiKate - good idea about the shirt I was wearing may give that a go and yes we too had to rock DS to sleep and then put him in cot. Eimears problem is that she will go to sleep in your arms but as soon as I put her in the cot she wakes and will only go back over with her holding my hand or me touching her face - but if I put a bit of my shirt in her hand it may fool her - here's hoping that she doesn't cop on!!!

Sorry to hear it Cosmo

Letting her cry did not cause her to vomit - and you are not a bad mother (if you were, would you be concerned enough to be posting on here for advice?)

My dd is the same about being put down by the way!

Have you tried warming her cot (hot water bottle in the cot, which you remove before putting her down)? Alternatively, do you wrapping her in a blanket while you cuddle her and then put her in bed, blanket and all? (keeps them cosy)

Something that we found (accidently) that sometimes works for us, is that we let her sleep in her carry cot (which we place inside her moses basket). The carrycot is smaller than the moses basket and has a zip on cover. She hates being swaddled, but seems to like the "loose" coziness of the carrycot zipped up. She also seems to like a sleeping bag (not a grow-bag, but a proper tiny sized sleeping bag). I suppose you could get the same effect by tucking the blankets into the cot matteress (not too tight, but not too loose) to give her a "cozy" feeling.

Have you tried swaddling? some kids love it. My dd hates it.

ds was bad at falling asleep during the first few months, and we swore that if we had another baby like that, we'd get a battery operated cradle that gently rocked baby to sleep.

Sorry to hear it Cosmo

Letting her cry did not cause her to vomit - and you are not a bad mother (if you were, would you be concerned enough to be posting on here for advice?)

My dd is the same about being put down by the way!

Have you tried warming her cot (hot water bottle in the cot, which you remove before putting her down)? Alternatively, do you wrapping her in a blanket while you cuddle her and then put her in bed, blanket and all? (keeps them cosy)

Something that we found (accidently) that sometimes works for us, is that we let her sleep in her carry cot (which we place inside her moses basket). The carrycot is smaller than the moses basket and has a zip on cover. She hates being swaddled, but seems to like the "loose" coziness of the carrycot zipped up. She also seems to like a sleeping bag (not a grow-bag, but a proper tiny sized sleeping bag). I suppose you could get the same effect by tucking the blankets into the cot matteress (not too tight, but not too loose) to give her a "cozy" feeling.

Have you tried swaddling? some kids love it. My dd hates it.

ds was bad at falling asleep during the first few months, and we swore that if we had another baby like that, we'd get a battery operated cradle that gently rocked baby to sleep.

Thanks again Kiwikate - I think it is a good idea bout heting the cot and wrapping her in a blanket to go to sleep and then put her in in that - she does like to be swaddled. I too have thought about the swinging chair which would be useful during the day - there is one in Mothercare for £100 - so I may tell everyone who is buying her Xmas pressies just to give me the money and I could buy this for her maybe - we have a door swing which DS loved when he was a baby so in another few months we could try her in that.

Better go as she is starting to wake. Been sleeping since 9:30am - miracle!!!